Missy Higgins: Oz

We may have waited a while for Missy Higgins’ third album to hit the shelves, but luckily there wasn’t too much of a wait to hear the sweet sounds of Higgin’s raw and husky vocals in her fourth release.
Her fourth studio album Oz, features 15 covers that are so Australian you can pretty much smell the ocean and snags on the BBQ. Missy has also released a book of the same name to accompany the album, with a collection of short essays that stem from each track.
Missy Higgins is unlike many artists in that she possesses the ability to let her vocals completely carry a song. ‘Old Fitzroy’ is a clear example of this, and though there is slight percussion and instrumentals, Higgins’ light and airy vocals become your main attention.
Her rendition of ‘Shark Fin Blues’ by The Drones is mesmerising. The bitterness of the original is lost with the addition of tasteful piano and slight guitar. ‘Back To The Wall’, ‘The Biggest Disappointment’ and ‘No Secrets’ are worth paying particular attention to.
Regardless of whether this album is a collection of original work or not, it’s pretty enough to hang on the wall. Higgins’ voice is so beautiful and profoundly emotive that you can’t help but want to listen to it and only it.
By Amanda Sherring