Reasonable Woman＜タワーレコード限定/Exclusive Violet Vinyl＞

This is more like it. After a period of diminishing returns via one-off soundtrack contributions and her misunderstood Music soundtrack, Sia returns in a huge way with the triumphant comeback Reasonable Woman. Her first proper solo set since 2016, the album features all the sonic hallmarks for those fans who have been pining for that particular "Sia sound" that propelled her beyond the indie-sphere to the top of the charts. Oversized singalong anthems and addictive dance cuts share space as she does her thing: focused, hardened, and hungry, she balances bleeding vulnerability with an intense drive to prove herself once again as one of the premier songwriters and inimitable vocalists of her generation. Starting strong, "Little Wing" joins the pantheon of towering Sia anthems that push resilience, strength, and empowerment to soul-shaking levels, harkening back to her mid-2010s classics 1000 Forms of Fear and This Is Acting. This comes as no surprise, as the track was co-penned with Jesse Shatkin, who also had a hand in "Chandelier" and "Alive," and contributes to the bulk of the albums songwriting. "Immortal Queen" with Chaka Khan carries the same energy, a take-no-prisoners inspirational anthem fit for raucous nights out or getting sweaty in the gym. The album version of lead single "Gimme Love" is expanded to maximize its theatrical scope, turning the addictive earworm into a deeply aspirational moment that pushes the wounded confessional to powerful heights. Those limits are pushed to the breaking point on the stunning "I Forgive You," which features a vocal performance filled with her signature voice-cracks that sound like shes fighting for her very life with each word. These relatable emotions -- desiring to be loved, to be heard, to be understood -- have always been part of her arsenal, but on Reasonable Woman, Sia sounds more driven than she has in over a decade. Lighter fare for escapist bliss breaks up the drama on the shimmering "Dance Alone," an Aussie-diva duet with Kylie that sounds like it could have been on Minogues own Tension or Disco, and the bhangra-tinged stomper "One Night." Other highlights include the yearning "Towards the Sun," a synth-driven, hard-edged surprise, and an almost-LSD-reunion with Labrinth on the blippy, intergalactic duet "Incredible." Additional guests appear on "I Had a Heart" (with Rosalia on songwriting duties), the victorious romp "Champion" (with emcees Tierra Whack, Kaliii, and Jimmy Jolliff), and the self-conscious "Fame Wont Love You" (with none other than Paris Hilton). After nearly a decade of varying output and an uncertain direction, Reasonable Woman gets Sia back on track, joining Fear and Acting as one of the most compelling and listenable efforts in her post-breakthrough catalog -- a huge relief for anyone who thought she had lost her touch. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

別プロジェクトのLSD、クリスマス作品、サントラなどを経て、純粋なオリジナル・アルバムとしては約8年ぶり。チャカ・カーン、カイリー・ミノーグ、ティエラ・ワック、おふざけっぽいパリス・ヒルトン他、豪華ゲストが勢揃い。ロザリアも共作で参加。だが何にも増して圧倒的なのがシーアの歌だ。朋友ジェシー・シャトキン、グレッグ・カースティンを両脇に、シーアらしさを全開。圧巻メロをソウルフルに熱唱するアンセム調から感涙バラード、ボリウッド風、ラップ調まで盛りだくさん。これまで〈失恋の女王〉とされてきた彼女だが、大半がポジティヴ志向。腹の底からガツンと熱く鼓舞される。
bounce (C)村上ひさし