Sia’s ‘This Is Acting’ is a dose of pure modern pop and, as might be expected, it hits many of the current successful chart notes. There are plenty of big power ballads, such as Alive, One Million Bullets and Bird Set Free, but here there's also an opportunity to experiment with other styles.
There is a Eurodance track in the shape of Move Your Body, the on-trend Cheap Thrills, which has a dancehall-inspired tropical house sound complete with vapid lyrics about partying, and the soul-pop of Reaper, with its choirs, organs, and spiritual imagery. These disparate elements tie into the album’s theme, though, as this is a record made up of songs written for, and in many cases rejected by, other artists.
Duly, part of its appeal is matching the song to the rumoured recipient, with Adele, Rihanna, Beyoncé and Shakira all in the running. It’s also easy to be impressed by Sia’s songwriting craft, intrigued by this window into the industry and dazzled by her vocal ability to suit assorted styles.
While any of these songs individually might perform well on the radio, though, the overall effect is of something bland and so completely contemporary that it already feels a little dated.
The off-beat pop that made the enticing Chandelier and Elastic Heart, from Sia’s last album, ‘1000 Forms of Fear’, stand apart from the uniformity of most major label pop is only apparent in the smallest doses on ‘This Is Acting’.
It is evident on Alive, a "victim to victory" ballad co-written by Adele and Tobias Jesso Jr. that fits Sia’s formula perfectly. Her huge voice breaks to reveal fragility, but powers on with a seemingly frantic urgency that seems to bring forward a darker past. It’s a rare moment of power in a sea of the mundane, though, and even then it fails to compete with her most notable singles.
This is quite a postmodern way to sell an album, based more on its referential nature than its actual quality, and part of you wants to congratulate Sia on playing on our obsession with celebrity. What we’re left with, though, is an album that feels a little soulless. It's one that’s enjoyable but quickly forgotten and where Sia’s powerful voice often overpowers rather than emotionally pulls the listener in. The concept is an interesting statement on modern pop music, but that doesn’t save the album from falling flat.
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