Album Review: Sia’s “This Is Acting” Deluxe Edition Is Worth The Extra
Sia’s This Is Acting was re-released with brand new tracks “Confetti”, “Midnight Decisions”, and “Jesus Wept”, which only furthered something we all know about the songstress: she is one of a kind. While many artists like to stick to one genre or style, Sia is also a music producer and writer for others, which explains why she is so willing to show her vast creativity. She is an artist for other artists, to which This Is Acting comes off like a brilliant ode to Sia’s adaptability.
1000 Forms of Fear, Sia’s previous record, was a massively acclaimed hit, that expanded her fandom tenfold. The album hinted at the expansiveness of her creativity, but was more focused on showing more listeners the unique fragility of her voice. The singer literally sounds like a broken vase shattered on the floor: clear, cutting, and beautiful fragmented. Each vocal note she strides into feels like a flower offered to listeners whom grasp it with the clutch of their hearts. You will not find anyone whom shows the rawness of feeling quite like Sia, to which This Is Acting is a musical elaboration of that capacity.
Sia’s voice IS vulnerability, and whether she is exuding the exuberance of being “Alive” or the gut-wrenching pain of having “Space Between” herself and her lover, This Is Acting is like an art canvas for life’s many colors. Thus, her deluxe edition feels like an expansion of a painting. In “Jesus Wept” Sia has created a soft ballad to which Jesus’ suffering become an sentimental reflection to how we all must face darkness alone, but maintain a lightness within us that is for all. It is lyrically wonderful and emotional in the visions it inspires. “Confetti” is another welcomed deluxe track that elevates Sia’s ability to capture the nuances of relationships that may seem small, but explain why certain loves begin and end because tiny details are remnants of bigger issues. In addition, “Midnight Decisions” is also a song about love breaking apart with a dynamic beat that becomes a sonic rollercoaster for this emotional experience.
Overall, these three new additions are quiet, yet vibrant shows of life’s heartbreak and the human resilience it takes to overcome it. Such a theme is typical of Sia and is central to This Is Acting.
Yet, the deluxe edition does include some great remixes of her chart- topping released singles. “Cheap Thrills” Caribbean feels are turned up with a feature from Sean Paul, and Kendrick Lamar amps up the energy and promotion of perseverance in Sia’s The Greatest, whose original version is also an added track. Moreover, the “Move Your Body” (Alan Walker Remix) will do exactly as its title, and is destined to be played in every techno-rave that will sprout across the earth this year.
Thus, if you did not buy the record, and still feel tempted then I suggest you buy the Deluxe Edition. Still, if you already bought the album consider buying these additional tracks, especially the gorgeous tune Jesus Wept. For More Information on Sia, To Buy This Is Acting (Deluxe Edition), and to get tickets for Nostalgic For The Present Click Here.
