Kate Miller-Heidke is a unique artist, with music that proves to be a real puzzle to describe. Mix a quivering classical voice like Sarah Brightman's with the quirky perks of Cyndi Lauper, Kate Bush or Sia, and the queer lyrical 'poetry' of Katy Perry, Aqua or Hi-5, and you still haven't got her defined! Curiouser is Kate's second studio album, (and first to be certified platinum, reaching #2 on the ARIA chart), released in October 2008, following her debut album Little Eve, in 2007.
Curiouser is a little different. Many of the tracks (especially 'Politics in Space') could leave you feeling more than slightly puzzled, due to Kate's rather operatic vocal style that is uncommon in popular music. As with the problem of latitude versus longitude, you're likely to be left wondering whether you can soundly distinguish between mastery and novice-hood, sanity and madness, grown-ups and children, convention and absurdity – mostly due to the very wide and interesting range of her vocalisations!
Kate has some decent stories and morals to tell via her yodels and related forms of vocal gymnastics. The curious thing about her songs is that their subjects are simple and all quite close to home – dealing with narratives, personalities and common absurdities contained in everyday (typically teenage) life, e.g. finishing school, peer-pressure, friends and enemies, feelings of love and embarrassment. But, they still leave you feeling a little curious and contemplative because of her quirky voice layering and witty, rhyming lyrics. She is, quite obviously, a very professional and noticeably classically-trained performer – that mix of skilled crafting and youthful content makes the songs sound peculiar, though unusually charming, at the same time.
Occasionally the simple lyrics, playful melodies and repetitive accompaniments will take you back to 'Play School' and other sources of childhood entertainment. But, the simplicity really comes down to accomplished songwriting, without inhibitions. She is entirely aware of the popular conventions that she's bending and you can tell that each and every word has been carefully chosen to invoke a particular thought or feeling in the listener. Some phrases are blunt and sarcastic, others are heartfelt and timid but they're all really easy to relate to and understand.
Curiouser boasted three popular singles. “Can't Shake It”, a cheeky and realistic opposition to Beyonce's booty-preachings, about a booty that just won't shake. “Caught In the Crowd”, (which won the 'International Songwriting Competition') a remorseful recount told with insight in retrospect, about abandoning a potential friend who was indeed in need of a friend. And, “Last Day on Earth”, a sweet and fragile ballad that sold platinum four weeks after its release.
A few of the other tracks on the album distinctly echo the sentiments of those three singles. “Our Song” is another gentle, though less poignant ballad, “The End of School” is another (less tragic) reflective recount from school and “Motorscooter” is also very tongue-in-cheek. Most of the other songs are much more obscure and crafty - some just plain weird! So, though I can't guarantee that your ears will embrace this album in its entirety, it should leave you feeling curious...or curiouser - at least about how well you can “shake it”.
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