Missy Higgins - The Missy Higgins EP
This is Missy's first ever release, and it came a couple of years after she won the JJJ unearthed band search. She had travelled to Europe just before this, and decided to lay down her first EP. These songs were written most probably while she was at high school, and maybe while overseas.
Interesting fact - "While she was overseas, a live recording she'd made for Triple J found it's way to Los Angeles tastemaker radio station KCRW and they started playing it. Many U.S. labels responded to the unique sound of her jazz hued voice wrapping itself around her emotive lyrics. Even though she'd actually spent 2002 trekking around youth hostels, by the end of that year she had landed an international deal with Warner Bros Records."
Track by Track:
1. Greed For Your Love
The first song I ever heard by Missy. Starts with some really unique sounding acoustic guitar, and the singing burts in very appropriately with the line "Bursting with blood, my fingertips pulse". It really depicts the urgency in her voice. A very dark sort of love ballad, and the chorus is a very nice hook. 4.5/5
2. Falling
A completely piano based song. It is rather blues ish, or something. It has some beautiful piano work, and the lyrics again are brilliant. The chorus is very pretty sounding, and ends with a sharp line: "Weigh this moment with the future of your dreams no longer there". The song seems to be about not being as good as you can be, and going in the wrong direction. 4/5
3. All For Believing
Maybe my favourite Missy Higgins track. It has so much beauty about it, I just can't describe. The emotion in her voice brings me close to tears, and always makes me stop what I am doing. "Say you will be there for me to hold when faith cold, and life turns cold." It is piano based, with a lot of cello, and the chorus holds some very dark sounding piano. The backing vocals are brilliant. There is an amazing part right at the end. 5/5
4. The Special Two
This song is also amazing, and is one of my favourite Missy tracks. Her Australian accent shines through beautifully here, and it is the best I have heard an Aussie accent sound vocally. The chorus describes the theme of the song brilliantly. Before she played this when I saw her live, she said that she had locked herself in a cabin for days, and had been drinking a lot and feeling sorry for herself. This is one of the only covers I really love to play, and is my favourite song to play and sing. 5/5
This EP is brilliant, and is equally as good as "The Scar EP", so if you dig that, dig this. Don't get me wrong though, the EP's sound completely different. This recording is more stripped and a lot darker. The last two tracks on this EP will apper on Missy's upcoming album, but will be more filled out versions.
4.5/5
