1000 Forms of Fear (Special Barnes & Noble Gold Edition) - Sia

     Sia's 2013 hit album tackles some incredibly dark and introspective topics all wrapped up in a well produced and catchy tracklist. Having quite the history as an artist whose career has spanned multiple decades, Sia has made a focus to her music rather than herself, hence the platinum gold wig on both this LP as well as her recently recently released This is Acting. This record can be found fairly inexpensive most places, with Barnes & Noble having the rights to an exclusive gold vinyl edition that I purchased for a few dollars more, at a quite reasonable $21.

1. The Presentation.

     I was excited for this album for a while, as I have enjoyed Sia and wanted to hear and see what this exclusive edition offered me. An interesting thing to point out is that the protecting sleeve is black instead of white, something not important at all, but nonetheless I have never seen before. A fold-out lyrics page is included with interesting photographs and sometimes hard to read lyrics, but it was helpful to read while listening, as Sia can just blast through words faster than more than a few rappers I listen to.

     The "gold" vinyl is actually translucent yellow, giving off a cool vibe and contrasting perfectly with the rest of the album. Overall, the presentation is fairly basic but effective, establishing the LP as unique without being gaudy or appearing to try too hard. Nothing was damaged or deformed, other than a little warping on the vinyl itself (which I do not think affected sound quality) and then a few crinkled corners from store display.

2. The Tracks

     Sia is emotionally charging. Before I ever contemplated the chart-topping single "Chandelier" I was impressed with how she soared so powerfully and yet effortlessly. This is a pattern with Sia, throwing oftentimes quite deep and personal insights around so casually the listener might not catch them, though at the same time they still house all of their impact regardless. It is an odd combination, and one that is dressed up in a hilariously catchy tune to create a storm of feelings and beats. It is no wonder she shot back up to the charts so quickly, and how her next album will almost certainly do the same.
      That being said, some of my personal favorites on this album has naturally been the headliner "Chandelier," as well as the more recently successful "Elastic Heart," of which this special edition comes with the track featuring The Weekend. "Eye of the Needle," "Straight for the Knife," "Fair Game," and "Big Girls Cry" all use a slightly undertoned beat to create a driving ambivalence, something that Sia really nails. "Hostage," "Fire Meets Gasoline," "Dressed in Black," and "Burn the Pages" where my personal hidden favorites, all using such a strange and yet natural instrumentation and lyrics to create nothing short of an uncomfortable ease about them, which sounds like some kind of nonsensical art-snob description, but I cannot find a better phrase to tackle it adequately.
     The tracks are all meaningful to Sia, which makes it easier to connect with them yourself. This kind of passion makes even the haters at least appreciate the time and passion that this album took to create. Her vocals are to me what define her sound, though there are so many defining factors, simply because her voice creates the ironic disinterested urgency, or vise-versa, the urgent disinterest.

3. Sound Quality

     This album is the type that requires a solid sound quality, though in fairness every album I review and listen to should require a professional standard. 1000 Forms of Fear does not disappoint in this regard, giving a crisp and rich sound right off of the platter. "Fair Game" stands out immediately to me because of those strange bells thrown in the middle of the track, giving a very alive and defined sound stage. Even streaming through Spotify and playing through iTunes gave this clear impression.
     One of the issues with many beginner turntables is the boominess of the bass, which is not apparent on many bookshelf systems, but once a subwoofer is connected, or more well-rounded towers are added then usually it becomes quite obvious, but I never had to adjust my bass levels during any of the listening sessions, and found a couple tracks, like "Elastic Heart" to even be a little more restrained than I would have personally liked. This is likely a testament to my current set up and positioning more so than any sound engineering trickery, but it did seem more natural than other LPs I have been listening to recently.
     All in all, however, a very enjoyable album on either a huge PA system or a humble desktop setup as far as quality is concerned.


Conclusion

     1000 Forms of Fear is a fantastic album, and anyone wanting something familiarly different needs to check it out. I would recommend spending the extra $5 or so to track down the Barnes & Noble "gold" edition, if nothing else because usually special editions and colored vinyl costs more, but having the bonus edition of "Elastic Heart" featuring The Weekend.
      The album is a great compliment and addition to nearly anyone's record collection.