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Colour The Small One - Sia
Metascore
77 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
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  1. E! Online
    100
    An album that is as lovely as it is seductive.
  2. Under The Radar
    90
    The songs feel and sound organic and have an eerily timeless quality in their emotional universality. [#12, p.93]
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  3. Urb
    90
    Seductive, lovely and OK to like. [Mar 2006, p.116]
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  4. PopMatters
    90
    70 minutes to savor, to let the words run through you, to let the melodies wrap around you.
  5. Dot Music
    80
    Rather than mimicking and rehashing "Simple Things", she's found a warmth and depth of feeling that makes "Colour The Small One" the logical progression.
  6. Q Magazine
    80
    Dido should keep checking over her shoulder. [Feb 2004, p.105]
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  7. Entertainment Weekly
    75
    Halfway through, her sweet nothings become soothing almost to the point of somnolence. [27 Jan 2006, p.84]
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  8. Pitchfork
    73
    Perhaps unsurprisingly, the heavy emotional inspiration behind Sia's trebly moans drags on over the course of 50 minutes.
  9. The Guardian
    70
    This could be the soundtrack to some of the new year's mopiest moments.
  10. Slant Magazine
    70
    Repeat listens reveal the album to be what the one-time Zero 7 vocalist describes as a "slow burner," a druggy mesh of acoustic guitars, keyboards, and lush, cinematic string arrangements.
  11. Billboard
    70
    Sia's songs are quiet, intimate and melodic. [21 Jan 2006]
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  12. Spin
    67
    These pop dirges are comforting until they get preachy about sins and healing. [Jan 2005, p.91]
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  13. Mojo
    60
    If her murmurous slurring defies full comprehension, her gentle sadness, hesitant beats and melancholic piano settings match the odd clear phrase. [Mar 2004, p.102]
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  14. Rolling Stone
    50
    She sounded more like a star when she cameoed in Zero 7 than she does on most of her own album.
  15. Prefix Magazine
    50
    Sia's voice can be affected, and when the songwriting sags and the production becomes more generic toward the middle of the album, she struggles to keep the listener's attention.
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.5 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 13 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Cdeboghorsczhy
    10
    Sia Furler's 3rd album "Colour the Small One" is a deeply emotional album where her talents as a lyricist truly shine through. Sounding miles different from her 1997 trip-hop laced debut, "OnlySee," or her 2001 follow-up, the acid jazz/hip-hop infused "Healing is Difficult," "Colour..." holds its own as an extremely personal, brutally honest album. Album opener "Rewrite" is in stark contrast to the tracks of "Healing...," with Sia painfully whispering dark lyrics. The track "Sunday" is a surprisingly optimistic and summery song with a wonderful chorus. Then comes the now iconic, emotional behemoth "Breathe Me." Little more can be said to try and describe this song other than slick perfection. Beck helped pen the following track "The Bully" where we finally realize that there is more to this talented woman than meets the eyes. "Sweet Potato," "Don't Bring Me Down," "Natale's Song," and "Butterflies" make up the core of this album, each with their own separate, powerful strengths and vulnerabilities. Radiohead-inspired "Moon," gospel-driven "The Church of What's Happening Now" and the painful "Numb" begin an appropriate wind-down of the album, when "Where I Belong," a loud, fast-paced, jazzy tune with belted-out lyrics seems to come out of the blue. But that's a good thing (it's a personal favorite). The theatrical "Broken Biscuit" and the down right bizarre, yet oddly addicting "Sea Shells" are included as two bonus tracks. Yet, despite their not being included on the original UK mastering, they do not disrupt the flow of the record Included after "Sea Shells" are two remixes of "Breathe Me" that aren't great and really do not fit. I would rather the b-sides "Lucky" and "So Bored" be included in their place. "Colour..." is one of my favorite albums, and in my opinion is Sia's strongest release. Needless to say, I highly recommend it.… Full Review »
  2. gagaforever
    10
    The song "Breathe Me" made me cry..Truly it did. Sia's voice is so soft and melodic and the arrangement of the album is stunning.. I am surprised that more people have heard of SIa. I was astonished when I heard the album and would not change a thing of it...Perfect album… Full Review »
  3. jong
    10
    A beautiful stab stab in the heart of the emotional. A warm comforting blanket of words and sounds that wrap you up and hold you in their arms like a vulnerable child.… Full Review »
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