Ever wanted to hear *Missy Higgins*’ take on The Drones’ ‘Shark Fin Blues’? How about her covers of songs by Something For Kate, Paul Kelly and The Go-Betweens?
Higgins has announced that her fourth album OZ will feature “re-imagined” takes on 15 Australian songs and include collaborations with Dan Sultan, Kate Miller Heidke and Amanda Palmer. The album will come accompanied by a book which uses the songs as “the starting point for a sprawling series of essays; reflecting on life, love and how not to wear high heels.” Check out the full tracklist below.
“I wanted to try something different this time around”, Missy explains. “I couldn’t decide between making a covers album or writing a book so I decided to do both at once. Musically it’s intended to be a real mixed bag of lollies. Obviously part of the reason I called the whole project OZ is that it’s all about Australian songs. Plus, for the first time, I recorded the whole thing in Australia. However the title has a second meaning. I like the idea of songwriters being like the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz. Some people think we’re special people who have special powers but really we’re just scared little people hiding in a backroom somewhere, working like crazy to make sure we don’t get found out.”
The album was produced by Missy and American orchestrator Jherek Bischoff (Amanda Palmer, David Byrne, Kronos Quartet) and mixed by multiple Grammy recipient Jay Newland who also mixed Missy’s breakthrough album The Sound of White. With three number-one albums to her name, Higgins is currently tied with Delta Goodrem, Olivia Newton-John and Kylie Minogue for the most chart-topping records by an Australian female artist. If OZ reaches the top she’ll join Kasey Chambers with four number-one ARIA albums.
OZ is due for release on September 19.
OZ tracklist
1. ‘You Only Hide’ (Something For Kate)
2. ‘Old Fitzroy’ (Dan Sultan)
3. ‘NYE’ (Perry Keyes)
4. ‘Shark Fin Blues’ (The Drones)
5. ‘Was There Anything I Could Do’ (The Go-Betweens)
6. ‘Back To The Wall’ (Divinyls)
7. ‘Don’t Believe Anymore’ (Icehouse)
8. ‘The Biggest Disappointment’ feat. Dan Sultan (Slim Dusty)
9. ‘Everybody Wants To Touch Me’ (Paul Kelly)
10. ‘Curse On You’ (The Blackeyed Susans)
11. ‘No Secrets’ (The Angels)
12. ‘Before Too Long’ feat. Amanda Palmer (Paul Kelly)
13. ‘Blackfella/Whitefella’ feat. Crystal Itjuwalyi Butcher (Warumpi Band)
14. ‘Calm And Crystal Clear’ (Neil Murray)
15. ‘The Way You Are Tonight’ (Don Walker)
