The OZ album features Missy re-imagining 15 Australian songs that were originally recorded by a very diverse set of artists (eg: The Angels, Slim Dusty, Something For Kate, Warumpi Band, Paul Kelly and The Drones). In the accompanying OZ book, Missy uses each of those recordings as the starting point for a sprawling series of essays; reflecting on life, love and how not to wear high heels.
“I wanted to try something different this time around”, explains Missy. “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. I wanted to put together a group of wonderful Australian songs that struck a chord with me but I also wanted avoid all the obvious ones because I feel like “Great Aussie Songbook” collections have kinda been done to death.”
"Hopefully some people will enjoy reading the essays alongside the songs as that’s what I had in mind when I wrote them. I imagined playing the music for a friend over a bottle of red wine and just chatting away about things that related to each song as it came along. It’s not intended to be any huge literary statement of course but I enjoyed the challenge.”
OZ - it’s Australian stories for the ears, the eyes, the head and the heart.
“Obviously part of the reason I called the whole project OZ is that it’s all about Australian songs”, Missy says. “Plus it has a second meaning. I think songwriters are a lot like the Wizard in “The Wizard Of Oz". We all just landed here in a balloon that got blown off course. We have no idea what we’re supposed to be doing - we’re just trying to do something good.”
Title: Oz
Format: CD
Release Date: 19 Sep 2014
Artist: Missy Higgins
Sku: 2275226
Catalogue No: ELEVENCD117
Category: Pop
Disc Count: 1
Transfer Format: Compact Disc
Video Format: Pop
Primary Audio: ELEVENCD117
Language: 0602537980826
Subtitles: Universal Music
DISC 1
You Only Hide
Old Fitzroy
Nye
Shark Fin Blues
Was There Anything I Could Do
Back To The Wall
Don't Believe Anymore
The Biggest Disappointment (feat. Dan Sultan)
Everybody Wants To Touch Me
Curse On You
No Secrets
Before Too Long (feat. Amanda Palmer)
Blackfella/whitefella (feat. Crystal Itjuwalyi Butcher)
Calm And Crystal Clear
The Way You Are Tonight