Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
1985
Album Summary
Suzanne Vega is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, released on May 1, 1985, by A&M Records. It was well-received by music journalists in the U.S. and reached platinum status in the United Kingdom. Produced by Lenny Kaye and Steve Addabbo, the songs feature Vega's acoustic guitar in straightforward arrangements. A video was released for the album's song "Marlene on the Wall", which went into MTV and VH1's rotations. In 1989, Rolling Stone magazine listed Suzanne Vega at number 80 on its "100 Best Albums of the Eighties". It is also mentioned in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Wikipediai love luka and tom’s diner but this gives me strong....horse girl meets lilith fair vibes. i want to give it two stars cuz it makes me uncomfortable but i’m not the audience so i’m going 3. actually fuck it it’s my list i’m giving it 2
Absolutely amazing! Beautiful, poetic lyrics and lovely guitars. Perfect fall album. Favorite tracks: Cracking, Small Blue Thing, The Queen and the Soldier, Knight Moves
Nice voice, catchy songs that are distinct enough from each other (eg Marlene on the Wall vs. The Queen and the Soldier) that you don’t tire of the album. Very NYC (Greenwich Village) folk sound. Lyrics are at another level. Like a female Leonard Cohen who can sing. An outstanding debut album.
Vega has an interesting style that's unique with vibrant lyrics/stories, but the production between the talk-sing style and instrumentation doesn't always allow each track to shine. And, at times, the instrumentation drowns out the intimacy of her lyrics. The back half of the album provides more air for her voice and lyrics to breath especially on 'Some Journey' and 'The Queen and the Soldier'. There's definitely a Simon and Garfunkel / Bob Dylan / Leonard Cohen influence here. Tracks of notes: Marlene on the Wall, Undertow, Some Journey, The Queen and the Soldier (the standout).
She wrote some very intricate lyrics. Marlene on the Wall is a good example. I like how dynamic the musical shifts are in the lyrics in that song. The notes she sings are flying all around and it really works. Also, she's quite the story teller. The Queen and the Soldier is a good example. There are some neat things here instrumentally. The whacked out violin solo on Some Journey is quite good as is the jamming on Neighbour Girls although the guitars are mixed far in the background. Perhaps they were worried about what the neighbours would say.
I listened to her music during my college days in the late 80s and enjoyed it. I didn't keep up with her after that, and haven't listened to her in a very long time. Re-hearing this album now, I'm admittedly a little surprised to find myself still quite drawn in. Her voice is ethereal and her songwriting is exquisite. Some beautiful work here.
Love this… ethereal folk with lyrics on real life feminism. Can’t beat Vega!
This grew on me a lot after the first impression being a bit proto rap spoken word waft.
Beautifully arranged album, Suzanne Vega has a gorgeous, wistful, voice which lends itself perfectly to her fantastic guitar playing. You can definitely hear the influence artists like Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen have on her work.
Soothing 80s folk. It is actually baffling how strong a start this is for her, as she really just nails putting out a beautiful, concise album.
I love this album so much. Suzanne’s voice is just stunning, and these melodies are just a huge part of my growing up. It’s genuinely Proustian - takes me back to teenage crushes and (longed for) romance. Just ace.
I really enjoyed this, was expecting something like Joni Mitchell, much closer to Cohen and like an acoustic-only Tigermilk, really short but satisfying "Marlene on the Wall" was the best track but a lot of cool storytelling here!
The artistry of her poetry is magnificent. It transcends its pretensions, and it perfectly suited to the folk rock backing.
Well, never thought I'd enjoy such a folk-pop/rock album as I enjoyed this one. It's got repeat value.
Tres belle voix, lignes de basses smooth et envoûtantes Coups de coeur Marlene on the Wall et Knight Moves
Tres bon, auteure compositrice interprete. Me fait penser a joni mitchell parfois. Je reecoute. 4.5
Yllättävän nykyaikaiselta kuulostavaa kamaa. En olisi arvannut levyn olevan vanhempi kuin minä itse! Olisi mennyt läpi ihan tuoreenakin teoksena.
Hyvää settiä. Tiesin vaan joskus englanninkirjassa olleen Tom's Dinerin, ja sen perusteella odotin vähän erilaista kamaa. Positiivinen yllätys!
Hyvää nainen ja kitara meinikiä. Tätä kuuntelee mielellään! Kolme ja puoli pyöristettäköön tällä kertaa neloseksi.
Not bad - reminded me of Paul Simon, lyrically interesting, musically subtle - Nice.
Ah, así que esto es lo que escuchó Mitski para dedicarse a la música. Agradecido con el de arriba.
Somehow it's very 80s, yet still mellow. The first tracks were almost uncomfortable to listen to for this reason. But it's so good! Faves: Marlene On The Wall, Small Blue Thing, Undertow
First of all, this album does not sound or feel like it was made in 1985. Second of all, the mid-90s success of female singer/songwriters owe a TON to this woman. Shawn Colvin, Natalie Merchant, Indigo Girls, Aimee Mann, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos, and even Sinead O'Connor. I hear Suzanne Vega in all of them. I like the songs where the acoustic guitar takes the lead more than some of the other synthesizer sounds. I love cracking, small blue thing, and undertow in particular for the guitar parts and for how intimate the lyrics feel. It might not be in my list of favorite female singer/songwriter albums of all time but it’s certainly responsible for them so 4 stars seems appropriate.
I am not at all familiar with Suzanne Vega, but I could instantly tell how much she paved the way for the singer-songwriters and alt folk of the 90s. I'm amazed that this came out in 1985. Vega won me over with her sometimes slightly off-kilter style paired with interesting guitar picking and arrangements. Lyrically interesting as well. Again, her influence on the entire Lilith generation is very clear. On her self-titled debut, "Cracking," "Small Blue Thing," and "Undertow" stand out. I wanted to know why I didn't know any Suzanne Vega, so I looked deeper and found that "Tom's Diner" was her most famous song. So I listened to that from her second album. I said "I know this song! But not this way??" The remixed version with DNA, which I discovered was the version I knew well, is so much better. The second song from her sophomore effort, "Luka," also sounded super familiar, but I don't know that song? It must really remind me of some similar song? @hell-yeah - No idea how this puts a person to sleep any more than "Five Leaves Left."
A solid, warm album of great songwriting detail. Now, I have only heard the album once, and with such an album, where the subtleties are the point, I believe one listen probably isn't sufficient for a full assessment and appreciation. As such, my current take is tentative and provisional. I may in future consider this a 5-starrer, but I may equally retain it at 4 stars.
I think the only Vega I've ever heard before is 'Tom's Diner' so this was a great chance to broaden my horizons a bit. Musically straightforward but remains gripping through a combination of perfectly-pitched vocals and hynotic, poetic lyrics. 'The Queen and The Soldier' was the album highlight for me.
I love how stripped down a lot of this is. I've never listened to Suzanne Vega before but I am interested in digging deeper. Favorites: Marlene on the Wall, The Queen and the Soldier, Neighborhood Girls
I recall this album sounding revolutionary on its release, a very different take on the sound of a singer-songwriter. It got heavy airplay on my radio show, with standout tracks like Small Blue Thing, Undertow, Knight Moves, and the single Marlene on the Wall. This debut still stands atop her catalog, in my opinion. That said, I think the emotional distance of the storytelling dims some of its appeal over the years. Solid tracks, but no longer one which stands up to full listens.
surprisingly modern-sounding indie folk pop pop with some synth. simplistic but I don't mind
A friend of mine recommended this album back when it was released and at the time I hadn't listened to a lot of female artists I enjoyed, since most of the bands I followed were your typical white male-lead groups/singers. I have to admit, I half gave it a listen because Suzanne looked so cute on the album cover (yes, I do sometimes judge the record by the cover). It was low-key folk and her voice and the music caught my attention immediately. The songs were interesting and this was something that was missing from my musical palate up to this point. I can't say I'm a big Suzanne Vega fan, though her second album was commercially successful with her two best known songs (Tom's Diner and Luka), but I really didn't care for her music as much as her debut. Luka is a great song, though I prefer the Lemonheads cover version, but maybe that's what makes the first album so good, there are no hits, no pretension or expectation. I still spin this record occasionally and I'm glad my buddy, Ben recommended I buy it.
Pretty cool swing and lyrical delivery. Nice acoustic stylings in a straight ahead, not presumptuous manner.
I quite liked this. I don’t really know her music beyond the few tunes that made it to MTV, but this was more moody and enjoyably lo-fi, quieter than I anticipated. All in good ways. The opening track, “Marlene on the wall,” “undertow,” etc. I would listen to this again and just think about her thinking about Andy’s tweet about her hair. Amazing.
Loved the vocals here. Favorites: "Cracking", "Marlene On The Wall", "Some Journey"
Better than I thought it would be, definitely about 10 years ahead of her time.
Not the most exciting voice but back in the day I loved Suzanne Vega. Also I know I'm only a few weeks into about a three year exercise, but there haven't been many females featured yet so big up to the ladies. This album doesn't have her best known single "Luka" but it's still worth a listen. One of the artists that made up my 80s soundtrack, saw her live in Sydney.
I remember Suzanne Vega for one song, so I was surprised to hear so many great tunes.
some cool songs on this album, pleasant surprise. little more catchy than most singer song writers
Une autre belle surprise. Je ne connaissais pas. Pour de la pop des années '80, c'est assez bien fait avec beaucoup d'instrumentation. J'y vois un petit côté Alanis Morissette ou Joan Osbourne.
This is pleasant enough, but it isn't really my thing. It was clearly influential on a bunch of 90s music, so I think it's reasonable to say that this album was ahead of its time. It just doesn't do it for me. 3/5
This was nice as background music. If I had been in a different mood, it would have definitely hit better.
Miellyttävää, rauhallista poppia. Tykkäsin vaikkei tämä mitään valtavia musiikkielämyksiä tarjoillutkaan.
Sure. It’s a decent album. For 85 it probably would be consider it an above average album.
I like the sound of the album and its minimalism. But the songs don’t have that extra element to push it to a 4 or 5.
3.7 - Pseudo-intellectual singer-songwriter coffeehouse done well. Inflected with Paul Simon influences. Some beautiful moments in the middle, some duds towards the end. Overall, a pretty and introspective album that defied my expectations.
Sama kuin Kate Bushin kohdalla, ainoastaan Tom's diner Suzanne Vegalta aiemmin tuttu. Enkä todellakaan tiennyt, että näin pitkä ura takana. Miellyttävää kuunneltavaa, kyllä tää uppoaa. 3.5/5.
Good, simple singer/songwriter folksy music. It never wowed me but it's a nice listen
Miellyttävää rauhallista folkkispoppista. Hyvin pelkistettyä, mutta tällainen laulaja/lauluntekijä ja kitara -musiikki on yleensä kolahtanut hyvin. Miellyttävä pehmeä lauluääni.
Do the first moments of this album suck or are they amazing? I think the vocal style is intentionally sloppy/conversational. This is post Carly Simon proto Fiona Apple. This album is filled with instrumental sounds—bass effect, acoustic electric guitar sound—that I hate, coffee shop core, but for some reason I don’t mind it on this album. She’s doing interesting things with rhyme scheme, cadence and delivery. It’s good/bad, I love/hate it. I’m not sure. She’s laying the tracks fir something good.
In a different frame of mind I could find it easy to roast this album, but today it sounds pretty fresh. The talk-sing is endearing. The lyrics are engaging (although some of the knight-queen story was a bit cheesy). I love the production - the crystal clear guitar, the voice in front of the mix, the tasty synth flourishes. Strong 80s sound. Some really pretty moments. I enjoyed the thought exercise of doing a quick mental inventory of people I know that are likely to be closet Suzanne Vega fans. They're all introverted women that want more out of life than the present provides. Not necessarily in a depressive sense, but hopeful and striving. I think that sums up the feeling of this album. B+
An enjoyable, competent album. Background music, doesn't belong on this list like so many others.
Not bad, quite nice folksy singer songwriter stuff. I’d probably listen to one or two tracks again
The speak-singing really threw me for a loop at the beginning of this record and I'm not sure if I ever recovered. The lyrics are personal and fairly compelling, but there wasn't a lot that drew me in. Nothing particularly bad, either. It just didn't really resonate for me. Rating: 2.5/5 Favourite tracks: "Freeze Tag", "Marlene On the Wall", "Knight Moves"
I really enjoyed the intimate lyrics and guitar stylings of Vega, but some of the production decisions and, as Nick noted, the sing/speak start to the record was off-putting. I'll remember a few of the tracks from this record, but the record as a whole was only okay. 2.5/5 Fav tracks: Knight Moves and Marlene on the Wall
Highlight: Knight Moves In Conclusione: Conoscevo già questo album perché sono un po' fan di Suzanne Vega, ma l'avrò sentito un paio di volte. Conoscendo lei sento comunque già la sua connotazione stilistica e le basi per l'evoluzione che poi avrà in futuro. Questo disco è chiaramente molto influenzato dal sound anni '80 e secondo me ha influenzato parecchia gente già da subito, tipo Edie Brickell. Certo il sound anni '80 rende i pezzi a tratti un po' kitsch. I testi pure sono un po' hit and miss ma pure lì si vede l'embrione di come evolverà il suo modo di scrivere testi che a me è sempre piaciuto. Lo penalizzo giusto per il sound e il fatto che è ancora un po' una Suzanne Vega grezza.
Ho percepito Suzanne Vega come un'artista dall'anima profonda e poeta. I suoi testi rispecchino una femminilità di altri tempi, romantica, innamorata e depressa. Ma.. (perché c'è sempre un "ma") .. Nonostante i soli 35 minuti, non sono riuscito a concederle un secondo ascolto a causa di un'eccessiva logorrea. Nonostante inizialmente i testi mi abbiano colpito, entro la fine dell'album volevo tagliarmi le vene. Il mio giudizio sì riassumerebbe in: "per carità è brava, però du palle!" Voto: 3
I like the musical style. This is another album that I was very surprised to learn came out in the mid 80's. This probably wouldn't make it into regular rotation for me because the singing style isn't great for me, but feels like a precursor to folks like Sarah McLachlan. Feels like a good 3 star effort.
Quite pleasant with nothing too offensive, but nothing overly exciting either. Marlene is a nice song though. A respectable debut album.
Never a big follower, I perceive the high level of Art Attitude toned down in later work, to the benefit of accessibility I think. I liked it, wouldn't necessarily seek it out.
The Queen and the Solider and Marlene on the Wall are standout tracks, didn't much enjoy the rest.
Boy did they pick the wrong Suzanne Vega album for this list. They couldn't have picked the one with "Tom's Diner" and the song about child abuse (Luka) instead? That's where Vega truly shines. This one's alright, but she mainly comes across as a stifled Lou Reed wannabe. Overall it's nice to listen to, and a short listen at that. Interesting that I loved the Suzanne Vega song from her 5th album that Spotify played after this album ended more than any song on this, her debut album.
Charming, good voice, nice songs. Just not really my thing, maybe? It didn't draw me in.
Marlene On the Wall gefällt mir ganz gut, wie mir auch insgesamt die Performance von ihr ganz gut gefällt. Insgesamt finde ich das Album aber eher durchwachsen bis schwach, gerade zum Ende.
Since I already knew and liked a couple of songs by Suzanne Vega, this album was rather disappointing. It has some pretty good tracks like Marlene On The Wall and The Queen And The Soldier. But most of it is rather boring.
Inoffensive pop-country stuff, totally acoustic. Folky but not overly Bob Dylan-ish, so it didn't make me want to open fire in a shopping centre. So it's got that going for it. 3/5.
Pleasant enough, but not much more than moderately interesting. She sings too precisely and almost talks on a few cuts. The arty guitar ‘80s vintage (“Straight Lines,” Undertow”) is probably the highlight. To be appreciated more than excited by.
Uncomplicated - perhaps undemanding music? - that floats by in that rather weightless way peculiar to 1980s production. Aside from Vega's acoustic guitar, every other noise in the mix has a shiny, frictionless quality to it. Neither good nor bad, just an observation. However, the songwriting is strong; Vega does the observational and confessional well, albeit the latter is tempered by the coolness of her delivery. She sounds utterly in control of her music, and thus of her emotions. If you're looking for renting of garments and gnashing of teeth, it's not here. Still, Vega is listenable here, I find her precise vocals very appealing, and nothing offends the ear. I kinda wish it would...
So this is Suzanne before Luka. Nothing here has that Luka-level grab to it, but I liked listening to it. She has an unassuming but engaging voice and the arrangements were interesting. Not something I would run back to, but worth the listen.
Красивая музыка. Для кого-то этот альбом может стать долгоиграющим альбомом. 6 из 10.
És un dels discos que s'aprofita per a bé del so 80's. La música sentida de Vega, xiuxiueig de vegades, que en altres époques hagués conformat un disc de folk trist i pesat, en 1985, i gràcies també a la feina de Lenny Kaye, es transforma en un disc intimista però ric i variat, amb arranjaments sutils però que fan brillar les excel.lents lletres de l'autora
With the exceptions of Luka, In Liverpool and maybe Tom's Diner (all of which are not on this album) I always thought that Suzanne Vega's would be better as a poet than a songwrighter - her music sounds like poetry with some musical accompagnement rather than actual songs. There is hardly any memorable melody here, nothing that stands out. The tracks are OKish, but that's it. 2.5/5
It was a little inconsistent, but never really bad. Just bland in a lot of spots, and the 80's production really doesn't help. But when it is good, it is pretty great.
OK debut by Suzanne Vega. Not my favorite of hers, but not a bad album.
Better than average 80's singer songwriter I guess. Another 3.5 for me though.
Beautiful singing and great songwriting made this a really enjoyable listen. The songs do seem to blend together at times but the storytelling throughout makes it a compelling listen. Definitely need to listen to a few more times. Usually not my type of music as I like having a couple songs with more energy but I can see the draw of this project. Rating a bit harsher as I’m comparing it to the rest of these 1000 albums
fav songs: freeze tag small blue thing straight lines knight moves 3.8
Marlene on the Wall is an incredible track but the rest of the album doesn't really do much for me. I also think she has better albums than this so I'm not sure why it made the list over other more worthy stuff. 3.5 stars
This was kind of exactly what I expected it would be, Suzanne is very good at what she does and this is a good listen. Definitely feel like it spawned a million inferior knock offs with a less varied sound, of which I'm far less tolerant.
Funny, the only songs I know by Suzanne Vega are Tom's Diner and Luka, and neither are on this album (and I didn't know until listening to it today that the latter is about physical abuse). She has a good voice and is a very insightful lyricist. I'm sure she was part of the strong 80's female songwriters that led record companies to try and copy it for the rest of the 80's and into the 90's. Still, like Kate Bush, I wasn't all that inspired to go out and listen to more of her stuff. Tori Amos (who is a suggestion after listening to Vega), yes, I want to hear more of her stuff. But Vega's voice and compositions just don't have the same attraction for me.
Acoustic fare. Very straightforward. I felt a few songs were a little too ... sophomoric (I'm looking at you, "The Queen & The Soldier). The songs that were with a band I actually liked more than just the plain acoustic guitar. It is a bit of a preface for her second album, which I think is a better choice for the 1001 albums. But they didn't ask me, did they?
To be honest, it made me cringe at times... But the mood it created overall was interesting. The opening song was by far the worst for me (sounded pretentious - which is not always bad in my view, but in this case, it is...) and the rest was much more pleasant.
Chill album, was an okay listen, but wasn’t moved much by the music or singing
Perfectly okay. Nothing stood out really. Didn't offend but probably wouldn't bother listening again.
Not offensive but a bit too bland to have a significant opinion either way about it. Collectively summed up as 'meh'. 2*
Nothing here that offends the ears but equally nothing of interest to me - all forgettable stuff
Starts really badly, improves as it goes on and actually really quite enjoyable in parts.
Start really badly, improves as it goes on and actually really quite enjoyable in parts.
Nothing special, nice straightforward singer songwriter acoustic folky album but Suzanne Vega has better stuff than this. The only song I knew before listening was Marlene On The Wall and a couple of minutes after rifling through this set that hasn’t changed.
Spoken word poetry with music really, wouldn’t be my thing usually ngl
Sono combattuto, la sua voce mi piace ed anche il modo di cantare, l'arrangiamento è anni 80 ma mantiene una sua dignità stilistica anche se non mi fa impazzire. Però non credo che riascolterò questo disco così come me lo dimenticherò in fretta.
I mean, it's not bad, right? But it sure as hell isn't good. The vocals are ho-hum, the songwriting is faux-deep, and the whole thing suffers deeply from that horrible 80s studio production that leaves every instrument feeling plastic and synthetic. Acoustic guitars really shouldn't need that much processing.
Really sorry about your brother, Suzanne. Honestly, I love pop-tarts and everyone knows that they're only good if you heat them up. I'm pretty sure that Vincent chose the cinnamon and brown sugar Pop-Tarts. Not all Pop-Tarts are created equal. It would've sucked to die waiting for a strawberry Pop-Tart to exit the toaster before being shot by Butch. Anyhow, I really like your voice, but the music is pretty boring.
Folkowy pop czy popowy folk, oto jest pytanie, jest to debiutancki material pani Vega, ktora kojarze jedynie z jednego kawalka, to jest luka swego czasu mocno radiowo grany kawalek, eponimowy albumik ma calkiem podobny vibe do hitowego utworu, wiec kompozycje pisane na akustyka na ktorym gra na wszystkich 10 trakach pani Suzanne, do tego elementy elektryka, basik i okazjonalne wstawki egzotycznych instrumentali jak wiolonczela czy perkusja, na kazdym traku musi byc cos klawiszowego, a klawisze tutaj to synthowe klikacze, co nadaje temu folkowemu materialowi popowatosci, jak widac udalo sie, bo jednak kariere zrobila, chociaz nie tym materialem, bo wiekszosc topowych traczkow pochodzi z pozniejszych albumow, ale jak na debiutancki material to pani vega mocno okreslila sie co ma zamiar tworzyc i byla w tym konsekwentna przez 35 minut trwania plyty, no moze poza ostatnim trakiem, ktory tak mocno wykorzystuje gre muzykow studyjnych, ze przekracza granice folkowatosci i atakuje rokowanie w stylu country, podzielone jest to na 10 trakow co daje typowo popowe dlugosci piosenek, jesli chodzi o kontent liryczny, to autorka tekstow jest oczywiscie pani Vega, jako glowny motyw albumu okreslilbym poszukiwanie samego siebie, tak bym powiedzial lowiac jakies podwojne czy potrojne dna z tych dosc prostych tesktow z jednolitym podzialem chorusowym i krotkimi lamaniami wersow, ostatni folkowy material to byl pan Cohen, moze dlatego tak drazni mnie az tak mocna prostota wykorzystania tekstu, kolejna kwestia jest to ze muzycznie album nie ma do zaoferowania niczego co jakos by zapadlo w pamiec na dluzej, mysle ze kawalkiem ktory najbardziej zapadnie mi w pamiec, to chyba najprostsza kompozycja plyty, otwierajacy cracking czyli song o przechadzce w parku, w swojej prostoscie bardzo obrazowy lirycznie, dlatego tez znajdzie on miejsce dla siebie na plejce folkowo rokowej
Vega's vocals (though odd) are beautiful, though the entire album is weighed down by repetition in its tendency to abuse a 4-8 bar lick/chord progression throughout.
Alright pop album here. Didn’t feel too attached to it. It’s tone was pretty mild and it was consistent through. 4.1/10
Some reasonable folk I guess, I have no particular desire to revisit it
Rätt bra story telling på en del låtar men överlag ganska tamt. Bra röst!
Was waiting for her to start singing but it just sounded like a conversation about Chess. I liked the poetry but the music just wasn't lively enough for me. Kept thinking about the Queens Gambit on Netflix.