Suzanne Vega

Pleasant yet boring

Was not too familiar with her game before this (only knew Tom's Diner) but she's a wee bit of a female Bob Dylan innit. Makes her better than Bobby because she's got a better voice. Really nice poetry

Sweet and soulful, I’m surprised I’ve never heard of her previously. I enjoy her poetry and thoughts, though her delivery is a little more stilted than I tend to prefer. I do enjoy her “coffee shop” vibe and guitar, but I don’t know that it quite clicked with me the way others of her style tend to. I will give special shout out to Undertow as being especially good. 3/5

One of the most boring records on this list so far. Kacey Musgraves on open mic night POV. This feels super 90’s coded for being the 80’s. God this makes me appreciate Bob Dylan so much more. How did bro get away with this kind of delivery and become a legend?

You know this kinda melts together the same way Amy winehouse does but it’s different cause it feels so much more somber. Reminds me a lot of the cranberries and Boa. It’s that same style of singing but the acoustics and poetry in the lyrics elevate it to something so much grander. Undertow being a highlight for me. But she can sing in so many different ways and styles that feel so much different for a debut and when the sparks it really goes so far. Marlene on the wall again I feel the story and the drums are crashing yet it still feels somber. I also stare at this album every day so I almost feel an attachment to it a beauty in design of the coffee shop and also a beautiful album to boot. Thank you Josh Craig(guy who put the album on the wall)

pleasant.

Yet another version of 80s nonsense.

Is this the best Vega album? I dunno, but I put it on and then it was done. Okay.

Instrumental is really good Her voice is questionable

One of my favorite albums in high school

what are we even doing here? why do I keep coming back to this day after day? I have a backlog of albums to review. how can I write something meaningful in the context of fleeting feelings that I'm just remembering from the prior day? it was...fine... folky as expected. I don't love spoken word set to music. I didn't really get enough out of the lyrics to elevate what was playing. I didn't turn it off immediately but it also didn't grab me. 3 stars

favs: small blue thing straight lines undertow knight moves rating 2/5

A solid songwriter. Not outstanding. But not without talent. Melissa Etheridge wrote far more powerfully. Not that Vega isn’t powerful. But she takes the Joni Mitchell playbook and, well, writes songs. Marlene on the wall is a good song. But even compared to her later stuff like Luka or Toms diner this is an album that is there, that is worth listening to if you come across it. But not 1001 albums worth. *having eaten in Toms diner in Manhattan I noted while I was there a couple of newspaper articles relating the diner to the song pasted on the wall. Some achievement for the diner. Except they were hard to see. It’s also monks diner in Seinfeld. So the Seinfeld memorabilia overwhelmed Suzanne Vega. Seems accurate.

I remember this very well, as I heard Marlene on the Wall on JJJ and went out and bought this album for my then girlfriend who was very much of the Joanie Mitchell ilk, and funnily enough I ended up enjoying it more than she did. There's some good tunes here, Small Blue Thing, Straight Lines, good songwriting. A good record and worth a listen.

Suzanne Vega says that A&M records didn't really know what to do with her. It is true that the major labels in the 80s had little idea of what to do with folky female singer-songwriters, but there was clearly a market for this type of thing; Suzanne Vega, Melissa Etheridge, Tracy Chapman all sold big in the decade, despite label cluelessness. People obviously wanted this type of smart, elegant folk-rock . I feel like the worst kind of "well, actually..." arsehole every time I say "yes, this artist, but not this album", but I cannot overcome the urge in this case. This album is fine, but surely 'Solitude Standing' is the more important album from Ms Vega. It sold a gazillion copies and has more enduring cultural legs; Tom's Diner is much referenced, covered, and remixed, and I heard Luka on the radio just last week. The songwriting is bit more mature on 'Solitude' than on this s/t record. Case in point; The Queen and the Soldier is laughably earnest and slightly hamfisted piece of writing. She has hit her straps better on 'Solitude', I would argue Ms Vega managed to craft a longstanding and successful career out of her first few records. I note she is playing the Sydney Opera House next month, so she can still draw an audience. Personally, I quite liked her 99.9°F album in 1992. I like the dirtier production style, although I laugh every time I hear it referred to as "industrial". Some filtered electronics and use of some distortion and other heavy effects do not make it "industrial". That said, she was well ahead of the curve on thinking about using these production techniques in pop music; this sounds design is ubiquitous in pop music these days but was uncommon when she released that record.

I only know Suzanne Vega for that DNA (shoutout Nick Batt) remix of Tom's Diner. Big alternative radio song that was. Suzanne Vega's self-titled debut is not quite like that although it does have some synthesizers, half of them "80s cheese" and the other sort of the ordinary but kind of stale sounds that age okay. It's relatively inoffensive and kind of neat at best, but also kind of drags on a bit too long, but at least Suzanne's voice is quite nice and easy to listen to. Maybe it's just not upbeat enough for me, if most of the album sounded like Neighborhood Girls I would enjoy it a lot more. Could be better, could be worse.

4.88

It wasn’t awful, but I’m glad it was a short as it was.

Not a fan of the talking singing vibes.

This was the first album I'd never even heard of since starting this series. I found this to be a pleasant and unassuming singer-songwriter record, with a few excellent tracks ("Marlene on the Wall" is a new favorite). I wish I had more to say, but Vega's songwriting is pretty cut-and-dry. I can't see anyone hating these songs, but I really can't picture myself ever listening to the entire album again. Fav Tracks: Marlene on the Wall, Small Blue Thing, Undertow, The Queen and the Soldier Least Fav: Knight Moves Score: 5.5

Who would win in a fight between Sue Vega and Lou Bega?

liked it need to listen again for a full appreciation I think

Не було tom's diner, тому тільки трієчка Оцінка: середня-висока 6

It sure is an album that is exactly what I expected. It sort of just hangs around, at no point do the lyrics capture you.

I really like the music. I'm struggling with some of the vocal choices Suzanne Vega makes

Ok background music

A calming chill 3.5.

Not bad. I like her voice and the guitar parts were pleasing.

After the recent run of 'bangers' I was just relieved to listen to an album I didn't hate.

The lyrics and music are quite wanky. I wasn't absolutely offended to give it a 1, but it was very close.

This wasn't awful, but life is too short for this to be an essential album

Laulumelodiat ei jotenki napannut tässä nyt yhtään, mutta sen sijaan rakastin kaikkea mitä taustalla tapahtui!

This is definitely the first time that I have heard this album, although I have heard some of her stuff before. This is fine. It's a singer songwriter album. It focuses on Vega's voice and her guitar. I would have preferred slightly more minimal arrangements, but they're okay. I tend to prefer the songs without drums. I liked Freeze Tag. At times, its more of a spoken word album set to music. Those more spoken moments capture something a bit more unique in her voice. I probably won't listen to it again, but I also don't regret the experience.

This is fine. I loved the spare and intricate guitar playing but got lost with the vocals.

Unexciting.

i find this style slightly depressing. it's not terrible but not very interesting either

I love Suzanne Vega’s voice, she’s awesome but I do wish her songs had a little more oomph. They’re always nice while they’re on but I don’t remember them much beyond that.

Es misterioso, indie-folk. Está bueno. Me hace acordar a una mezcl a de Stevie Nicks y Fiona Apple

8/10

Very good pop. Luka song the only one i know from her, which I dont like much. But this whole was great

10/5 album. Provoked a million discussions about what the songs meant in the VI Form common room.

Overall, pretty forgettable singer songwriter stuff. Not a single song stood out to me

Most of these songs have a very whisper singy kind of style. Lana Del Ray really loves to do this style. I didn't mind most of these songs.

Nope, not for me.

A bit dull with not lot going for it, but I’d expect that for someone basically speaking a song to background music

Absolutely love the instrumentation but some of the talk singing really throws me off

Really like it

Strong album liked it bette than the famous one. Good writing and singing

Ok. Lyrically alright but this kinda music not for me really and I wouldn’t recommend it either.

bell’album intimo e bella bella voce la sua

Not bad, but kinda bland.

Esto en 1985 era una delicia. Y el paso del tiempo no le ha hecho perder valor, más bien al contrario. Bien es cierto que el siguiente Solitude Standing fue su mayor éxito (Luka y Tom´s dinner) pero aquí tenemos un debut fabuloso de una artista que nunca decepciona. De aquí podemos seguir con Tracy Chapman o Tanita Tikaram, y aún más lejos con Mary Margaret O´Hara... Producido por Steve Addabbo y Lenny Kaye (conocido por ser de la banda de Patti Smith y por ser el autor del recopilatorio de garage Nuggets) .

Die Sängerin von "My name is Luka"

Meh

Growing up with Luka on the radio I figured that, although it was good, I didn’t need to hear anything else by her. This album really surprised me. Very cool and easy. Good lyrics. Nice production. I liked it.

Other than Marlene on the Wall nothing really grabs your attention. Not bad, but not brilliant.

esse aqui é bom viu

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Marlene on the Wall, Small Blue Thing Mixed bag for me. Some songs are nice, moderately catchy and pretty grounded. But some of the other songs are a bit too folksy and fantasy-like. This album ends up being middle of the road for me.

thee white american teenage girl album. the prototype itself. i feel like i have enough of this 'legendary' only-us-known albums

Middle of the road album that I have to question as to why it even exists. It was just plain and dull, at least it wasn't bad.

Respect a good singer songwriter, but it’s not my production style.

I absolutely couldn't care. I listened twice and it didn't win me over.

Solid record but honestly I remember liking it more than I did today giving it a fresh lesson. Suzanne really hit her stride on the next record.

not my vibe. siento que es como de una época en la que ni cagando encajo.

Very pretty, very soft

I like the complex lyrics and folk stylings on display in this album. Suzanne Vega has a great voice and the music is very strong as well. The opening track isn't my favorite, but the rest of this album flew by. It's a strong album. Favorite track: "Marlene on the Wall"

A very “present tense” autobiographical, mellow folk debut from Ms Star. Lots of straight gray lines, enjoyed the short listen. (2.4*s) Good coffee house listen.

Some coffee shop acoustics from Vega. Not bad but she sounds like a teenager even in her late 20s. "Knight Moves" had the most going for it. Something I will not be coming back to but very tolerable and short like this review...1.6 stars.

Suzanne Vega's debut is a really nice package. Not sure exactly what genre this falls into but I guess I'd sum it up as new-age electro-folk rock? Suzanne has some really smooth vocals undercut with acoustics and synth-instruments when needed to punctuate the emotional beats. The album is delicate on the surface level but has some pretty evocative tracks and subject matter. I'd say she pretty nicely threaded the needle that makes this approachable for pretty much any audience. At time this gave me some Edie Brickell vibes or another artist that packs a surprising punch for what seems to be presented as dainty alternate adult rock. A lot of this album hits below the surface level. A nice surprise from Suzanne Vega and I'd be interested in seeing if she was able to maintain the success of this album through the next steps of her career. Didn't know that Suzanne Vega was the artist behind Tom's Diner until reading up on her but it makes sense. 2.90 stars

Very weird selection for the list. Not very memorable. Very boring.

Manic pixie nightmare girl /10

Meh

Started out pretty weakly but improved a lot as the album continued. 3 stars or C+.

Stripped down singer-songwriter folk music, much different than the popular music of the time. Inspired a future generation of musicians like Eddie Brickell, Natalie Merchant, even Tori Amos I would say. Dare to say it also was inspiration from some of the grunge in the 90's when they did more acoustic songs or parts. I didn't care for the first half but the second half really piqued my interest.

★★★★★★

..

pretty good time, songs felt very like one that would play over the establishing shots of san francisco in the tv show charmed. fun

You can hear the potential but it’s not coming out on this album. Boring as can be.

Nice and short

I like her singing, but overall kinda mid

i only know suzanne for her song about child abuse ("luka") which i was enamored with in i think the fourth grade. i have no such nostalgia for what's going on here but i appreciate her storytelling. fav: marlena on the wall

Muy buen disco, me gustó mucho, es como si Dolores O'Riordan se lanzara de solista y lo mezclas con un poco del Unplugged de Alanis Morrissette, me sorprendió mucho. La mejor canción, Marlene on the Wall

I just love the melancholy melodies, brilliant lyrics and I her voice

I love Solitude Standing, Vega's second album, and that's all I thought I knew, but there are several songs on this album that I also know and like, Marlene on the Wall and The Queen and the Soldier for 2. This album was her first album and it succinctly described where she was going. It's all very nice Folk Pop.

An 80s album with a 90s sound, ahead of its time. This is not the one with Tom’s Diner, though. Okay, just didn’t love it.

It was good. Heartland vibes. Wasn't my favourite

This one had a really ropey first couple of tracks, but I got into it's rhythm by track 3 and was largely enjoying it by the end. That makes it quite hard to score but I've settled on a generous 4.

wtf even IS this

I like Suzanne Vega, although I think I'd rather be listening to Solitude Standing instead of this. Also my god this album cover is terrible. Why did they use a completely different font for the second half of the album?

Bra men alt høres likt ht

A bit odd but not in a bad way.

There was one good song, the rest were ok

Pretty good

528/1089 - Some pretty good songs on this. Wish there was more variety and a heavier lean in to some of the jazz sounds.

I appreciate this, but there’s an earnest quality to the coffee house singer vibe that has been nails-on-a-chalkboard for me since as far back as I can remember. As with everyone else, I remember liking Luka and Tom’s Diner, both standing out amid the bombast of later 1980s music videos and so on. In a bit of a retcon, my sense is I always liked the remix better, but that doesn’t sync up with the release window. This album, however, I could stand to never hear again.

Sounded like a 90's anime op.

It's like Nora Jones, but worse

Marlene on the Wall

perfect songwriting

This is lovely. Not my favorite of hers, but still.

An impressive debut that actually gets better with age, even if it follows a trail blazed by Bruce Cockburn and countless others.

Meh

Bleh. Nothing about this is interesting. Great voice, boring use of it.

Честно, я думал мне не зайдёт. Но мне зашло. лол. О Сюзанне Вега я не знал ничего, кроме того что она автор того самого акапельного "Tom's Dinner", чей римкс стал столь популярен. В итоге, я услышал достаточно самобытный фолк-поповый альбом, который вполне мог выйти и сегодня, под каким-нибудь небольшим инди-лейблом. Аранжировки минималистичные, что замечательно соотносится с довольно спокойным, размеренным вокалом, хотя Сюзанна порой очень интересно вокалирует на песнях, не слишком вычурно но достаточно чтобы заметить. В общем, впечатления положительные. даже не ожидал.

Knew one of her songs before going into this. Was hoping for better, boring.

Sounds like a less scatty Phoebe buffey from friends. But not as good and not as fun.

Aggressively mid. Her voice is nothing to write home ab and everything is very simplistic (lyrics, instruments,etc)

óóóóó

Every song sounds about the same. It's not bad, just missing something that would take it to the next level.

The more I listened the more I loved. Joni Mitchell with rivetng guitar backing and bardic vibes. The almost double track of Queen and Knight are the grand finale the album was working towards. Lovely stuff.

Very early 90's lady rock

fave song: Small Blue Thing

She was onto something here. I liked this a lot!

Sounds like music written and performed by an 11-year old for pre-teen girls who wanted something more from Tiffany, lyrically. The rapping is really something. One star for not being afraid to be her authentic self, and one more for keeping it under 36 min.

Album #128, Suzanne Vega, Suzanne Vega ⭐ “It’s a one time thing, it just happens a lot.” From that opening lyric, I knew we were in trouble. Not that it’s a particularly bad lyric, but that delivery. My God. I’m not the biggest fan of this kind of speak-singing style. I think it can sound a bit pretentious, a bit too cool trying to be cool. When you build your entire folk album around it though, it just starts to sound like poetry set to music. Well, this thing is just a vehicle for bad poetry. These song’s feel like poor, solipsistic, self-obsessed, ponderous poems written by a teenage hipster in her coffee shop. The album is completely devoid of humour, devoid of light, and devoid of anything particularly interesting to say. And the way these poems are delivered is just awful. It’s not really singing. It’s just spouting out stanza after stanza in a stupid staccato rhythm. It sounds like she’s trying to be Joni Mitchell, but Joni Mitchell has an incredible voice. Suzanne Vega is just speaking. It’s basically slam poetry. There is a complete lack of edge or emotion in both the vocal and the music. I don’t think the arrangements are great. I love folk music. I love folk rock. I love alternative folk music. Freak folk! Anything folk, I’m usually right behind it. So I’m genuinely shocked that I’ve given a folk album a one-star review. I’m 128 albums in now, and I’d been wondering if I’d even hand out a one-star review at all. Up to now I’ve generally been able to find merit in almost everything, even if it wasn’t for me. I’m not saying this album is without merit, and I’m not saying somebody couldn’t write a convincing five-star review of it. I could probably read it and understand their reasoning. But what I am saying is, for my own ears, this is one of the worst albums I’ve ever listened to. Worse than some of the other albums I’ve strongly disliked on this list, including Stripped by Christina Aguilera and that Slipknot album. At least those album did something. Had something to offer. This did nothing for me. It didn’t move me. It didn’t make me think. It didn’t make me feel anything. It just made me wonder how bad my review was going to be by the end of it. Towards the end she starts singing about queens and soldiers and all this stuff that I think is trying to say something grand about life and death and war and peace. But the album is so lacking in weight and substance that it never earns those moments. There’s no grit behind it. No energy. Nothing driving it forward. Nothing lifting it up. Not once does her voice push for any kind of emotional delivery. You can’t make meaningful statements about those subjects when the foundation underneath them feels so flimsy. I hated it. I’m sorry. I listened to it twice because I couldn’t believe I was about to give an album one star. But it’s a one star review and that doesn’t happen a lot.

This was a nice surprise. I loved the lyrics and the instrumental arrangements. Laid back, interesting, thoughtful. I don't remember any song specifically, but the entire albm is a pleasant experience.

weak asl ngl. a little too drab, got some pretty moments but its kind of boring

pqp minha mãe adorava suzanne vega tinha um lpzão lá em casa desse, achava muito chato na minha humilde visão é ok (e bem distante do meu humor nesse momento) esse role de singer songwriter me cansa demais pqp

ou, foi bem melhorzinho do que achei que seria definitivamente voz e violão é mei cansado. mas não foi ruim não, foi até agradável. fiquei surpreso.

A peaceful and relaxing listen that grows on you with each repeat. Likes: Marlene on the Wall; Knight Moves

Can we be fr

All songs sounded pretty much the same. Not a strong album or vocals.

Such a shame I have to say this but she sounded like Enya and the Cranberries got bored and wanted to try out new music styles. To be clear, the Cranberries and Enya are great and Suzanne isn’t

Fine, she sounds good enough, kinda reminded me vaguely of Bjork I dunno why. Really boring overall and there was no need to hear this before I croaked.

Not bad, but not really memorable either. Solid Meh

Always have a soft spot for female vocalists, and this was pretty pleasant and unoffensive

Marlene On The Wall

Didn't grab me, didn't push me away. She sounded familiar (and looking her up, yeah, I know a couple of her songs) but didn't recognise anything on this album.

This is one of those albums that make me question why am I doing this.

Доволі мелодійна музика, проте нічого незвичаного. 3,5

i can't stand this lol slam poetry is not for me. DNF

Hmmm...I quite liked some of these songs, particularly those with the sparser instrumentation. The album's a good length, doesn't overstay its welcome. Kind of poetry with backing music rather than full-blown songs.

Atmospheric but hard going.

Disliked the opener (talky singing not for me) but warmed to the style of it over time.

2,2/5

A good album, I liked Small Blue Thing and The Qeen and the Soldier the most.

cool album will revisit again and again

Que es esto y por qué lo tendría que escuchar antes de morir? Entiendo que capaz es porque suena como a coming of age? O capaz la señora susana tiene alguna relevancia extra musical? Pero las canciones son aburridisimas y la letra no me mueve en lo más mínimo. De lo peor que escuché. 3/10

I enjoyed this! Not a style I typically gravitate towards, but I liked the gentleness of these songs, and I can definitely hear how Vega has influenced some of the music I listen to today. There are very beautiful moments in here. Favorites: Freeze Tag, Marlene On The Wall, Some Journey, Neighborhood Girls

Perfectly lovely singer-songwriter record. Some nice lyrics and simple, clean accompaniment to go with the intimate vocal performance. Seems like a record that one could get lost in, if I were so inclined. Could see how this was a welcome antidote to the pop trends of the mid 80s. Not floored by any means, but I liked this.

It's been years since I listened to this as an album – somewhere I think I have it on vinyl and everything. I'm quite surprised that this is on the list and not Solitude Standing. Certainly after listening to this three or four times I went and listened to that album as well, and they both hold up. So, thanks for reacquainting me with this – and old friend in lots of ways. I've listened again since and waited to write this to try to get it right. Inevitably I'll fail. This is a really good album with some exceptional song craft for a debut. Marlene on the Wall is particularly excellently crafted, especially the way that it builds and builds. And, obviously, The Queen and the Soldier is just a piece of genius that makes me feel the way I did when I first heard it back in the late 80s. Thanks for including this one. It's gorgeous.

3/5 Fav tracks : Marlene on the wall, Small blue things Her voice makes anything worth listening to.

I have listened to a few other Suzanne Vega albums previously that I felt were really fun and engaging and would all easily be a 4 or 5. Sadly they had to choose the one album that was the most uninteresting to me in my opinion. I recommend any other Vega album to listen too before you die over this one

Expected more from this I think but an enjoyable collection nonetheless. Some nice songs.

So it turns out that Suzanne Vega is the original Barenaked Lady. The original Decemberist, maybe (The Novemberist?). A bunch of clever, tightly rhymed, faux-deep lyrics sung in the same register that don't actually amount to much? Yeah, she's got that nailed. This woman is clearly a poet who decided to set her poetry to music. That's fine, but it's not fun to listen to. I thought the guitar parts were cool, but they would have benefited from a) other instrumentation (light drum work, synths, STRINGS); b) another singer with range or something interesting to say; or c) no lyrics at all. The first track was a non-comedic version of Mike Myers in So I Married An Axe Murderer. It's bad. Respect to making a career out of this tho.

Niche , but like some more than others

Enjoyable in places, fairly inoffensive stuff, middle of the road.

Generally underwhelming but a great voice and clear talent.

Nope, all pretty lost on me. Bland, and not helped by the 80s.

7/10

høst vibes

I did not like anything about this. It is not Suzanne Vega’s fault, but this is just the opposite of what I want to hear.

Sometimes I listen to an album that feels like it was associated with a period in time, and this is such an album. I feel like I missed whatever cultural moment this was attached to. The soft spoken lyrics over the understated melody just don't do it for me. I know a ton of emotion and effort was poured into this, but I don't think I'm the intended audience for this album.

Bof

I didn't find anything on here to really blow me away, but this album is definitely not bad. Maybe some songs are a bit boring and bland but I liked her voice. Favourite songs: Cracking, Neighborhood Girls

Worth a listen

the lyricism is really good, but it has a lot of the pitfalls of 80s singer/songwriter production. very cheap sounding synths, which sticks out to me in an otherwise classy album. deserves to be one of the 1001? mmmmaybe leaning no

No standouts

Nice voice and catchy lyrics. 3 stars

I appreciate her song writing. I liked it more than I thought. I should have given her more credit.

Did not know anything outside of Tom's dinner and Luka and they are not on this album. This album is very mellow with a peaceful atmosphere. I really enjoyed it even if I could not name a song in particular. It will grow on me eventually.

Very sweet album that is nice to have on. Have had a few nicer albums in this vein on this list for me

Felt like the OS of a western romantic comedy, and I enjoyed it!

Weird 80s singer song writer album but it was actually really good! Strange singing but great instrumentals, lots of character.

Strong singer-song writery pop.

Rather soft for my taste but not bad.

This one surprised me, had not heard it before but was really taken by the songwriting. An impressive debut.

You got glimpses in what was to come on future albums.

Very pleasant 3.5+

Very solid. Great songwriting, interesting lyrics, pure acoustic.

Better than Coldplay

Really quite good and sounds relevant even today! 3.9

Initially I didn’t like this album but the more i listened to it the more I was drawn in! She has such a soothing voice and the slow instrumentals created a real sense of intimacy that I couldn’t but appreciate. It’s a little too slow to be a 5 for me but this is definitely a fantastic album Fav Song: Straight lines (hm: undertow) Least fav: Cracking

This album is....strange.

This is so boring and generic?? Who is this for?

6/10

I dig the mellow vibes of this.

I mean ... it's okay I guess

Reminds me of a very particular time

Not the most exciting or challenging album I’ve ever heard, but it’s okay to listen to. There are some nice melodies and she sings quite alright. The last track is horrible, The Queen and the Soldier is the best track

If all the songs were like Marlene On the Wall, this album would get a 4. 2.5.

Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

Nice. Suzanne Vega doesn’t necessarily have a completely unique style but her mix of music & vocals do set her apart from her contemporaries.

uuh nonie vo ihre es ganzes glost. glaub au susch uh wenig. sie sehr singer songwriter okaay. hmm ihri text sind guet aber ich gapürs nonig so gad. seeehr melancholie. bsunsers small blue thing gad. undertow isch jo huere geil makaber aber herzig haha.

abgseh vo tom's diner nanie öppis vo ihre ghört. mal luege uhh es fangt uf jede fall sehr herzig ah vo ihrem gsang bini nanig ganz überzügt bzw. vode melodie? es würkt wie wenn sies eifach chli würd ablese d gitarre isch aber huuere schön wow han die chli reduzierti und teils düsteri atimmig mega gern marlene on the wall kenni iwie? vomene cover?? würkli sooo fucking schön! undertow isch au suuuper find bi the queen and the soldier cool, dass es chli thematisch/lyrisch ussesticht nvm jz chunnt glaub nomal en knight hahaha poahhh vlt es 5i? s hetmer megaaa gfalle. NOMAAAL ja wow ich liebs soo fest. ich glaub es isch es bizeli, willi ihri gsangs- und gitarremelodie mier chli metalcore- oder posthardcore-vibes gebet. so de ahfang vo undertow chönnt en metalcoresong sii, wo denn natürlich spötistens bim 2. refrain vill herter gspielt wird aber ja, ich glaub das gfalltmer so und macht d melodie für mich au iwie vertraut?

It's very wordy, sometimes to the detriment of the melodies, but Marlene on the Wall is a tune.

so twee, big fan

Great voice

Nice listen but nothing special... Some beautiful melodies, but also a lot of forgettable songs...

This was great. Knight moves, Marlene on the Wall, and the Queen and the soldier were standouts for me. Would relisten for sure.

Weirdly I listened to this last week for the first time in decades! It holds up pretty well, good tunes and great lyrics.

RATING: 9/10 HIGHLIGHT: Marlene on the Wall LOWLIGHT: Neighbourhood Girls

Not bad but doesn’t really do much for me

There’s something very quiet and understated about this album that I really like. The arrangements are simple, the songwriting is strong, and Suzanne Vega’s voice gives the whole thing its character. It’s very flat and restrained, almost like she’s speaking rather than singing, but somehow that makes the songs feel more personal instead of less expressive. The album never tries too hard to impress you, which is probably why it works. It just settles into its own mood and stays there. Not every track sticks with me, but the overall atmosphere is strong enough that I kept enjoying it anyway.

Nice voice and a couple of good songs; Marlene was my favourite.

much better than all the pop that's coming out in 2026. First class folk pop fusion. Favorite track: freeze tag other picks: marlene on the wall, small blue thing

Nice album, and easy listening, but apart from Marlene On The Wall, just nice.

This was super bland

Well, Ok, I guess. Some good songs, some boring.

det blev simpelthen for kedeligt og træls en storytelling til min smag

Jeg synes at det var enormt behageligt at lytte til - især Marlene On The Wall og Undertow. Den ligger et sted mellem en 3'er og en 4'er

*72 Var så klar på at hade det her svigermor-musik, men det var jo en ganske dragende fornøjelse. Et sted mellem smukt og melankolsk. Vi er lige over spærregrænsen for de 4 stjerner.

Det var meget lækkert! Jeg kunne godt finde på at høre noget mere Suzanne Vega

Kan egentlig godt lide Suzanne Vega, men jeg har ikke hørt dette album før. Det er jo lidt en stil, og hun har lidt en lyd, og jeg kan sagtens forstå, hvis man synes, det er kedeligt. Det synes jeg personligt selv, at dette album er. Fint, men kedeligt. Hvis man har fået det mindste ud af det, og ikke kender hendes andet på forhånd, så vil jeg anbefale Solitude Standing :) Dette får: 2.8

Behageligt men også lidt kedeligt. Sådan ret gennemsnitligt godt. Der mangler nogle hits for at trækker det over en meget lille 3'er.

Det er okay, men ikke meget mere. Vandt dog lidt på mig efter et par ekstra gennemlytninger.

I love the instrumental, but also her beautiful voice

riding the train, sun was shining on a great spring day in ny... this was working for me in a way i didnt expect

Parempi kuin odotin. 3/5.

Better than expected

Might just be a huge hidden gem. I need relistens though. Atmosphere was epic, so was bass.

This feels so out of time. I struggle to name many other confessional singer-songwriter records that came out during this decade. Accompanied by electric guitar and synths, the production combined with Vega's hauntedly beautiful voice gives this album a dream-like quality. I disagree with the criticisms that the production dates this record - it just gives it a unique profile as synthesisers and singer-songwriters rarely go together. This reminds me of Elliott Smith in how it is melancholy folk-adjacent music that feels like a big warm hug. Even though it may not have been in vogue to release music like this during this time, I'm so glad that Vega decided to do so!

Good. Had Tori Amos vibes.

One of America’s most underrated songwriters of the last 50 years. Such a lovely album.

her voice reminds me of something

Quite liked some of this, but not enough to give it a 4.

Light and interesting

This was good. Well made and nice songs, just not really my style to return to.

This album’s a great debut, and I'm a big fan, but since this is the only Suzanne Vega album on this list, let’s talk about my favorite Suzanne Vega period, her three 1990s albums. It all starts with DAYS OF OPEN HAND (1990), which Suzanne has said was influenced by recent XTC albums. Her brief marriage to producer Mitchell Froom yielded her two best albums. Folk purists complained, but who cares? If they can’t recognize gorgeous, well-constructed albums and a remarkable collaboration between singer-songwriter and producer it’s their loss. 99.9F° (1992) begins with the rattles, interesting sounds, percussion and effects Froom is known for, but it all brings greater depth to Vega’s terrific compositions. “Blood Makes Noise” throbbingly captures doctor’s office dread, and was read as an allegory for AIDS at the time. One of my favorite albums of all time, NINE OBJECTS OF DESIRE (1996) is an astonishingly lush album. All this beauty doesn’t squash Vega’s songs, it enhances them. Every single song is a gem, a sonic short story. “Caramel” is delicious. You can vividly picture the scene in "Stockings." Tthe waltz “Honeymoon Suite” is a wonderful little vignette and my favorite song about a hotel room, a vivid dream, and new love. And the album’s sequencing, from birth to desire to death, is so perfect, you imagine they spent a lot of time getting it just right. "Do you know when friendship ends And passion does begin It's between the binding Of her stocking and her skin" The elegant simplicity and grace of Vega’s literary lyrics makes it all look easy. But it’s the care and editing away everything that’s unnecessary that makes Vega’s stories so compelling. "When we sleep so close together that our hair becomes entwined I must have missed that moment In the gateway to his mind"

I went into this expecting to be annoyed by the little speak‑y intros she does—you know, that half‑whispered “I’m just going to talk for a second before the song actually starts” thing. Shockingly, it didn’t bother me. Maybe I’ve mellowed. Maybe she’s just that good at it. Once the songs settle in, the album is all about clean melodies, sharp writing, and that calm, steady voice that never tries too hard. There’s a quiet confidence to the whole thing—nothing flashy, nothing overcooked, just a songwriter who knows exactly what she’s doing. The production is warm and simple, which lets the lyrics do the heavy lifting. And honestly, the consistency is impressive; even the deep cuts feel intentional. Bottom line: A beautifully restrained debut, and yes, I’ll admit it—her little spoken lead‑ins didn’t derail me. Growth.

I really don’t feel the need to say anything about this. It’s plain.

Hell no, this is like the antithesis of my type of music. This is like 80s Taylor Swift to me.

Tes, great music

Bien.

Another review called this "horse girl music" and boy does that hit the nail on the head. Not necessarily bad, but it's definitely a vibe that isn't for me. The Queen and the Soldier was probably the best track.

Really good

The reason why she basically just talks throughout most of this is that whenever she tries to sing a melody she's woefully off-key. As for the music, it's a chilling precursor to all the shit pop were swamped with now. 1.0/5.0: Embarrassing

one or two decent tracks but mostly her talking over boring instrumentation

Me fait penser à Aurora, un peu vibe Nordics, assez calme et doux avec un voix celte grave. Cependant les mélodies ne sont pas incroyables et on peut vite s'ennuyer mais pas du tout désagréable à écouter. Pas une musique qui sort du lot, bien fait mais ordinaire

Lengi vel var ég í tveimur stjörnum. Svo datt þetta upp í þrjár.

Boring instrumentation kills any potential that the lyrics might have, didn’t enjoy.

It’s 2.5 but rounding down because I’m in a salty mood and I know she can do better.

MARLENE ON THE WALL is such a catchilly crafted little ditty. Tossed with a little bit of that Dire Straitsy guitar packaging. Rest of the album was enjoyable enough, but would need additional listens to appreciate it.

Not very noteworthy outside of a couple songs. This album would’ve benefited by having toms diner

All I could keep thinking of was Tom's Diner which was not on this album

slam poetry with music behind it. And the music, while vaguely pleasant, felt pretty discordant. Reminded me of Leonard cohen

I have an innate bias against folk rock anyhow, but I don't get this one at all. Would've thought if one of her albums was gonna be in here it would be the one with "Luka" and "Tom's Diner" on it. Harmless enough, though.

Not at all what I was expecting, but not bad (not great either). Plus one for not being the same old shit this list generates, but it’s not something that will make my playlist.

Female vocalist in a similar style to what I like (folky) but with a slight edge which reminded me a bit of Imani Coppola. Sadly not quite the strong songs that would suggest though so over all... fine.

I’m a fan of Vega’s radio hits and have spun a few of her albums over the years, but this was my first experience with her debut. It’s raw, thoughtful, well put together with appropriate instrumentation, and altogether a worthy insight into who she eventually became. I liked it.

not bad. pretty standard 80's/90's singer songwrtier stuff

This was really pleasant. Reading about the impact that this album had definitely put it more in my favor, but Vega is extremely impressive in the way she uses such a spare set of tools to convey such intense emotion.

Scrapes a low three with a couple of good songs near the end

Pleasant but bland overall, some tracks more interesting than others, but the synth and electric guitar/bass additions are generally bad/ dated and make it harder work.

🫶

Hmmm….quite liked the follow up Solitude Standing (and especially the more upbeat single Luka) but apart from Marlena on the Wall there’s nothing else here that really grabs me.

I found myself drifting off as I listened to this album, it failed to catch my attention.

drifters

ascoltato 3 canzoni poi mi sono rifiutato, sembra davvero merda

I’m left feeling like you could take it or leave it for this album. On one hand, I got a bit tired of how samey the energy of all the songs were. On the other hand, a few good stories to go along with a few good hooks. “Small Blue Thing” & “The Queen And The Soldier” were my favorite, especially the latter song. It’s got a very direct, uncomplicated delivery that helps me picture its story very clearly in my mind. Soft 3/5 while we are on the topic, Kaskade’s version, “The Diner”, is a very good cover of “Toms Diner”.

Light and easy on the ears

A bowl of plain oatmeal. Each bite is the same boring consistency just like the songs on this album.

45

Her vocals are great & lyrics are intriguing. Good listen

I like folk music. It made me want to listen to some pre-pop Jewel

I feel like if I give her anything lower she will find me and stab me in the kidneys.

(92/100)

its a good album, however the tracks were pretty similar from my perspective

Good stuff, remember it coming out!

Well worth another listen, a Jonie Mitchell for the 90s.

prima

듣기가 좋다

Review - this album's ok A bit overproduced for my liking, a bit slick. But the songwriting is good and I like her voice. The best songs are definitely worth hearing Rating - 5.5/10 Need to hear? KINDA

This was Some Journey.

Pretty solid for 80s pop

3.5

3.5

*Solitude Standing* is her masterpiece, but this is still a stunning debut. Especially "Marlene on The Wall", "Small Blue Thing", "The Queen and The Soldier", and "Knight Moves" (8.4) ★★★★

Quite nice singer/songwriter record. 3.5 stars

This album is okay, but I think I prefer the one after this. "Marlene on the Wall" was the highlight, but I don't think the rest quite lives up. 3 stars.

Heaven or Suzanne Vega? Hmmmm, probably heaven but this is still lovely stuff oh yes indeedy. Such a cute, unique yummylicious vocal delivery. In the same bracket as Rickie Lee Jones but more gentle and mouse like and without the pining for Tom Waits. A very high 4 for the site even if it doesn’t have Tom’s Diner or My Name Is Luka.

Such a great album. Not a bad song to be found and all entice me to listen to this more often. The Queen and The Soldier nearly brought me to tears. Like most truly great albums it feels like the album finishes far too quickly. Sublime.

I can appreciate the influence on other singers of the era; it's clear Suzanne's work had an impact. But after a couple of songs this is just a total snooze fest. Everything starts to run together, mostly through the tinny, thin production. It's just makes for a garbled mess that doesn't work together.

Dreamy, but boring

After this, I was happy to sit at the counter and wait for the woman to make more albums.

Was not expecting it but I LOVED this album. Will be part of the heavy rotation.

Det her er en grower. Likte det fra første lytt -- hørtes ut som om det kunne ha vært en inspirasjon for mer kontemporære favoritter som Joanna Newsom og Fiona Apple -- men hadde noen ting å utsette på det. Noe har trukket meg tilbake igjen og igjen, og jeg finner mindre og mindre å pirke på. Digg, drømmende gitarspill; uperfekt & autentisk stemme; variert & ærlig låtskriving som veksler mellom mer poppy låter som Marlene On the Wall og The Queen and the Soldier, art-rocky låter som Straight Lines, og folky mesterverk som Small Blue Thing. Underrated!

Denne plata vokste på meg

I mean, it was nice, but I wouldn't listen to it again.

Artiste inconnue. Singer-songwriter, 76 eme album =>1/5 Aucun intérêt ! Trop de 'chant', parfois curieux (on dirait une récitation ... -1), et accompagnement trop minimaliste à mon gout. Par contre excellent générateur d'ennui, j'ai eu beaucoup de mal à aller au bout.

I've loved Tom's Diner since I was a kid, but hadn't really heard much else from Ms. Vega. I'm happy to have a reason to listen to one of her albums, as I really enjoyed this one! I would be very interested in checking out more!

perfect music for working by

3,5 rustgevend en soms een tikje zagerig maar van genoten

5/10 - There were some well written songs, but there were also songs that felt like Jonah Hills slam poetry.

There are a handful of good folk/singer songwriter songs with some outdated, less great songs. 5/10

What an amazing debut record. And I am totally biased when I said that because that type of fingerstyle picking on the acoustic is exactly what made me pick up guitar in tbe first place. I love it so much. Not to add that the electric, bass, and drums compliment it so well. Vocals are a bit weak, I would say, but they're good at times too. First track has a weird delivery though, didn't like it. The lyrics themselves are evocative too which sort of saves it all. Normally I have a "favourite tracks" section here but that would mean I'd have to listen 8 of the 10 songs on the album so I'll talk about the tracks I didn't favour. The opening track, Cracking, like I said before, has some weird delivery that took me out of the song. The instrumentation is really really good too which disappoints me. Also didn't like The Queen And The Soldier either. The message behind it, I agree with, but musically it's just weaker than the other tracks in my opinion. Definitely will be learning some of these songs on guitar in the coming days. 5/5

Too sad

I don’t normally like this style of music (more spoken word, not so much focus on instruments) but I really liked this one

Sounds fairly modern for being released in 1985. Could almost fool me for being a mid 2000s folk indie release! Not any particular song that really stuck with me, but I found it relaxing and nice to have on in the background while working. Found Suzanne's voice to be really nice to listen to as well. Looking at her other releases, there seems to be quite a bit more popular releases from her not found on this album, which makes me wonder a bit if we'll see that on the list. And if not, why this particular album was chosen. But this should be judged on what it is, and it's quite nice!

I let out a groan when I saw that Suzanne Vega was behind both “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner”. Luckily, this album was better than those two songs. It made me think of Joni Mitchell, it feels very much in the singer-songwriter tradition. The songs were a bit boring, though. While the lyrics might be the main draw, I didn’t pay that much attention to them, which may be why I missed some of the album’s strengths. It’s pretty samey, but also chill and pleasant. My favourite track was “Knight Moves”. That might not be too surprising since I’m a real sucker for waltzes in a minor key. Weak 3.

Sweet caress to the soul. It is a 3.5 rather than a 4 though.

Pleasant enough album. The Queen and the Soldier and Knight Moves the two stand out tracks for me here. 3 out of 5 stars..

Yeah this was an album. It was music.

Fint men lite ett i mängden.

Riiiiiiktigt tråkigt tyckte jag tyvärr.

Hade bara hört ”Luka” innan så visste inte riktigt vad jag skulle förvänta mig, men tycker väldigt mycket om det här. Nästan lite proggigt emellanåt och riktigt bra bas och gitarrspel långt fram i ljudbilden. Väldigt mycket edie brickell-vibb, det känns mer 90-tal än 80-tal. Hann med flera lyssningar och tror fanimej det här totalt ofarliga regina spektor-myset blir fullpott för mig. Vackert.

Very very beautiful

svältfödd på kvinnliga musiker!

Rätt trevligt. Joni Mitchell-vibes. Ett debutalbum med potential!

3.5