Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Not bad, would give it 3.5 if I could
Really nice. Like to hear more of it.
First listen, other than the singles. It was okay.
e kunt maar een beperkte hoeveelheid Vega hebben
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.
not bad!
Quite a nice little debut album. A bit on the boring side though.
Charming, good voice, nice songs. Just not really my thing, maybe? It didn't draw me in.
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.
The Queen and the Solider and Marlene on the Wall are standout tracks, didn't much enjoy the rest.
meh.
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.
Quite pleasant with nothing too offensive, but nothing overly exciting either. Marlene is a nice song though. A respectable debut album.
Good debut album. Great acoustic folk sound.
Die zonder de hits
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.
ok but I prefer her work with Philip Glass.
It was alright.
Pleasant, lovely guitar playing.
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
Suzanne has a great voice and lyrics, but the music was a bit bland
nice for in the background
Loved the guitar. She was meh.
It was enjoyable but probably wouldn’t listen again.
Suzanne Vega has a very nice voice and it shines on this album.
sounds nice
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.
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
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"
Not bad, quite nice folksy singer songwriter stuff. I’d probably listen to one or two tracks again
An enjoyable, competent album. Background music, doesn't belong on this list like so many others.
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+
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.
.
Miellyttävää rauhallista folkkispoppista. Hyvin pelkistettyä, mutta tällainen laulaja/lauluntekijä ja kitara -musiikki on yleensä kolahtanut hyvin. Miellyttävä pehmeä lauluääni.
Good, simple singer/songwriter folksy music. It never wowed me but it's a nice listen
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.
Fome para ser folk
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.
Very good. Gonna listen to it again.
Pleasant acoustic stuff. 5/10
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.
Good one
Some nice songwriting and folkiness. Liked it but didn't love it.
Escuchado
Straightforward acoustic arrangements.
taylor swift tímida
Sure. It’s a decent album. For 85 it probably would be consider it an above average album.
Miellyttävää, rauhallista poppia. Tykkäsin vaikkei tämä mitään valtavia musiikkielämyksiä tarjoillutkaan.
This was nice as background music. If I had been in a different mood, it would have definitely hit better.
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
Great reminder of the 80s!
Very good narative and storytelling not really my cup of tea though
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.
Good singer songwriter album
Pretty good, has a very 90s feel to it.
some cool songs on this album, pleasant surprise. little more catchy than most singer song writers
Tja, utmerka seg ikkje
scratching my head trying to figure what this album has that made it worth putting on the list
I feel like once you hear one Suzanne Vega song, you've heard them all. Even though this was a shorter album, I still felt like it dragged a little - I got tired of her style pretty quickly. She has a nice voice, I just wish she did more with it.
Сюзанна море мо
I know nothing about this girl but this album screams nepo baby for some reason
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?
favs: small blue thing straight lines undertow knight moves rating 2/5
It wasn’t awful, but I’m glad it was a short as it was.
Not a fan of the talking singing vibes.
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
This is fine. I loved the spare and intricate guitar playing but got lost with the vocals.
i find this style slightly depressing. it's not terrible but not very interesting either
Overall, pretty forgettable singer songwriter stuff. Not a single song stood out to me
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
Ok. Lyrically alright but this kinda music not for me really and I wouldn’t recommend it either.
Meh
I absolutely couldn't care. I listened twice and it didn't win me over.
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.
Manic pixie nightmare girl /10
..
You can hear the potential but it’s not coming out on this album. Boring as can be.
wtf even IS this
A bit odd but not in a bad way.
There was one good song, the rest were ok
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.
Marlene on the Wall
Bleh. Nothing about this is interesting. Great voice, boring use of it.
Aggressively mid. Her voice is nothing to write home ab and everything is very simplistic (lyrics, instruments,etc)
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.
All songs sounded pretty much the same. Not a strong album or vocals.
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.
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.
2,2/5
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 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
Nope, all pretty lost on me. Bland, and not helped by the 80s.
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.
No standouts
This album is....strange.
This is so boring and generic?? Who is this for?
Great voice
Not bad but doesn’t really do much for me
This was super bland
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.
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
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.
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 bad. pretty standard 80's/90's singer songwrtier stuff
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.
🫶
I found myself drifting off as I listened to this album, it failed to catch my attention.
A bowl of plain oatmeal. Each bite is the same boring consistency just like the songs on this album.
This was Some Journey.
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
I mean, it was nice, but I wouldn't listen to it again.
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
Too sad
Riiiiiiktigt tråkigt tyckte jag tyvärr.
Soothing, wistful stuff. Nothing here like Tom's Diner, a startling, sparse story (my favourite type of songs). Listened to it through twice while gridlocked on the A2/A27. Parked on the highway for 30 mins, took 1h30 to do about 3km. This will forever be my - I wish I'd used the bathroom before setting off - album.
Already forgotten this..... Probably very unfair, but didn't grab me at all today 2
Look, it's not horrible. But, I really didn't hear any of it even though I was listening to the album. An "in one ear and out the other" kind of album for me. The album production was great (especially for 1985!) and I didn't have an issue with the music or the singing. It was just a bland singer-songwriter album that didn't catch my attention.
This was fine, she has a nice voice, the instrumentation was sparse as expected and she had decent lyrics. I like her other stuff a bit more.
so boring. More like a 1.5.
not my cup of tea pero buenas guitarras. me gustó neighborhood girls. should give it a second listen para prestarle atención a la letra. se me hizo una mezcla de joni mitchell y taylor swift
No
Sweet, gentle and quaint. An album from a different time. Unfortunately, it does very little for me and works best as background music.
She got better. I said what I said, and I stand by it.
Mid. But not terrible...
I don't really get anything out of this Will I listen to again: 0%
It's a solid pop album and I know that Vega can do some stuff, but it isn't something I would consider groundbreaking. That goes even for the time it was released.
Intenté que me guste pero tal vez no era el día.
This album was boring and I lost focus many times. I guess it would be good for that at least.
4/10… singer-songwriter / folk pop / *1985
well it was definitely sound!
tal vez me gustaria si fuese una horse girls en usa y entenderia la vibra de este album pero lamentablemente me toco nacer en españa
I love the first track, but struggle with the rest of the album I felt the same when it came out in the mid 80's, and its funny that my reaction to this collection has not changed!
This album was like if Taylor Swift worked at a gentrified co-op, non-lovingly. I love Lilith fair-esque shit and hate when it's used to insult female singer-songwriters, but in this case the talk-singing really got to me because there was no uniqueness in tone or the music overall that made up for it. This album is something that I could've seen myself potentially enjoying, but instead I was bored. Not even flowery lyrics could make up for it and I can be a whore for those. Top 3: 1) The Queen and the Soldier (this is the one song I was invested in from a story-telling pov, even if it was simple) 2) Some Journey 3) Marlene On The Wall
Wow I am absolutely not the target audience for this. The guitar work on Neighborhood Girls redeemed this album a bit. Her voice is stunning tho
This kind of female singer songwriter music is usually my jam but I found this pretty boring. I think the instrumentation was too 80s sounding to me. Muzak adjacent.
Start was putting me to sleep but it got better towards the end. 2.5/5
Boring
This was average at best. Mediocre voice and mediocre music. But the songwriting and performance was very unique, not like anything else i ever heard. Not my cup of tea, but I appreciate it.
I liked it. If I knew Spanish it might have been elevated to a 3.
Someone else has said this music has horse girl vibes and yeah, it really does.
Vibras de folklore Taylor Swift jasjasjs. Me gusta la cadencias de la voz, es ese tipo de poeta. Seguro la Swift se inspiro en ella. A nivel de producción son canciones simples pero que de alguna forma son llevaderas. Me sorprende porque suena demasiado actual. Likes: Marlene - Small Blue Thing - Knight Moves
quirky pop, sometimes countryesque. not bad, but in the end, not my taste. like weak coffee, where's the punch?
Pretty forgettable. Not awful but I can't see why this is important.
This had some good ingredients, but as an album doesn't shine. Small Blue Thing is a fine song, but too much of the album sounds similar.
Ngl insanely forgettable
Not my kind of thing but pretty
The way she delivers the lyrics in Cracking is the way young children try rapping for the first time.
This isn’t my personal taste to begin with. But I was surprised how poor her singing actually is. I’d call her “on key adjacent” on this album. The songs were fairly boring to listen to. Solid cafe music. Her later music is much better.
This is fine and all, but not the album of hers that would matter. Here on out, instead of trying to justify all the 2* albums on this list, I'm going to suggest an album that should replace them instead. This one's easy. This is a 2*; its spot should go to Poe's Hello, which would be a 4*.
IDK. Not really for me, but the poetry resonates. It's simply too mellow overall. Favorite tracks? Marlene on the Wall ⭐⭐
Instantly and constantly bored. And I don't like the inconsistent fonts on the cover. Pass.
This sounds like the music you hear being a kid in the 1980s, watching cheesy morning cartoons after playing your NES, while your mom cleans the house because your deadbeat dad can't stay out of the bars. It's "burnt out suburban mom" music, 1980s edition, if you will. It could be much better. Favorite Track: "Neighborhood Girls".
Meh Simpsons: No
Each track was the same song with different words
Pleasant enough but not particularly interesting or exciting.
'Mum, can we have Stevie Nicks?' 'No, we have Stevie Nicks at home.' *Stevie Nicks at home*
wordy lyrics whole album, didn’t recognize any hits from that era. Glad to listen to it as intro to Tim’s Diner and Luka
wat saai maar wel chill. small blue thing was mn favoriet
deeply unfamiliar, kinda unsettling ... not my jam but cool that lenny kaye worked on it
I didn’t have high hopes for this album, and it still underperformed.
I listened before I died. I can't imagine I'll be listening again before I do
526/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Meh…didn’t love it. Feels like a musical soundtrack almost, but isn’t addicting I. The way Hamilton or six is.
Pointless.
Voice and delivery are ok, music isn’t bad, lyrics are horribly trite. Alanis Morissette definitely was influenced by this. Notable tracks include Marlene on the Wall, Straight Lines.
This was fine. Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it. I did not like the first song, but the others were okay. Maybe I’m missing something.
This was a perfectly pleasant and easy listen but not something that I’d ever choose to put on. Felt a bit samey after a while.
Just ok
This was another of those albums where I completely appreciate the quality of musicianship but I just don't like it. SV's songs sound like every other SV song.
Familiar with Tom’s Diner for PA tuning purposes but the rest of this doesn’t get any more exciting. Meh
This is not for me. Kudos to those that like it.
Hadn't realised this had ended until Spotify played an REM record afterwards.
Proto Lilith Fair stuff, which has its time and place but would be done later by more accomplished singers. Her songwriting is fine, and it’s nice that there are very few instruments and it’s all fairy simple. Not really for me, but I am not the audience.
2.4
I find music like this kind of boring. Couldn't get into it.
Wasn't terrible, just not really my jam. 2/5
Singer songwriter acoustic guitar nonsense. Inoffensive: I can't hate, but I don't love it, either.
I now know what ill play for my kids when they cant get to sleep.
The vocal delivery is a weird mash of older folk styles and 1980s rap style that throws me off.
Not really bad, just not really for me. In a more perfect world, I'd rate what belongs on here vs how much I liked it.
Honest singer songwriter type music. Could maybe be a 3 with more listens.
Very forgetable background music to me. nothing that really grip my attention. I can't say im a fan of storytelling music. it feels like just write a poem or a book if you want to tell a story and only have the music as a background element. I listen to music for the music not for the lyrics so i can't judge this album fairly.
Vega's brand of modern folk music has the usual formula of 'prominent acoustic guitar plus tasteful backing tracks', but her twist on the form is that her vocal melodies are far more abstract and progressive than your typical folk fare. It's not much of an improvement though - if anything, it just makes the songs harder to follow. Aside from "Marlene On The Wall" and "Neighborhood Girls" (the only tracks here with any muscle), Vega's scattershot approach to melody and lyrics means that very little here has any lasting emotional weight (especially since the overly-tame music also lacks any sense of drama).
Often feels like somebody noodling on a guitar and coming up with lyrics in real time. 2/5
i did not care for this
2.5 It was fine background stuff idk if I revisit much. Tom’s diner…
Good music but pretty forgettable
This was fine, but I’m not sure I needed to hear it before I died. Most remarkable thing I could find about it was that it sold more copies than anticipated. Selling a lot of copies seems to be the most important thing to get on this list…
kinda boring 2.5
++*: Neighborhood Girls ++: Freeze Tag, Marlene on the Wall, Some Journey +: Cracking, Straight Lines +-: Small Blue Thing, Undertow, Knight Moves -: The Queen and the Soldier 5,5/10
Eh
Don’t hate it.
A decent album but it didn’t really connect with me.
Folk & pop acoustic singer/songwriter vibes with decent singing. There’s also some soft synths, laid back electronic guitars, pianos, violin among others. Great to get lost in the hypnotizing guitars, soundscapes and lyrics. The chords and arrangements can be catchy. I’m not a fan of the spoken word type singing. While enjoyable, the music as a whole doesn’t totally pop for me.
Not really for me
I blame the era for the blocky choppy way of putting words together, and this is a singer songwriter effort so it's an album of the stuff. I had a hunch the lyrics might be the redeeming factor, but after a careful combing, ugh. I just find it cheesy and excessive. Most redeeming factor is her voice, which isn't bad, but isn't great. We're not sticking around for the melodies or exquisite vocal skill. 2.2/5
Bright and delicate music. I’m not a fan of some of the production on a lot of tracks, however. That Seinfeld-esque slap bass; it kind of ruins everything it pops up in, and it features A LOT. ⭐️⭐️
Fav was undertow?
The guitar work is fine but the vocals are entirely unremarkable.
Cracking byrjaði fínt, gítarspilið næs og soundið. Svo byrjar Freeze tag og eitthvað deyr inni í mér. Þetta er kjánahrollur í lagaformi. Já ég gaf þessu tvo sénsa og mér fannst þetta eiginlega bara pirrandi. Sammála hipsterunum hérna inni sem segja þetta taylor swift áttunnar.
The whole album had a similar tone, a bit too sweet for me, and I’m just not the audience for it. Maybe the lyrics are good, but I didn’t feel like digging into them.
listened to it on Friday, and don't really recall what this was. i do recall it being underwhelming...
I hate the speak singing in the first and last songs. Other than that, the album sort of grew on me as I continued listening to it. It still isn’t anything very special though, and the speak singing drops it a star for me.
Some solid songs (small blue thing and the queen and the soldier) but not super interesting in general. Nice voice and good song writing but just not my thing.
4/10
Quite boring, I didn’t like it
Quiet and minimal.. too minimal. There’s a weight hanging over everything. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions: - Cracking - Small Blue Thing
Pretty unmemorable jazzy folk rock, a la Joni Mitchell but not as captivating. The poetic lyrics are an occasional draw. Didn’t dislike, but didn’t catch my interest and I won’t think about it again.
meh
Not particularly memorable.
Didnt sparkle for me
Just okay, didn’t grab me.
This is really hard. Clearly a great song writer, a really unique style and voice that is recognisable BUT when listening to the album it just drifted into the background of what I was doing. I feel like this is an album that greatly suffers from the setup of this, an album like this isn't going to work in a single day of two listens whilst working. I expect if you come back to me in twelve months time this will have grown on me greatly.
meh
da da da, dad dad dada..."Toms Dinner" -> https://tinyurl.com/4zvxhfbz! -> und original a capella: youtube.com/watch?v=mto47BMT3yA c
Gives me Swift vibes
It was kinda boring.
Nothing grabbed me on this one. Seemed like a little bit of production help could have made a couple of these tracks a bit more accessible.
Reminder, this is the 1001 albums we must hear before we die, right? Vega was a blip on the 80's radar with two memorable songs, neither of which are included here. She wasn't cutting edge, didn't set the world on fire, had an average voice. Another head scratcher for me. It honestly sounds like a singer songwriter who faithfully believes in her songs singing her ass off at a coffee shop in front of amazed friends who thinks she's The Shit. I would have left my girlfriend and her 2 friends there while I boogied down to the bar on the corner where they have a jukebox filled with good songs. It was utterly boring, I was suffering, I felt nothing. Maybe I don't get the poetry or can't connect with whatever theme she was pitching but I didn't enjoy any of it. Two stars but that's a generous stretch.
Back in the day she was OK, but sounds like a whiny kid now. Hard to listen to
yeah she got a nice voice but that's all I like about the album
It's a nice album. It has very little range, though, and the choruses are not my preferred style. For something I'd classify as "noodle-y" in the style of Joni Mitchell I wanted the songs to be more memorable.
This is #day369 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this isn't the kind of music you'd expect to come out of the mid'80s. I was hoping for at least a touch of new wave, but... Perhaps this sort of arrangement, aside from "Neighborhood Girls," which is very much '80s pop rock and the only standout piece on this record, was a conscious attempt. Anyway. Kudos for "Last Train from Mariupol" on her last album, though. Otherwise, this is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day370.
If Dolores O'Riordan and Stevie Nicks made an album together but made it bad it would sound like this
Some clever storytelling but her voice and musical arrangements didn't do much for me. I liked Marlene on the Wall and Small Blue Thing but don't think I'd ever actively revisit this for a future listen.
I've previously listened to Suzanne Vega's 99.9F of my own volition and enjoyed it quite a lot. This, not so much. It was OK, but the whole thing washed over me barely making an impression. The overly long songs with belaboured allegorical meanings did nothing for me, not that I could be bothered to pay attention to the lyrics given the dull instrumentation.
gracie abrams meets fiona apple cute bot not my thing very much girl and her guitar
2.5 rounded down it’s cute and all, but that’s kinda all it has going for it highlights: freeze tag, small blue thing, undertow (mar 28 2026)
better than i thought it was going to be but still kinda boring, probably wouldn’t listen to it again
Has an intimate charm. A little dull. The songs don’t stick with me.
It's ok. Not necessarily my style. 2.25 star
More 80s pop that blends right into the crowd. Nothing here really stands out. The songs are fine on a surface level, but they all feel like variations of the same idea, and that idea has already been done better elsewhere. Her voice is pleasant enough, but the melodies and arrangements never push beyond safe or familiar. It's the kind of album that plays in a coffee shop and no one bothers to ask what it is. Not terrible, just incredibly generic.
Letras muy profundas, una manera muy extraña de cantar. El conjunto de voces e instrumental, y en concreto la instrumental, evoca algo místico. 4/10
Ten songs in I thought I had accidentally put the first track on repeat. Lame but on par with solo female artist’s music from the 80s and 90s.
Did not do much for me
Yeah, I don’t know…. - not something I would put on again anytime soon
Pretty bland singer-songwriter from the 80s. I can see how influential she is to other bands and artists that I enjoy. But for me this was a yawner.
Really drab singer-songwriter folk with some 80's synth thrown in. Didn't care for her voice or the simplistic lyrics. Standout is "Marlene On the Wall". "Small Blue Thing" is also pleasant.
fine
Can't tell when one song is over and the next starts
There isn’t much holding this together. She is clearly talented, but I thought it was a flop.
Forgettable 2/5
thought i’d like this more since i really mess with “tom’s diner”. alas, that song is not on this album, and i did not mess with those that WERE on the album. very ethereal, very folk-y. not my style though. 2/5.
first song is a skip with the nursery rhyme singing. not a fan of layering in the 80s synths either. songs are boring
Beetje gek en niet helemaal mijn ding maar het heeft wel waf
Un álbum de folk-rock con unas letras excelentes, románticas y, sobre todo, muy íntimas. Los temas suelen girar alrededor de alguna turbulencia romántica narrada a base de metáforas. La voz de Suzanne Vega es suave y muy bonita, aunque nada fuera de lo común y a veces hasta me chirría un poco. Por desgracia, la producción tan típica de los ochenta no le viene nada bien a este álbum. Creo que a unas letras tan personales y sensibles les vendrían mejor unos acompañamientos más austeros. Sin embargo, tenemos una producción clásica del pop de su época, con guitarras con mucho eco, sintetizadores y un bajo prominente. Me hubiera gustado darle mejor nota, porque las letras me han gustado mucho.
It's a kind of soft folk music... nothing exciting for me and always wondering where is Luka ? not yet arrived, on the next album :-(
Folk with a modern twist, the kind of melodies you could easily imagine turned into electric versions, and they would probably sound better. Suzanne Vega has often had that subtle alt-rock vibe, a bit edgier than she first lets on. Still, this first album is super easy listening, the kind of stuff you would hear in cozy coffee shops before Norah Jones or Dido came along. Pleasant, sure, but not exactly what you would call innovative. Why is it here?
Totalmente innecesario
Marlene on the wall had some folksy Taylor Swift going on, but with the production and grand hooks. The rest was boring, simple and annoying.
The majority of this album was boring for me to listen to, but I genuinely enjoyed the song "Straight Lines". It had a good melody, and was fun to listen to. The rest of the songs on this album didn't catch my interest.
Found that album from Suzanne Vega rather boring without any lows or highs.
Not my cup of tea
There are a handful of great folk/singer songwriter songs with some outdated, less great songs. 5/10
Este disco nunca lo he escuchado. Conozco sus dos temas más famosos y ese disco sí que lo tuve grabado en cassette. Entretenido y poco más, destaca "Marlene on the wall".
i liked that song about the boy upstairs but this was shite
Taylor Swift but make it shitty(er) Best Song: Marlene on the Wall Rating: 3/10 Stars: 2/5
An exceptionally dull album. Some nice instrumentals here and there, but generally this could be made by anyone. 2/5
Easy listening, some songs ok
I can appreciate a classic singer-songwriter album. Nothing crazy in terms of arrangements, personal, introspective lyrics, and simple production. Some of this was cool, some of it felt a little too forced or like she was trying too hard to be interesting. I'd be lying if I said that after a while, some of the songs started to blur. They're all guitar and vocals-driven, with the occasional synth. So that didn't help. I'll be honest, a lot of this felt like you'd have heard this in the lobby of a dentist's office in the 80's or 90's, or in an elevator. Or as hold music on the phone with your insurance company. It's all a little too safe, a little too straightforward to be super interesting. And that's a shame because it's pretty clear that she's talented and has potential. I just didn't see it realized here. Two stars. Standout Track: Neighborhood Girls
Singing was a little too weird to me, some interesting rhythms going on though. Won't be listening again.
My only previous exposure to Suzanne Vega was 'Luka' and 'Tom's Diner', which were on heavy rotation on MTV and VH1 in the late 80s. So why are we not listening to her second album, and this leaves me asking myself once again why was this album included on this list. Other than those two songs, the rest of Suzanne Vega's career has never been on my radar, and this album did not impress me very much.
Throughout listening, I kept thinking how enjoyable this album likely is upon a re-listen. But in the moment, I just could not wait for it to be over. Maybe I'll come back to it, meh.
Breathy vocals, lightweight songs but some good guitar
zzzz
Didn't really do much for me. It was mostly fine, but felt pretty surface level. The songs were just okay and the instrumentation basic. Not for me.
This is fine. It’s not unlistenable but it’s also very middle of the road.
I see what this is but it’s not really for me
The talking in the first song .... this is much cringier than I anticipated. As far as 90s NY coffee house goes... is this better or worse than Smelly Cat?
I like her voice but a bit of a boring album!
51/1001 Vega is probably best known to most Brits through DNA's take on Tom's Diner from 1990, despite her mid-80s singles making a decent impact on the UK charts in their own right. There's not really much to dislike about Suzanne's simple acoustic folk-pop arrangements and poetic lyrics which often focus on very down-to-earth struggles and emotions. If you are into that kind of thing, then you can't go far wrong - this is not really my bag, but I can't help but warm to her sound and Marlene On The Wall in particular comes tinged with a heavy dose of 80s chart nostalgia.
Lisa Loeb read from this playbook. This is a bit boring.
Not bad, but ultimately quite forgettable
Not a fan of weirdo spoken-word delivery. I thought the composition was nice and the guitar pieces would occasionally get really pretty. Not my favorite
**An ok Album
The female singer-songwriter genre is one that I have only recently been getting into. I have listened to ones from the 60s and 70s and then more contemporary but this was the first from the 80s. So it was interesting to hear this album that continued on the line. That said nothing stuck out or will make it to my regular listening.
Pretty dull Marlena on the wall is great but the rest is very disappointing
Not my jam at all. Wasn't then, isn't now.
Background music
Boring really
Songwriting was good but the delivery sounded very samey, didn't really work for me.
Came in with an open mind but this album really wasn't for me. Vega seems talented but nothing really hooked me in.
This music is not made for me. I discover a lot of music through this website and some of it is just not it. It's not bad, I just like different things. 2/5
Feels like 80s Taylor Swift. Otherwise pretty bland. 2/5
Very inoffensive. None of the songs grabbed me. Wouldn't be mad if someone was playing this in the background but I'd never intentionally put this on
Ξενερουα
2.5 stars
Acoustic guitar based singer-songwriter stuff all glittered up with 80s studio production wizardry: super jangly fingerpicked acoustics that sound like a harp, chorus pedals on crystal clear super compressed electric guitars, lush reverbs, synth textures, electric violins, a bit of rubbery bass - sparse drumming retains the folsky singer-songwriter aesthetic. She has a gentle voice that alternates between breathy singing and chatty urgent talk-singing. Easy listening but kind of boring.