Suzanne Vega Album: “Close-Up, Vol. 2: People and Places”

The album is great (as the other reviewers have stated), but I wanted to review the quality of the CDR version of this product.

The print quality of the artwork, both the backside and the front book with the lyrics feels just like a any good mass produced product. The CD itself has a deep, semi-gloss artwork printed on it that looks even to my (very picky) eyes just as good as any other CD I own.

The honest truth is that unless I had been told that this was a CDR version, I would not have been able to tell. The jeweled case was wrapped in plastic just like any other new CD. I am VERY impressed at the manufacturing quality!

When you think about it, producing CDR on-demand makes a lot of sense. Keeping CDs on the shelf in a warehouse for years until they get sold wastes warehouse space. Many of the 'new' CDs I have bought were stored for years before I got them, and many had case damage from being moved around from one location to another. This is just such a great idea, with an excellent implementation.

If you see an album you want and Amazon is offering a less expensive CDR version - please order it. You will not be disappointed.

This is the second in a planned series by the artist. I really liked volume 1. On that volume, every track was worth having and hearing, even for those of us who have the original. On this (volume 2) compilation, it's a mixed bag. Some of these tracks are new and different and good, including "New York Is A Woman." Others, I liked the original more. For example, I really missed the organ on the original "In Liverpool."

What the artist brings to the party on this recording is a more emotional, more stylized, and more mature vocal performance than her original offerings. She has to make up for the lack of backing musicians using only her voice. On some of the tracks, she succeeds. Others not.

Beautiful new versions of some of Suzanne's classics. The new recording of Luka is as striking as ever, and I think I like this new Tom's Diner more than the DNA version. And at $3.99, you cant beat the price!

As someone who kinda-liked Suzanne Vega's "Solitude Standing" back in the Eighties but lost track of her subsequent work, I bought this collection with no particular expectations and ended up falling hard. Every old song here is substantially improved by the more intimate setting and Vega's seasoning as a performer. And most of these songs were pretty great to start with -- "Luka" can still break your heart, decades after the fact. Count me among the believers where Suzanne Vega is concerned, and this superb collection was the book of revelations.

Been loving Suzanne's music since 1987. Ironbound/Fancy Poultry has always been my #1. It made my whole day when I found out she was putting that cut on here. Caspar Hauser's song is awesome on here, too. Thanks for the extras !!!! Happy to know that YOU are getting the money for these MASTERPIECES.