Disco de Suzanne Vega: “Suzanne Vega”

Whenever I talk about this first album, fellow fans are quick to point out that Suzanne's voice is not yet properly trained, and that the production values are bottom-of-the-barrel. I agree, but I don't care. These songs have a clean, piercing purity which I think is sometimes lost in her later work.

This is definitely her edgy-slightly-unhinged folk-singer face, so it may not be for people who prefer her more energetic or sound-oriented work.

I also believe that the entire album is an associative poem, but this is still an unverified quack theory.

I must admit that I'm not familiar with Vega's other works; however, I have always found this CD to be brilliant. Vega's words are more poetry than song lyrics. Her musical style is intriguing. Her timing and pacing on the guitar aptly complement the words sung.

There is a starkness and surrealism that I have not experienced on any other CD, by any other artist. This isn't background music; one must sit and listen to the songs, the words.

This is poetry in motion...

Suzanne Vega's eponymous debut heralded the arrival of an unabashedly sophisticated singer/songwriter whose verbal skills, detached but lovely delivery, urban wit and storytelling skills ranked her among the best of her genre.

Though not her best album -- I give Solitude Standing an edge thanks to richer arrangements and songwriting -- this album is her most idiosyncratic, and most verbose. Vega at this point hasn't completely mastered her vocal delivery, but her coolly sympathetic voice already sounds great, and the songs are like a vibrant stream: The quietly resounding guitar of "Undertow"; the tight wordplay of "Marlene on the Wall"; the spoken-word leanings of "Cracking"; the heartfelt narrative power of "The Queen and the Soldier" (later covered by Kathryn Roberts and Kate Rusby).

Without the pop hooks of a "Luka" to drive it, Suzanne Vega relies on the power of the word to make a point. And the point was heard clearly by many -- this album remains a favourite among Vega's fan circles.

Like Tracy Chapman who followed her, Suzanne Vega's debut was a realignment in the folk-mainstream. While it did not have the immediate impact that Chapman's debut or Vega's own "Solitude Standing" did, Vega's debut set a standard soon to be followed by everyone from Sara Hickman, 10,000 maniacs to fellow NYC friend Shawn Colvin. It has antecedents in the likes of Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and (by her own admission) Lou Reed, using poetic metaphor to describe the emotional distancing and distraction of modern love in New York City.

Kindred spirit Lenny Kaye produced this album with an ear towards spare sound and open passages, often with little more than Vega's guitar and slight synthesizers for backing. His time with The Patti Smith Group obviously gave him understanding for literate writers, as he keeps Vega's voice dry and clear, even rough and edgy. The artist who watches her own succession of lovers in "Marlene On The Wall" keeps her distance from them while transferring her thoughts to the movie star poster hanging in the bedroom. The nearly spoken word of "Cracking" and the more rambunctious closer, "Neighborhood Girl," are near perfect descriptions of the transient and fluid nature of the city; her debut is her most NYC-centric CD aside from "Beauty and Crime."

Vega also keeps to the traditions of folk with another highlight, "The Queen and The Soldier." Placing a political message into a medieval context, the song could be about anything from the Knights of Camelot to any current useless war conflict. Or even about the hopelessness of the refusal of unrequited love. It is this kind of mix of songs and meanings, like on great tracks like "Small Blue Thing" or "Some Journey" that made this such a stunning debut. Vega polished up her singing after this and became a stunning success, but her debut remains a marvel of modern folk music.

An impressive and unique debut for one of the most introspective, and sparse acoustic players.

Often detached in her storytelling, she still manages superbly to convey a sense of intimacy & urgency.

A MUST HAVE!!!