Suzanne Vega has released her first studio album in nine years. Photo / Supplied
Suzanne Vega has released her first studio album in nine years. Photo / Supplied
Flying With Angels
By Suzanne Vega
American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega arrived in a flash in the mid-1980s with two albums and memorable singles Marlene on the Wall, Luka, Solitude Standing and her a cappella Tom’s Diner – all delivered in a distinctive, emotionally flat manner.
However her career slipped tothe margins in the absence of further hits, and just eight studio albums were released in the 30 years since her self-titled debut in 1985.
Flying With Angels, her first studio album in nine years, reflects uneasily on where we are at, kicking off with the guitar jangle folk-pop of Speakers’ Corner: “The doomsday prophet whose words have all come true … all those full of wind and air … promising the miracles and pocketing the cash.”
She turns to the Russian invasion of Ukraine (“God himself was on the last train frightened by all he was seeing”, on the spare Last Train From Mariupol), celebrates Lucinda Williams on Lucinda (“cowboy slouch, stage star amble, I love her ‘cause she’s blunt and humble”) and cheekily spins off on a tangent from Bob Dylan’s I Want You on the possibly semi-autobiographical Chambermaid, where she adopts the tune and role of the character in that song.
Vega pulls in 70s soul (Love Thief), gets folk-punk on the rodent apocalypse of Rats, takes you to Ireland (Galway) and touches on the transcendent in the title track: “I’m over your head, in over my own … I’m in a heightened state”.
Suzanne Vega still has the voice, intelligent songs and the emotional reach to pull you back for this one.
This album is available digitally, on vinyl and CD.
