Ephemera - Suzanne McDermott

Advantages: very very good music
Disadvantages: not easy listening background music

...This album is a collaboration between McDermott's 2 Hours, often cited as a major influence on the levellers, and two of the levellers, namely Jeremy and Charlie. I bought this album because i love the leveller's music and was curious to see what this album was like and the first time i listened to it i have to admit to wondering what i had done! but then i listened to it again and realised, as the music and lyrics crept into my head and stayed there, that i had been mistaken, this was a very, very good album. It is essentially folk music,lots of fiddle and drum type music, with the undertone of social comment you expect to find in the leveller's usual albums. the tracks are: 1.world turned upside down 2.another campaign 3.the wheel 4.blue bandana 5.harry brewer 6.taking it on 7.la passionaria 8.laying the sligo maid i am... Read review

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Advantages: Good Songs, Fantastic Lyrics
Disadvantages: A Few Weaker Tracks

...to be reckoned with. This is a very personal tale of love and betrayal: "And if you wonder what I am doing, As I am heading for the sink, I am spitting out all the bitterness, Along with half of my last drink, I am thinking of your Woman who is crying in the hall." The Album ends with a song called Neighbourhood Girls which sees Vega once again reminiscing about her Youth in a wry tale of New York life: " We had our Neighbourhood Girl, She used to hang out in front of McKinsey's Bar, and we were interested in her, and her Clientele..." As a debut Album I think that this is a pretty remarkable collection of Songs. Even though most of the Songs on this Album lack the catchy melody that Suzanne Vega introduced in her slightly more pop-influenced follow up, Solitude Standing. In many ways I prefer some of these earlier Songs because they are more... Read review

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Advantages: 21 brilliant songs, great lyrics
Disadvantages: a couple of weak links

...Suzanne Vega is an artist I have always admired. Deeply rooted in folk rock, inspired by Dylan, Cohen and Lou Read and the intelligensia pop of The Smiths and The Police she has had a careeer that has spanned the eighties to the present day. Vega has never been afraid to experiment and to push her song writing abilities harder and with more courage than many other artists, she has always seen music as an art form and followed it with purity and passion. This 21 song retrospective and its 7 track bonus cd show her talents perfectly. 'Luka' I guess is the song most associated with Suzanne Vega. Melodic folk rock and sung from the heart. A song about abusive violent relationships. A beautiful tune masking disturbing lyrics 'yes i think I'm ok. I walked into the door again.Well, if you ask thats what I'll say and its not your... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful