Search - Oh Susanna :: Oh Susanna

Good, if not hugely distinctive, female country.

D. Mok | Los Angeles, CA | 07/17/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"To be honest, I had no idea whether Oh Susanna was a band, a person, or a one-off music collective. I bought this record because it was in the bargain bin and because it was produced by Colin Cripps, whose live work with Kathleen Edwards had blown away. Oh Susanna turns out to be one of those solo artists masquerading as a band (eg. PJ Harvey). The artist in question, Suzie Ungerleider, wrote most of the songs and sings and plays guitar on the record. While I don't find this record hugely memorable or different, say in the way Neko Case is, it is also a solid record with no real weaknesses. The songs are pretty punchy, and Ungerleider's singing has enough gusto to it (her vibrato is especially attractive to the ear) to help mask the fact that the songs just aren't that impressive, though they're also far from bad.My reaction to this record may be due to the fact that I'm not a big fan of country music in general, usually finding country a little same-sounding. It takes a great deal to transcend the genre's limitations (eg. Case, Emmylou Harris) and Ungerleider doesn't quite do so. I guess I just look for more emotional weight in my listening tastes. However, Oh Susanna remains a pleasant record, and if you're into this kind of purist country sound, you'll probably like this record a lot more than I do."

Americana (sorry, Canadiana) at its best

Vito Minerva | Italy | 07/11/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD in Italy (sorry Amazon, but you step in when the music I'm looking for doesn't reach my shores). To understand the quality of this music, suffice it to say that the latest Patty Griffin album is not distributed in my country. While I'm not saying that Oh Susanna, also known off-stage as Suzie Ungerleider, is better than Patty (in my opinion, she isn't), nonetheless she isn't getting the attention she deserves, especially from the US market.
But then, what does she have to offer? This album is a full-band effort, with hints of country, folk and acoustic rock thrown in it. Or, put in another way, imagine a more versatile Kathleen Edwards with less grit and more power in her voice. Now, if you get the comparison, you know pretty well what to expect from this album (but on a better level).
And the album offers a wide variety of skills indeed: the radio-friendly rock tune from the 60's, with a nice "saloon piano" accompaniment ("Right By Your Side", which is about driving the interstate to get to the loved one), the slow piano-based song about a heroin-addicted friend who didn't fulfil his dreams in his new adopted country ("Billy"), the gorgeous cover of Dylan ("I'll keep it with mine"), the post-9/11 song, which distinguishes between the grief at the victims ("when I saw those towers tumble you know I got down on my knees and prayed") and the political responsibilities ("Hey Mr. Politician, you say that it is time to fight this holy war, but I don't need no television to see one is raging out my back door)". By the way, this song has a nice melody, in stark (and, I'd say, baffling) contrast to its grievous theme.
To complete the list, the slow ballads "Mama" and "The One", the straight-from-the-70s rock of "Little White Lies" and the "countrified" "Carrie Lee" also deserve a mention. In fact, this is one of those rare albums you can listen to from start to finish.
However, my favourite song remains "Down by the Quarry", which is, let me say that, Appalachian folk on steroids. While the dragging of vowels into a dirge-like singing complies with the tradition, the lush instrumentation, the bawdy lyrics ("my white breast is your rightful quarry") and the use of piano are a welcome departure from it, resulting in the song's appeal. The only drawback: the backing vocals by Kathleen Edwards (yes, Kathleen Edwards) are overwhelmed by the instruments.
In all, it's a four-star album. It's good, but it still lacks something to enter the Pantheon. Anyway, it's worth its price; so, be one of the first Americans to discover this great Canadian singer/songwriter."

Good female fronted alt-country album!

Rachel E. Pollock | Chapel Hill, NC USA | 07/12/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Another bit of evidence that all the old floaty ethereal goth crap labels are turning to chick-singer alt-country bands these days. First there was Tarnation on 4AD, now there's Oh Susanna on Nettwerk. The singer's reminiscent of Dolly and Emmylou, but she writes songs about things like how it's no surprise ppl in the ghetto didn't feel personally wounded about the WTC falling (in "Cain is Rising," based on quotes in an article a year after 9/11 to the effect of "I really don't care that all those white people died"), or how she wants to cut off her dead junkie boyfriend's arms so the buzzards can eat them and then bury the rest of him at sea ("Billy", the final song on the album with a beautiful beautiful chorus, though morbid). A bit like Handsome Family Lite meets Neko Case perhaps?I look forward to future releases by Oh Susanna!"