By DJ Urban Kobbb
Businessman by Day... Aspiring DJ When the Mood Hits Him

DJ Urban Kobbb suspects Suzanne Vega’s new Zephyr & I (playing now) is a veiled tribute to Lou Reed’s Vicious. Click the to hear Vicious and see if you agree. Click again to hear Frank & Ava.

Suzanne Vega is often compared to Lou Reed. They are both singer/songwriters who chronicle the gritty life of their hometown, New York City.

Similarities notwithstanding, Vega is no follower of Reed or anyone else. She enjoys a unique style, voice and presence. She displays all brilliantly in her latest release, Beauty & Crime.

Beauty & Crime opens with a chord progression that seems to play with those who insist on comparing Vega and Reed. The first few bars of Zephyr And I sound as if Vega is about to cover Reed’s Vicious (1972). In reality, I believe Vega used a bit of Reed to announce that this is an album about New York City. There is no better way to foreshadow that theme than to honor the herald of all that lies beneath Gotham’s veneer.

About Suzanne and Luka If you were listening to the radio or watching music videos in 1987, you certainly heard Suzanne Vega’s very sad Luka. It was the #3 pop hit that year and earned Vega three Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year. Her voice and edgy good looks inspired the likes of Tracy Chapman, Shawn Colvin and the Indigo Girls, as well as the Lilith Fair phenomenon. Luka was written from the perspective of an abused boy, with Colvin singing in the background. Here’s what Vega says on her Web site: "It’s a story about a lot of pain and it still moves me. I still get mail about it, people telling me stories of abuse. It’s not a hit about love or something benign, so that makes it a little difficult to play at times. But it has so much meaning for so many people. If I'm only remembered for that song then that’s a good thing."

When Vega arrived on the New York music scene some 20 years ago, her appearance belied her depth. A mere waif, she wrote and sang edgy songs with powerful messages. Most notably, Luka (1987) was the saga of a child who lived with the constant threat of domestic abuse.

Yes I think I'm okay
I walked into the door again
Well, if you ask that’s what I'll say
And it’s not your business anyway

One of the things that made Luka work was that, although the subject matter is almost unmentionable, it is sung by a very sweet, innocent-sounding voice.

Twenty years later, Vega’s voice is as sweet and her lyrics are as tough.

She’s cool. It makes him cruel
And they needle till the jewels
Go raining down upon the ground
She says it’s not enough to be in love

The aforementioned lyrics are from Frank & Ava, the story of a most famous and tempestuous marriage of New York lore – that of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. It’s the kind of story that a really good tour guide would tell you as you pass Frank and Ava’s former home.

And that’s what Beauty & Crime is – a really cool insider’s tour of Manhattan. It’s a tour that includes the good and the bad; the beauty and the crime. If you’re the type who only wants to see the Statue of Liberty and Rockefeller Center, listen to another album. For those who are interested in all a city has to offer, check out what Beauty & Crime has to offer.

suzannevega.com

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