Suzanne Vega, Cadogan Hall

Suzanne Vega’s self-titled debut album reimagined Greenwich Village folk for the 1980s. She repurposed the genre’s signature poeticism, enlivening it with contemporary production techniques and experimental ingenuity. Her vocal performance is dazzling in its assurance and range; on the opening track ‘Cracking’ she moves seamlessly from rhythmic spoken word to ethereal choral lines that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Cocteau Twins song.
It is Vega’s second album, Solitude Standing, however, that is rightly considered her magnum opus. Here, more than anywhere else, she writes pop music that is at once inventive, melodious and lyrically serious. The album begins fearlessly with the a capella poetry of ‘Tom’s Diner’, and from there transitions into
‘Luka’, Vega’s most enduring song, and a sensitive exploration of child abuse. As the album approaches its close, it becomes apparent that Vega is one of 1980s’ most singular and important pop musicians, an impression which the Werner Herzog-inspired ‘Wooden Horse (Casper Hauser’s Song)’ surely confirms.
Vega continued to make music throughout the 1990s, drawing particular influence from the decade’s electronic offerings. With her 1992 release 99.9F°, she experimented with more abrasive textures whilst retaining her distinctive lyricism. These days, she has returned to her roots; her most recent album, the brilliantly titled Tales From The Realm of the Queen of Pentacles, is a work of masterful stridence and lyrical density. On June 19, Vega is due to play Cadogan Hall, a chance to hear a truly unique talent.