Suzanne Vega steps out of Tom's Diner and into a completely different musical space with "Blood Makes Noise," a song that seemingly influenced the sound of alternative music for years to come
I've always a big fan of Blood Makes Noise as well as the album from which it originated, 99.9 F. It was a whole new sound for Vega that opened up her music to a new audience. I highly recommend the rest of the album, especially the title track, Rock in This Pocket (Song of David), Fat Man and Dancing Girl, As a Child, Bad Wisdom, and As Girls Go.
I just came across Solitude Standing in my vinyl collection! I loved her so much, and I’m surprised I didn’t continue to follow her releases! I don’t think I’ve heard this song or anything off 99.9 F. Will have to remedy that ASAP.
At some point, I intend to do a project on 90s alternative women and she was on my list - probably because I went through charts gathering names. I guess I didn’t realize or notice a drop off, but then I wasn’t especially looking for chart toppers or paying much attention to the charts themselves. So interesting though because to me, the 90s were ablaze with female artists.
I think females dominated the pop charts in the ‘90s, especially toward the end of the decade, but they dropped off completely from the top of the modern rock charts. That schism between female leaning pop and male leaning alt-rock seems to start in early ‘97, though I'm not sure why exactly.
I'll be curious to see what you come up with for your project. I'm sure there are some great female alt-rock acts on the modern rock charts in the late '90s, but I can't recall as many as I've encountered in my review of the late ‘80s and early '90s.
Thanks for this! This is an all-time favorite and, to your point about how ahead of the curve it was, a big influence on making me rethink how genres could work together. And what a recipe! Suzanne's fantastic singing and songwriting combined with production by Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake, and featuring David Hidalgo, Jerry Marotta, Bruce Thomas, and Richard Thompson as sidemen. Incredible.
I've always a big fan of Blood Makes Noise as well as the album from which it originated, 99.9 F. It was a whole new sound for Vega that opened up her music to a new audience. I highly recommend the rest of the album, especially the title track, Rock in This Pocket (Song of David), Fat Man and Dancing Girl, As a Child, Bad Wisdom, and As Girls Go.
99.9 F is indeed a great album. One of the best of that year
I just came across Solitude Standing in my vinyl collection! I loved her so much, and I’m surprised I didn’t continue to follow her releases! I don’t think I’ve heard this song or anything off 99.9 F. Will have to remedy that ASAP.
At some point, I intend to do a project on 90s alternative women and she was on my list - probably because I went through charts gathering names. I guess I didn’t realize or notice a drop off, but then I wasn’t especially looking for chart toppers or paying much attention to the charts themselves. So interesting though because to me, the 90s were ablaze with female artists.
I think females dominated the pop charts in the ‘90s, especially toward the end of the decade, but they dropped off completely from the top of the modern rock charts. That schism between female leaning pop and male leaning alt-rock seems to start in early ‘97, though I'm not sure why exactly.
I'll be curious to see what you come up with for your project. I'm sure there are some great female alt-rock acts on the modern rock charts in the late '90s, but I can't recall as many as I've encountered in my review of the late ‘80s and early '90s.
Looking forward to this, Kristin!
Thanks for this! This is an all-time favorite and, to your point about how ahead of the curve it was, a big influence on making me rethink how genres could work together. And what a recipe! Suzanne's fantastic singing and songwriting combined with production by Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake, and featuring David Hidalgo, Jerry Marotta, Bruce Thomas, and Richard Thompson as sidemen. Incredible.