Album Notes

Listening to California native Suzanne Brewer seems almost intrusive into something very intimate and secretive, like a diary. Many great authors of the past kept journals, and we now have the privilege of reading their innermost thoughts in books found on shelves of a library or bookstore. Such books are treasures, as is Suzanne’s musical body of work. Reading her lyrics might remind you of flipping through pages of a leather-bound journal, each word lovingly imprinted on paper by fluid ink. Her writings meander through various emotions, and the music matches those moods, creating a contemplative and empathetic musical experience. Suzanne Brewer’s songwriting and emotional delivery are comparable to greats as diverse as Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchell, and Billy Holiday. With velvety, haunting vocals and spare yet cleverly crafted piano lines, her songwriting stirs jazz, piano pop and folk into a rich, sophisticated base of eclecticism. If you're feeling brittle, closed-hearted, numb – discover Suzanne’s music as antidote. Her yearning voice, cut-to-the-bone lyrics and dazzling melodies could explain, in part, the remarkable effect her music has on the listener, or maybe it's the joy that comes right out of the speakers and thumps you on the head. Or there's something about her intent, perhaps. She is so present in her performance, so in the moment, that you want to be just that present, too. In the role of producer-as-lapidary and sideman on her most recent work, is the astoundingly gifted and sensitive Will Shanks. A producer with humor and intelligence, he makes each song its own world -- revealing the truth at the heart of each -- without sacrificing the narrative quality of each song. No mean trick. With complex arrangements, diverse instrumentation and achingly beautiful performances from Suzanne, the emotional catharsis of her songs are stirring. There aren't superlatives enough to describe the effect Suzanne’s music has on a body. Dump your Prozac. Discover Suzanne Brewer. Crowdsourced by: Jenni Simmons and Carrie Duncan Edited by: Will Shanks