Album Notes

After the success of her critically acclaimed album 'Glittering Cities', singer, songwriter and troubadour Susan Raven has released her second album 'Ravensong'. In 'Ravensong' we have another emotionally and spiritually charged collection of superb songcraft with strong and poignant vocal performances. There is more ethereal instrumentation with fine performances from top-drawer players. They perfectly establish the sonic landscape around Susan's lyrics, which have a depth and substance that is rare in today's music. There is a passion and truth in them that seems to emanate from a timeless region that we all know but cannot name. The arrangements soar, ranging from multi-layered synths and loops mixed with world-fusion sounds, to a pure acoustic and orchestral approach. As well as being uplifting and contemplative, listeners will experience an overall high level of production, performance and songwriting on 'Ravensong' - this is a beautiful and accomplished piece of work!

SUSAN RAVEN in her own words...
My musical career started when my mother gave me a gut-string guitar at the age of 13 and showed me how to play her favourite Bob Dylan songs. I quickly moved on to experiment with my own melodies and words, and consequently made a vital and important discovery: a well crafted song is one of the most powerful mediums for conveying your inner truth to another human-being willing to listen. Carefully chosen vocabulary and imagery, placed on emotive rhythm and tone, convey succinctly and powerfully what half a dozen hurriedly blurted sentences, given under pressure, would bury in seconds! To participate in a beautiful song, whether listening to, writing, or performing it, is to step out of the linear world into the non linear and to approach the essence of who we really are.

My early teen heroes were Peter Gabriel, Donovan and David Bowie. These three quintessentially British master craftsmen were my inspiration, my aspiration and the wake up call to my musical intuition. I bought a 12-string guitar because Mr. Bowie played one and it has remained my key instrument in the writing process. It is a whole band in one instrument; to lay down two or three tracks of 12-string at different capo positions and then hear the harmonics sparking like kindling, is the surest way to access the most moving arrangements for a song.

Throughout the 90's I played the acoustica clubs of London, honing my live performance. I financed my life working as a tour director, introducing students from North America to our great capital and initiating them into the mysteries and beauty of the sacred sites of Celtic Britain. It was also during this decade that I discovered the powerful esoteric teachings of that great scientist, philosopher and seer, Rudolf Steiner. I have since represented Rudolf Steiner Press at the Mind, Body and Spirit festivals of Great Britain for 12 years. Along with the spiritual/consciousness teachings of Steiner, I have imbibed the phenomenal and transformative works of David Hawkins and Eckart Tolle. All three of these high calibre teachers have helped me to access a finer creative hunting ground, enabling me to enrich my songcraft with ever deeper colour, wisdom and pathos.

To be a singer songwriter is a demanding but joyful gift. When you hear my music I hope you feel that joy too...