"This one's about getting lost in your dreams", Suzie Ungerleider tells us before opening the evening with the title track from her second album, "Sleepy Little Sailor".
'Dreamlike' is probably as good an adjective as any for her first two songs (the second being "Alabaster"), her pure vocal underpinned by gently picked acoustic guitar, brushed drums (courtesy of Joel Anderson) and piano chords (courtesy of Bob Packwood) which add to the feeling of songs seemingly suspended in mid air, until they evaporate in their own sweet time when finished (in a very good way I assure you). If all that sounds a bit airy, not to worry, because Suzie soon grounds us with the
passionate history lesson of "Pueblo", and a trilogy of family songs.
"River Blue",a song for her sister,is the first suggestion that this three piece can rock out a little. The country shuffle of "Mama" continues the run of songs with a more muscular band sound. This heartfelt family trilogy is completed by a song celebrating her parents' 40 year marriage, as seen from her father's point of view, entitled "Carrie Lee".The warmth and emotion openly displayed in these songs is some of what marks OH SUSANNA apart from some of her contemporaries.
Her ability to throw the odd stylistic curve also helps, for example the Stax meets Stones rocker that is "Right By Your Side". This set highlight is preceded by Suzie's very own "Get Your Ya-Yas Out" moment. Her skirt, she informs us, is starting to "burst open". Cue decidedly dodgy but endearing Mick impersonation (You wouldn't want her skirt to fall down would ya?) and definite bum shaking during the aforementioned number and the driving "Jackson Wilson".
It's back to the tone of her opening numbers for the love song with religious overtones that is "The One", which in turn is followed by another set highlight, a breathtakingly pretty take on Bob Dylan's "I'll Keep It With Mine", which allows Suzie to demonstrate the full range of her vocal, over a delicate piano arpeggio. Clearly delighted by the audience reaction, Suzie informs us that"someone has to die in at least one song", allowing her to come over all evil as the righteous prostitute killer in the smokey, jazzy groove of "Johnstown."
A different kind of anger comes to the surface in "Little White Lies", as Susie sings through her teeth about infidelity on the road, where the protagonist doesn't "have a hope in hell."
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Her companions depart the stage to allow Suzie to honour a request from the audience for "The Bridge", quite possibly the standout of the evening, certainly in terms of the total silence that descends over the even more respectful than usual Lobby gig-goers. This terribly sad story song is told by a disenchanted married woman, about to jump from the bridge, longing for "silk ribbons of white water to twist me in two". When the last notes ring out from her guitar, the few seconds of silence which pass before the audience is ready to puncture the atmosphere with applause say all there needs to be said about the power of Suzie's performance.
Bob and Joel return to help out on main set closer "Down By The Quarry", a love song which also seems to carry some of the resonance of a timeless folk tune. Suzie's off mic repetition of the refrain ends it with undeniable grace and, of course, leaves us calling out for more.
She duly obliges with an ode to friendship, "Back Dirt Road", delivered with the same emotional commitment as her family songs."Zoe" follows, a charming song about an 8 year old, which Suzie admits is really about herself. At this point both Joel's drumming and Bob's piano playing deserve mention for the range of playing displayed throughout the set, in particular Bob's replacement part for the on record string section at the end of "Zoe".
Suzie also seems keen to recognise the contribution of her companions, leaving the stage to allow them to bring proceedings to a close with a few minutes' jam at the end of a soulful cover of Otis Redding's "I've Got Dreams To Remember", a fitting tribute to one of her musical heroes. And no one in The Lobby tonight could give a damn if she's not from Georgia, as she has displayed more than enough warmth, range and depth of emotion (and, yes, soul) to be considered a remarkable talent in her own right.
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