A few months ago we got an inbox message asking if we’d review local singer songwriter, Susan Donaghy’s upcoming EP. As always we were delighted when we finally found the message, but being new to this whole website business we didn’t even think of checking our website’s inbox until now. So we had a listen, wrote some words and here it is!
Londonderry/Derry singer songwriter Susan Donaghy goes by the stage name Susie-Blue and it’s clear to see why. Her songs are filled with sadness, reflection, angst and a hell of a lot of soul for such a young artist. Each of the four songs on her four track EP, the aptly titled Stripped Bare reveals something different, strips away another layer to reveal Susie Blue as an extremely talented, thoughtful, and interesting new folk artist.
The songs are entitled, Lisbeth, Your Grip, Sleepy Nights and Who Knew It Could Rain.
Lisbeth is the most immediately memorable track of them all; it’s punchy, ridiculously catchy and the backbeat of rhythmic acoustic guitar is haunting to say the least – there’s something unique in this song that made me keep hitting repeat, a great first song to kick of this EP.
Next up is Your Grip, a much slower song that, with the addition of piano and finger clicks creates a melodic sort of stream of consciousness as she reveals past relationship troubles that we can all relate to. I’m not quite sure what it is, but this isn’t straight blues, there’s something funky in there, a kind of synth groove that really stands out.
Sleepy Nights would have to be my hands down favourite. With a simple acoustic guitar intro and once again those haunting vocals, this unassuming love song quickly worked its way into my head and I’ll definitely be singing it for weeks. Anyone who knows me will know that I’m a sucker for anything acoustic and this is acoustic at its most perfectly executed. In songs such as this and Lisbeth it’s easy to see some of Susie-Blue’s influences emerging in her music such as Canadian twins Tegan and Sara and Dublin duo Heathers. There seems to be a trend in the indie folk world of twins dominating the scene, but Susie-Blue is here to break that, and hopefully Susie-Blue is here to stay.
The final, closing track is Who Knew It Could Rain, another mellow song that plays about with some very interesting effects, resulting in adding another layer to what just a singer with a guitar can do. Overall, I wasn’t quite sure what I’d let myself in for when I said I’d write a review of Stripped Bare, but truth be told, I’m not done listening to it and it’ll most definitely be in my playlist for weeks. I can’t wait to hear more from this talented young artist and you should definitely give her a listen. You won’t regret it.
Find Susie-Blue online:
Twitter – @SusieBlueMusic
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/susieblueofficial
Buy the EP – http://susie-blue.bandcamp.com/
