SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SUZIE UNGERLEIDER – AMONG THE EVERGREENS

SUZIE UNGERLEIDER
AMONG THE EVERGREENS
MVKA

Among the Evergreens is the eleventh studio album from Vancouver-based Folk/Americana artist Suzie Ungerleider, and her second release since retiring her previous stage name, Oh Susanna. On this outing, Ungerleider presents a suite of songs which are varied musically, and which tell stories ranging from youthful optimism to mature reflection. The result is an excellent work which displays some of Ungerleider’s most honest and personal songs to date.

Produced by Jim Bryson and recorded in Ottawa and Vancouver, Among the Evergreens expands Ungerleider’s core voice-and-guitar sound and adds musical colouring, to great effect. This starts simply on the album’s lead off track “The Prize”, with keyboard embellishments supporting the artist’s unadorned fingerpicking and honest vocal. Things open up on the next track, the mid-tempo country rocker “Cicadas”. Ungerleider’s voice is powerful on this song, which draws on the darker side of youth. With her assertive, bluesy vocal inflections in front of jangly guitar and a strong rhythm section, “Cicadas” has ‘modern country hit’ written all over it.

Wonderful moments abound here, but some notable songs include a pair of early singles from the album, which were written with Ungerleider’s husband (drummer Cam Giroux) in mind. The first, “Juniper”, is a bouncy pop song which celebrates the first bloom of love. Performances and production are top-notch on this track, a gift from the artist to her husband as they celebrated twenty years together. A look at the flip side of romantic love is the song “Mount Shasta”, which examines long-term love. In her quest to flip the script on repeating the same argument in a relationship, Ungerleider plaintively sings the refrain, “I want to know, do you love me?”. Simple and direct, this song builds beautifully.

We are simply scratching the surface here, of the many gems with which Suzie Ungerleider has gifted us. This album must be heard to be fully appreciated. Joy and sorrow, thoughtful reflection, bright and dark slices of life and full circle moments –  Among the Evergreens has it all. Fans of alternative country, folk/roots/Americana and points in between, will love this album. Honestly, there is something here for everyone. Enjoy!

SPILL FEATURE: TRAVELING INTO ANOTHER SPACE – A CONVERSATION WITH SUZIE UNGERLEIDER

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