The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: BROKE ROYALS – “REVIVALISM”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: COMBICHRIST SHARES NEW SINGLE & LYRIC VIDEO FOR “MODERN DEMON” VIA OUT OF LINE MUSIC
SPILL NEWS: KATIE TUPPER RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE “HONEY” + EMBARKS ON CANADIAN TOUR
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – DANCE FEVER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MASTER BOOT RECORD – PERSONAL COMPUTER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FADER – QUARTZ
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIATOM DELI – TIME~LAPSE NATURE
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: PANJOMA – “BLEEDING SUN”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: BEAUTY IN CHAOS – “AFTERLIFE” FT. TISH CIRAVOLO
SPILL NEW MUSIC: NEW SINGLE FROM ARKELLS “PAST LIFE (FEAT. COLD WAR KIDS)”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: MORTAL PROPHETS – “STOMP THE DEVIL”
SPILL NEWS: MUSICOUNTS ANNOUNCES DALLAS GREEN AS THE ‘2022 MUSICOUNTS INSPIRED MINDS AMBASSADOR AWARD’ RECIPIENT
SPILL NEWS: THE SMASHING PUMPKINS ANNOUNCE NORTH AMERICAN ARENA TOUR | JANE’S ADDICTION TO JOIN AS SPECIAL GUESTS
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: WOODLOCK – “QUICK HANDS”
SPILL NEWS: JERRY LEGER ANNOUNCES CANADIAN TOUR DATES | NEW LP ‘NOTHING PRESSING’ OUT EVERYWHERE NOW VIA LATENT RECORDINGS
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
334
previous article
SPILL FEATURE: SPOOKY ACTION OUT OF A BROOKLYN VACUUM - A CONVERSATION WITH JASON LOEWENSTEIN (SEBADOH)
next article
SPILL NEWS: ROSE CORA PERRY & THE TRUTH UNTOLD SET TO REPRESENT CANADA AT SUMMER NAMM AS SOLE CANADIAN PERFORMERS

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: OH SUSANNA – A GIRL IN TEEN CITY

Oh Susanna

Oh Susanna
A Girl In Teen City
Stella Records

This album is a pleasant surprise.  When I read the description of the record, I was a bit worried it would be full of angst and be self absorbed.  I was wrong.  It turned out to be a pleasant, thought provoking, nostalgic, well-crafted album.

Oh Susanna is really Suzie Ungerleider, who performs and records under the name Oh Susanna.  A Girl In Teen City is her seventh studio album, and her strongest effort yet.

The album is about Ungerleider’s youth and her experiences growing up in Vancouver during the 1980’s.  As I said, I thought the album might not be something I would enjoy.  Again, let me repeat, I was wrong.

This is a well crafted album, beautifully produced and expertly played.  Ungerleider teams up with musician/producer Jim Bryson again (he worked on her last studio album Namedropper, 2014).  He also provides guitar and keyboards.  He knows how to get the most out of her voice and assists in arranging the songs to highlight the best aspects.  Listen to the sparseness of the “The Darkroom At The School” (which highlights drummer Cam Giroux).  But it is the layered instrumentation as the song builds that makes the song so  incredible. It is one of the many highlights of the album.

The other musicians contributing to the album include Eli Abrams (bass), Gord Tough (guitar), and background vocals from Holly McNarland, Gabrielle Giguere and Ungerleider’s sisters Jessie and Sofia.  The band plays together on this record as if they have been playing together for years, and provide a tight backdrop for Ungerleider.

While A Teen In The City is a nostalgic look at Vancouver, and very touching at times, it is not without humour. “Getting Ready” ends with the line “Whatcha going to do when your boyfriend is prettier than you?”  Also the tale of her tone deaf boyfriend (“My Boyfriend”).  It was the ‘80’s after all. But she paints a very real picture of the city and adolescence.  A rare talent.

A Teen In The City is summed up beautifully at the end with “My Old Vancouver” and is wonderfully descriptive view of the city as it was.  It feels like a walk through time to a different city with young people.  You did not have to grow up in Vancouver to enjoy this song.  And the simple acoustic guitar (which, I swear reminds me of Lennon’s “Working Class Hero” ) accompanies Ungerleider’s beautiful and emotion filled voice.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016 youtube_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: OH SUSANNA – A GIRL IN TEEN CITY

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
7.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
a girl in teen cityalbum reviewsmy boyfriendmy old vancouveroh susannastella recordsthe darkroom at the shool
a girl in teen city, album reviews, my boyfriend, my old vancouver, oh susanna, stella records, the darkroom at the shool
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewsoh susannastella records
 
9.0
On-U Sound
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Various Artists Pay It All Back Vol. 8 On-U Sound Master producer/songwriter/artist Adrian Sherwood has been behind all things On-U Sound since 1979, and since then he and [...]
 
10
Florence + The Machine
5.8

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – DANCE FEVER

by Robert Defina on May 13, 2022
Florence + the Machine  Dance Fever Polydor Records Florence + The Machine has always found the midway point between her classically-trained vocals and accessible dance pop. Her [...]
 
9.0
Master Boot Record
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MASTER BOOT RECORD – PERSONAL COMPUTER

by Samantha Stevens on May 13, 2022
Master Boot Record Personal Computer Metal Blade Records Once in a generation a musical genre takes a leap and for metal…that leap is Master Boot Record. The brainchild of [...]
 
9.0
Fader

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FADER – QUARTZ

by Aaron Badgley on May 13, 2022
Fader Quartz Blanc Check Records Fader is a duo, consisting of Neil Arthur (Blancmange/Near Future) and Benge (Wrangler, Creep Show and John Foxx And The Maths). Quartz is their third album, [...]
 
9.0
Diatom Deli

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIATOM DELI – TIME~LAPSE NATURE

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Diatom Deli Time~Lapse Nature RVNG International Artist PR’s can really go to extremes, from bare facts to wordy gibberish that praises the artists to heaven with no substantial [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8
9.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – DANCE FEVER
10
5.8
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MASTER BOOT RECORD – PERSONAL COMPUTER
9.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FADER – QUARTZ
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIATOM DELI – TIME~LAPSE NATURE
9.0

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2022 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE – FASCINATION
715
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PRIMUS – CONSPIRANOID
411
 
SPILL FEATURE: DANCE TO THE PERFECT MESS – A CONVERSATION WITH CARL MARSH OF SHRIEKBACK
406
 
SPILL NEWS: BARENAKED LADIES TO RELEASE LIVE TRACKS FROM SOLD-OUT ROYAL ALBERT HALL SHOW | DELUXE EDITION OF ‘DETOUR DE FORCE’ OUT JUNE 3
319
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MEN WITHOUT HATS – AGAIN (PART 2)
318
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – UNLIMITED LOVE
311
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: JERRY CANTRELL w/ LOLA COLETTE @ HISTORY, TORONTO
282
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TANGERINE DREAM – RAUM
268
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “L.O.S.T.”
264
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VR SEX – ROUGH DIMENSION
254
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: VENUS BEMUS RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “STORMS”
251
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAN AMERICAN – THE PATIENCE FADER
250
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NAZARETH – SURVIVING THE LAW
244
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES