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Hailing from Vermillion, South Dakota, Suzanne Vallie writes unusual folk songs that are at times sweet and childlike, and at other times haunting and seductive. A roots-y aesthetic runs through her music, and her lyrics paint vivid (and often weird) pictures of small town, rural life. At first listen, I was completely drawn into the stories she sings, from racing dogs to the mailbox to sitting on top of propane tanks to cool off. Her honest, unadorned voice rings beautifully over her often spare arrangements. Vallie's four-song EP, Water Table, is an excellent introduction to her work, but it left me wanting to hear more; hopefully there's a full-length release in the works. I was torn between two of the songs to feature on Second Stage, the rambling country-tinged title track and the closer, "Keep Away." The latter won out with its unusual lyrics, eerie harmonies, and growling electric guitar touches.
-Meg Ruddick - NPR.org
Her throaty ethereal voice reminds me a great deal of Chan Marshall’s, though if anything, Vallie’s music is even more rootsy than Cat Power’s early stuff. The one big difference between the two ladies’ songs is that where Marshall could often be tear-jerkingly depressing, Suzanne Vallie keeps a much lighter tone. Her tunes are by no means vacuous, but she doesn’t seem to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders the way some singers do. The result is more bittersweet than it is heavy handed.
… Now that I have seen her twice, I have reaffirmed my belief that Suzanne Vallie should be an artist to keep an eye on.
-Jon Behm - howwastheshow.com
Discography
Water Table EP
1. Keep You Home
2. Propane Tank
3. Water Table
4. Keep Away - featured on NPR's Second Stage (streaming audio)
Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) broadcast, streamed, and posted these songs: Duluth
Propane Tank
Baby with a Velvet Heart
Photos
Bio
Born to a farming family, Suzanne Vallie grew up amidst the tall grasses, ghostly winds, and leaning barns of South Dakota. After a move to Minneapolis in her twenties, she played drums, trumpet, and sang for many years with the eclectic Mike Gunther and His Restless Souls, which included USA and European releases and tours. Seeking a quieter life, Vallie left the Restless Souls and began playing solo shows in 2005. Her popularity led to a 2008 appearance on Minnesota Public Radio's The Local Show along with her song "Keep You Home" being chosen as Song of the Day. Recently, she was profiled by Meg Ruddick on NPR's Second Stage blog who wrote:
" Suzanne Vallie writes unusual folk songs that are at times sweet and childlike, and at other times haunting and seductive. A roots-y aesthetic runs through her music, and her lyrics paint vivid (and often weird) pictures of small town, rural life…Her honest, unadorned voice rings beautifully over her often spare arrangements….Vallie's four-song EP, Water Table, is an excellent introduction to her work, but it left me wanting to hear more…"
Suzanne Vallie's influences include Patsy Cline, Will Oldham, Karen Dalton, Roy Orbison, Leonard Cohen, and Nina Simone. Her charismatic performances are known to quiet the house while her spare songwriting and performance style has been compared to Cat Power. Jon Behm from howwastheshow.com wrote:
"Her throaty ethereal voice reminds me a great deal of Chan Marshall’s, though if anything, Vallie’s music is even more rootsy than Cat Power’s early stuff. The one big difference between the two ladies’ songs is that where Marshall could often be tear-jerkingly depressing, Suzanne Vallie keeps a much lighter tone… The result is more bittersweet than it is heavy handed.
… Now that I have seen her twice, I have reaffirmed my belief that Suzanne Vallie should be an artist to keep an eye on."
Suzanne Vallie is currently working on new material in the Bolivian highlands. When she returns to the states in the summer of 2010, she plans to record a new album and continue her pattern of intimate live shows.
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