Oh Susanna

Event information

When Oh Susanna first dreamed of making music, she wanted to create songs that would stand the test of time – just like the Stephen Foster classic from which she takes her name. With the release of her sixth album, SOON THE BIRDS, she has again achieved this dream with a collection of enduring songs that resonate deeper and deeper upon each listen. Her voice, always a marvel, is a haunting, expressive instrument that she uses to stunning effect on SOON THE BIRDS, a beautifully rendered album by an artist who has realized the full power of her voice as a narrative songwriter.

In a career spanning just over a decade, Oh Susanna has released five critically acclaimed records noted for their contemplative, thoughtful, folk-inspired songs that transport listeners into an imaginary emotional landscape. Whether applauding a young woman’s need to stand tall in the face of dire circumstances, expressing love and tenderness to a dying loved one or embodying the anger of a soldier’s widow, Oh Susanna’s songs aim straight for the gut. The timeless themes of love, loss and longing are expressed in soaring melodies and vivid lyrics. These songs beg careful listening.

She credits Juno Award winning producer David Travers-Smith (Jane Siberry, Wailin’ Jennys) with the album’s rich, layered sound. The Oh Susanna/Travers-Smith collaboration yielded the integration of more than 30 musicians. The players, who read like a Who’s Who of the Canadian roots music scene, include Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo), renowned guitarist Kevin Breit (Rosanne Cash, Norah Jones), vocalists Ruth Moody (Wailin’ Jennys) and Brenley McEachern (Madison Violet)

A stand-out in terms of feeling and mood is Van Dyke Parks’ arrangement of Oh Susanna’s song 1941 (a bonus track available online). The legendary composer/producer (Beach Boys, Ry Cooder, Rufus Wainwright and Loudon Wainwright III) gives this ode to school friends lost to the Holocaust a truly cinematic orchestral treatment.

With SOON THE BIRDS Oh Susanna brings her breathtakingly effortless countrified alto into the foreground with a collection of haunting songs that shine light into the darker areas of the human experience.

‘It’s a joy of an album’ - Americana UK

‘...songs such as “By Rope” and “Pretty Blue Eyes” transport the listener to a distant, unknown world and then bring them back feeling like they’ve lived another life.’ - Q Magazine

‘Dreamy and heart-punchingly beautiful,,,, a wonderful album’ - Maverick Magazine