Suzzy Roche-Gap Rating 4/10

With twenty years of experience as a performer, Suzzy Roche is a seasoned veteran of the music business; but as a solo performer, she is a decidedly original and compelling new voice. Since the late Seventies, we've known her as the youngest of the Roches, the trio of sisters that have long been critical darlings, widely popular, and exceedingly influential. With the Roches, Suzzy was always the front woman, knocking out audiences with her entrancing stage presence, actor's delight in performance, hilarious epiphanies, and deadpan humor. Taking the stage as a solo artist, she combines her presence and wit with a sense of intimacy, and creates an exceptionally captivating performance.

Along with her sisters, Maggie and Terre, Suzzy has been singing her entire life. Growing up in Park Ridge, New Jersey, they got their love of music, bent sense of humor, and odd take on the world from their parents, and their artistic expression was always strongly encouraged. Maggie and Terre began performing in high school, and while still teenagers, recorded their first album (with Paul Simon producing). About a year later, Suzzy (who by this time was a college student studying drama) joined them for some Christmas caroling, and they've been a trio since. One of the first all-female bands, and always extremely original, the Roches constantly broke new ground. Their first album, The Roches, was produced by King Crimson's Robert Fripp and released by Warner Brothers. The album was a hit -- named one of the top ten albums of the year by the New York Times -- and the Roches were suddenly all the rage.

The Roches have released ten albums over a span of fifteen years. They include the Christmas album, We Three Kings, which has become a seasonal classic, and a children's album, Will You Be My Friend?, winner of a Parents Choice Gold Award. Over the course of their career they have recorded with Paul Simon, the Indigo Girls, Kathy Mattea, Loudon Wainwright, Philip Glass, Was Not Was, Laurie Anderson and others. They've graced the stages of such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Guthrie Theater and the Newport Folk Festival. They've also performed on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, David Letterman, and A Prairie Home Companion. They have toured Europe extensively, and even costarred with Porky Pig in a Tiny Toons cartoon. The coming season, the Roches will be featured in a episode on the new Tracey Ullman Show on HBO.

Throughout this time, Suzzy continued to pursue work as an actor. Her most notable role was in Crossing Delancey (with Amy Irving), a film which also featured the Roches' music. She has also worked on films with actors such as Jack Lemmon and John Heard, and in live theater with the Wooster Group and other ensembles. Suzzy's film work has included her music as well -- she composed music for Steven Spielberg's The Land Before Time.

Suzzy will kick off her solo work with a new album, Holy Smokes, due for release on Red House Records this fall. Co-produced by Stewart Lerman (who produced three of the Roches albums: Can We Go Home Now?, Will You Be My Friend?, and A Dove), the collection features twelve of Suzzy's original songs. It boasts a stellar ensemble of musicians as well, including Suzzy on guitar and keyboards, Steuart Smith, David Mansfield, Larry Campbell, Paul Ossola, and Frank Vilardi, and guest vocalists Maggie Roche and Jules Shear.

"I wanted to make a quiet, simple, dear recording initially inspired by a collection of poems my father gave me a long time ago," Suzzy explains. "These songs were written over the last several years when I had a chance to come off the road and unravel. Except for the song 'Eggshell,' which was originally a poem written by my mother in 1970. She told me it was about me. I was delighted to be able to put a tune to it. I'm grateful for the time I had to write, sing and record these songs. I hope they find their place in the world."

The songs Suzzy has created encompass the best qualities of her work with The Roches, but with a more stark and personal approach. They are strikingly honest, wry and intelligent -- her writing goes straight to the bone, with great little moments that make you hold your breath. It's an impressive segue into what will undoubtedly be a superb solo career.