Suzanne explores eclectic avenues

While Vega has been a fixture in singer-songwriter “best of” lists for 40 years now, it’s almost a decade since her last studio album.

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SUZANNE VEGA Flying With Angels

However, any thought that she may be behind the times on her 10th studio offering are swiftly rebuked by the range of styles she adopts and the influences she pays homage to. She takes a soulful route on the fabulous Love Thief, goes new wave for the vicious Rats, stands on her soapbox for Speakers’ Corner, worships at the feet of Bob Dylan on Chambermaid, and lavishes praise on Lucinda Williams on Lucinda.

YOUNG GUN SILVER FOX Pleasure (Candelion)

Andy Platts and Shawn Lee are respectively the Young Gun and Silver Fox of this very reverential Yacht Rock-worshipping duo. Letting their fifth album soundtrack any sunnier days that burst out of our usual gloomy weather, fans of the likes of the Doobie Brothers, Christopher Cross and Boz Scaggs and those smooth 70s sounds will be seduced by the West Coast cool of tracks like Stevie & Sly, Late Night Last Train and Put Up Your Dukes.

KIRSTY MacCOLL Kite (Edsel)