Susan Tedeschi
Just Won't Burn
(Tone Cool Records 1164)
The debut disc from this 28-year-old dynamo
from Norwell, Massachusetts has mucho mojo going for it. Track one, "Rock Me
Right," grabs you like a bully on the school yard and doesn't let go till you crank
the volume on the stereo up to wall shaking level and dance around the room with it. There
is nothing subtle about Tedeschi's vocal attack; full throttled, powerful wailing that
definitely shares some blood with the likes of Joplin, Raitt, and New Orleans diva, Irma
Thomas. Beyond the raw, energetic, heart yanking vocals, Susan also plays a smooth guitar.
This release showcases both her axe grinding and her songwriting abilities. It is not too
difficult to see why she's making such a name for herself out there in the world of live
performance and selling copies of this CD like overpriced popcorn at a movie house. Her
sound is accessible, catchy and full of life. Sure, she has Pooh Bears all over her
Telecaster, but that doesn't mean she can't dish some hardcore angst out of it. Check out
"It Hurt So Bad" to hear her throaty despair. Listen to the John Prine cover,
"Angel From Montgomery," recorded live and marvel as Tedeschi blurs the edges of
a "country thing" and a "blues thing" with some very pleasant results.
The CD is a great listen, but beyond that, it is interesting as a watermark in the career
of an artist in the process of discovering herself. You get a vibe that this isn't the
last thing you will ever hear of Susan Tedeschi and that the best is yet to come. This is
one performer just starting out on the musical journey and, from the look of things, it
should be a memorable one.
- Bill Fountain -
Southwest Blues CD Review - January 1999
Current Reviews -
1999 Reviews - available at our store
