Why the Long Face

Suzzy Roche | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 5, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Red House
• ASIN: B0002WZSPI
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,226 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

NEWSDAY

"Pure poetry...amazing turns of melody!"

Product Description

This new CD finds Suzzy & Maggie (2/3 of the legendary Roches) performing once again as a duo and can be the viewed (and heard) as the "more personal" follow-up to their critically-acclaimed and successful previous recording "Zero Church." Where that CD took a more universal spiritual tack, "Why the Long Face" provides the same rich resonance by looking inward. Stunningly produced by Stewart Lerman & Suzzy Roche, it continues The Roches tradition of dodging cliché and pushing every envelope in sight. As one would expect, the harmonies and lyrics are as exquisite as they are thought-provoking and make manifest why these women are some of the finest writers and singers working today.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep On Doing !!!!!!!!!!, October 28, 2004

By 

Joel B. Lomberg "wonder boy" (Fort Lauderdale, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why the Long Face (Audio CD)

Incredible! What a wonderful cd to take an escape to from all the heartless, ordinary songs you hear on the radio today. Suzzy and Maggie are like fine wines.........they just get better with age. A couple of tracks have been done before by them (Broken Places, La Vie C'est La Vie, and One Season), but I kinda like these new fresh versions. As far as the other songs go, great words, luscious harmonies, and beautiful instruments. I have to admit I do miss their sister Terre's vocals, but don't let that keep you from buying this cd, it will put a smile on your face and warm your soul. I also recommend seeing them live as they put on a wonderful show. They have tour dates posted on their website www.roches.com

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of Grace, October 5, 2004

By 

Greg Hills (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why the Long Face (Audio CD)

I'm so happy the Roche sisters are still making music I can't see straight. Maggie's voice, in particular, is just getting better and better. Such graceful, lovely harmonies, there's nothing else out there quite like it...The way in which Suzzy and Maggie's voices blend and interweave, phenomenal.
Standouts for me include "The Warwick Flag," "Don't be Afraid," and "La Vie C'est La Vie." Having seen the Roche's in concert many times, I noticed that I didn't really miss the presence of Terri, her high voice becoming strained and thin of late. I found the sound of this cd to be peaceful, calming, and not a little poignant -- yet never melancholy. What a gift this family has! May they sing forever.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars something's missing, August 4, 2005

By 

Peter Baklava (Charles City, Iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why the Long Face (Audio CD)

Ever since 1989's "Speak", the best word to describe the Roche sisters' music has been 'subdued'. It is telling that the finest track on "Why the Long Face" is a remake of "The Broken Places", which dates from the "Speak" album.

So, after bottoming out with "Can We Go Home Now?", the Roches are back in a place where they make pleasant and well-produced music that can be likened to a foot bath. It's soothing, it tickles you a bit, but it doesn't make you want to jump up and do somersaults. In fact, it's kind of enervating.

"Why The Long Face" features the usual fretful songs about the world's terrible state and one's own 'bad self' from Suzzy. Other songs include efforts to set other people's poems to music, of which only "The Warwick Flog" is successful.

As for the rest--- there aren't any really bad songs here, but only "I Don't Have You", which someone else wrote, is up to the level of their first and best albums.

The packaging is wonderful.

Come back, Terre. Your fire is needed, here.