Customer Reviews

Ten Days in November

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I wanted to rate this with 3 1/2 stars but rounded up. I heard this completely by accident and was really intigued by it. This record stays away from Sue Foley's otherwise straight ahead (and run-of-the-mill) blues albums. Like on her earlier work, the guitar playing is strong with well thought out solos. But here she sucessfully combines more stylistic elements (production, songcraft, variety) to make a cohesive record. Her songwriting has moments of real clarity and her voice lends itself well to the material. She has turned out a comfortable and lived in record that sounds like she has come to terms with herself and who she is as an artist.

This is by far my favorite Sue Foley CD and one of the favorite's in my entire collection. I can't believe the way it's been beat-up in other reviews. So it's not the same old blues-GOOD! The song writing is excellent and the variation in styles is very refreshing. Sue's guitar playing has never been hotter and pushes her , in my book, to heavy-weight status.
Her voice, I can only decribe as: real. I not only think it "works" on the ballads but I would say it is essential to their appeal. If you want cookie-cutter vocals and basic blues don't bother with this one. If you are a little more open minded: Don't Miss It!

First off, I will say that I LOVE Sue Foley. One of my favorite artists ever. I own everything of hers I can get my hands on, and am constantly searching for more. That said, "Ten Days In November" is a very good album, but not really her best work. On other albums she sticks mostly to the straight blues, but on this one she ventures out into the pop/blues/rock arena with somewhat mixed results.
Sue Foley is a pretty good guitar player, a decent singer with a unique voice and singing style, and an extremely impressive songwriter. Songs like "Highwayside," "The Waiting Game," and "Give My Love to You" show off her songwriting capabilities, and it is this quality that makes her great in my book.
The only reason this didn't get 5 stars is because of this: if Sue Foley has a fault, it's that she can sometimes write the songs better than she can sing them. Perhaps the production was rushed or whatever, but this fault is most evident on this particular album. Some of the notes she just can't quite reach. It kind of grates the ears to hear her not quite hit the notes because the slightly nasal quality of her voice ONLY sounds good if she's nailing every note perfect, like on "Love Comin' Down." If you need an example, think of Joey Lauren Adams singing that song in "Chasing Amy." That stuff is unlistenable(in the movie), but Sue's voice is never so out of tune that you can't listen through the bad notes. Because the songs truly are great. The album probably could have used a little more tinkering to eliminate the bad spots, but overall it's very good.

I was quite surprised some reviewers managed to find fault with this immaculate record. Sue Foley explores what folk/country/blues music can still do today. There may be something slightly retro about this, but Foley's sense of irony makes that an asset of the album. Yes, there is something dylanesque in the songs - but it certainly does not consist of rambling. Sue Foley opts for shining clarity. It's like "Blonde on Blonde" for our time - without the drugs.

Foley manages to do something different in every one of the songs, and the classic ballads are not the least successful ones of her creations. Rave on, Ms Foley!

Heard it first on Direct TV, Blues music channel., check that out!....This woman can deliver a blues tune like you would think more women would have figured out how to do by now.

Ditching her road band and signing with a new label, new mom Sue tries to go for the serious signer-songwriter route. It does not work-- the lyrics are sketchy Dylanish ramblings, and the music is not strong. My advice is to opt for her superior albums on the Antone's label instead.