Suzanne Vega Close-Up Vol 4, Songs of Family 180g LP

Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world's best-known venues.

Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who "observes the world with a clinically poetic eye" (The New York Times), Vega's songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognizable - as utterly distinct and thoughtful as it was when her voice was first heard on the radio over 30 years ago.

Back in 2010, Suzanne began re-recording and releasing songs from her extensive back catalogue as the "Close-Up" Series. She thought that her fans might like to hear the songs of her past stripped of their original productions, to hear them in an intimate setting, something more personal, that felt like she was singing to them alone. During the recording process, Suzanne also decided to rearrange the songs by theme, so people could rediscover them out of their original contexts.

Few artists are as capable of making music that allows intimacy to emote so expressively.