From the opening notes of her debut album Love Lives Where Rules Die, Big Sur’s Suzanne Vallie draws the listener in with an easygoing, warm, and welcoming sound. Her music – mellow, countryish, at times somewhat spacey – definitely has a strong California vibe, hearkening back to the ’60s and ’70s heyday of the Laurel Canyon scene.
While the album is full of highlights such as “Sundowner” and “Love Letter”, one track that stands out in particular is “High With You.” With its rambling, stream of consciousness lyrics and a sound that falls somewhere between Big Thief and Rickie Lee Jones, it seems like it would be a lot of fun to hear performed live. Hopefully it won’t be too long before that’s able to happen.
Suzanne Vallie’s Love Lives Where Rules Die is out now on Night Bloom Records.