The talented Suzanne Real has a sweet affectation, she acts out the blues songs she belts out, strutting her stuff round the stage at Bowery Electric, shimmying, pointing, booming that voice out, and bossing her band of older, very proficient blues players.
The Staten Island native, is a cutesie pie bottled blonde in a leather miniskirt and hells, she can't dance but she does move and she doesn't let her band carry her. Suzanne talks to the audience, offering song names and insights and while she maintains a blues veneer , a song like "Bleeker Street" is pure new wave with Suzanne's face covered in a Veronica Lake fringer she doesn't push out of her hair till the end and the band, former New Wavers who used to be the Shirts -another band with a chick lead singer,
The band are very good. Guitarist Johnny Amato plays the fret like nobodies, and the rhythm section, Johnny Zeeek – Drums, Bob Racioppo – Bass, on a blasting and powerful "Kiss Me Like A Man" and a show stopping "Sorry".
But it is Suzanne's show and whether throwing back her hair and growling or crouching and roaring, she is not just a very powerful voice, Suzanne is the package. An entertaining, provocative and enjoyable lead singer who can really sing the blues. The band is at the Bitter End, January 13th, try and catch em.
Grade: B+