SuSanna

Go Dig My Grave

SuSannaSonata 8/10 Wondrous, haunting bunch of covers from Norwegian singer and pianist

Having dispensed with the Magical Orchestra some time ago, Susanna Wallumrød plies a solo trade these days, though the contributions of three helpers are vital to this particular covers project. Harpist Giovanna Pessi, accordion player Ida Hidle and folk singer/fiddler Tuva Syvertsen join her for luminous versions of American folk songs and old English ballads, alongside works by Lou Reed and Joy Division. The latter’s “Wilderness” is beautifully reframed as a deathless avant-folk hymn, its stark setting finding companion pieces in the gentle pluck of Elizabeth Cotten’s “Freight Train” and the title track’s spooky solitude.