Record Label: S/R
Genre: Alt-Folk
Band Link: www.suzycallahan.com
Buy on Amazon.com

Although primarily a downtempo and ballady album, “Big, Helpless Sleep” has moments of upbeat and off-kilter alt-folk accompaniment. The jaunty banjo opener “Don’t Ever Be Nice” and the shuffling, snare-heavy “Wolf to the Hare” are particularly good, but I’ve always been a sucker for female vocals over banjo. The slightly psychedelic “Poison Pen” is also a nice listen.

The songs that are sparser and focused on vocals (“Nothing Can Hurt,” “Your Picture,” “Sympathy,” etc.) don’t do it for me. Without the vocal range or emotion to elevate them, these tracks feel tired and dull. Unfortunately, they comprise the bulk of the album.

Bottom Line: Meh.
Notable Tracks: Poison Pen, Wolf to the Hare
Overall Rating: