Track Listing

1. Tired of Sleeping
2. Men in a War
3. Rusted Pipe
4. Book of Dreams
5. Institution Green
6. Those Whole Girls (Run in Grace)
7. Room off the Street
8. Big Space
9. Predictions
10. Fifty-Fifty Chance
11. Pilgrimage

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #106420 in Music
• Released on: 1990-04-06
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Out of print in the U.S.! UK reissue of the singer/songwriter's third album, originally released in 1990. 11 tracks including 'Tired Of Sleeping', 'Book Of Dreams' and 'Men In A War'. Spectrum.

Customer Reviews

shimmering, lucid, wondering, wandering...
This is my favorite Suzanne Vega album. I'm puzzled that most of her fans feel differently.

I wasn't as fond of the quirky, edgy Mitchell Froom production on the next two albums... I really enjoyed this one much more, the spaciousness and shadow, the sense of underwater floating or otherwordly journeying that moves through songs like "Those Whole Girls," "Big Space" and "Rusted Pipe." Suzanne and her keyboardist Anton Sanko produced a rich and poetic trail of songs here.

A song I especially love on this CD is "Predictions", which features slow guitar, echoey synth, and percussive rhythm over which Suzanne recites, as a poem, many ways to tell the future. The song offers no actual predictions... it only beckons you to feel that universal desire for omniscience, the urge to visit the altar, to roll dice, reveal cards.

The top 40 single, "Book of Dreams", was more poppy and neatly upbeat than the rest of the disc. I recall reading an interview with Suzanne when this album came out, and she mentioned listening to XTC's "Oranges and Lemons." I hear their influence in this track. This may have misled and disappointed buyers at the time; the single wasn't as compelling as "Luka," and much of the rest of the CD was veiled in ambiguities.

The closing track "Pilgrimage" is simply gorgeous. It builds to become almost anthemic, a sure path, a promise: "I'm coming to you, I'll be there in time..." which I've come to imagine as an arc back around like outstretched arms to the tired, fever-dreaming girl who began the disc with an imploring waltz, "Oh, mom... I wonder when I will be waking... there's so much to do, and i'm tired of sleeping." Beautiful.

Good, But Not Great
When 'Days Of Open Hand' was first released I bought it and loved it. After not hearing it for over 10 years, I recently bought a new copy and listened with fresh ears and I can now understand the mixed reviews I've seen of this album. It's certainly worth buying for anyone who likes S.Vega's sound but judging it against the genius-level standard set by her other albums, Days Of Open Hand feels a little bland. There are some very good songs, my favorite being 'Rusted Pipe', but overall the album seems to lack the inspiration I'm accustomed to in S.Vega's records. If you're looking to buy your first S.Vega album, this isn't the one. Go with 'Solitude Standing' or 'Nine Objects Of Desire'. If you're already a fan but don't own 'Days Of Open Hand', you should certainly buy it.

Enigmatic
Days Of The Open Hand is musically the weakest Suzanne Vega album. It's biggest problem is that it's songs don't display a certain atmosphere , don't seem to represent a specific life period of the singer. Her debut had that New York autumn melancholy , Solitude Standing was a strong tracklist of magic folk melodies , 99.9F revealed the funky side of the artist while Nine Objects Of Desire was more jazzy and dark . Days Of The Open Hand now is recognazible Vega music but withought a certain mood in the sound . It has it's good moments and it's bad moments. Something's wrong with pop songs like Tired Of Sleeping and Rusted Pipe . Although the lyrics are as challenging as always the music part lacks the ability to charm. Yet it's highlights are something more than exceptional . Lo-fi ballad Room Off The Street touches perfection while Big Space unfolds an underground determination on the refrain which is strangely affecting. The song which stands out though is probably Fifty Fifty Chances which talks about a girl who , after a failed suicide attemp is recovering at a hospital bed. The backround violins create a sense of cold horrow while Vega describes the girl's situation with her tender , inexpressible vocals ( "Her little heart / it beats so fast / her body trembles / with the effort to last " ) . Yet one hauntig issue remains : "She is going home / tomorrow at ten / the question is / will she do it again ?... "