Yard Sale, the sophomore solo album from now Austin, Texas-based Suzanne Santo, is comprised of 12 songs written between Hozier rehearsals, some with Santo holing up in a farmhouse on the rural Irish coast, while others were finished during bus rides, backstage writing sessions, and hotel stays. A multi-faceted creative, fans likely know Santo from her work in musical duo Honeyhoney and from her extensive touring with the aforementioned Hozier in which she was both the opener and a band member. The Cleveland, Ohio-born artist’s creative output also extends to the screen, having had acting roles in several series and features. And today, Santo releases Yard Sale’s third single, “Save For Love;” listen on all streaming platforms by clicking here. Yard Sale releases August 27 via Soundly Music.
The album presents Santo at the very top of her game musically, writing her own string arrangements and singing each song in an agile, acrobatic voice—perhaps in part due to the cathartic making-of process and what that has meant for her professionally and personally. At times she bridges the gap between indie-rock and neo-soul. On other tracks, she mixes gospel influences with a deconstructed R&B beat. Fans will hear layers of spacey, atmospheric electric guitar and Shakey Graves on a rainy-day ballad driven forward by a metronomic drum pattern, and Gary Clark Jr. punctuating with fiery fretwork. Both Shakey Graves and Gary Clark Jr. represent Santo’s commitment to and respect for Austin, TX’s musical community. Realizing that there’s more than just tequila in the water in TX, Santo’s move to Austin and this album is the musical equivalent of a homeowner's purging of old possessions in order to clear up some much-needed room.
The album’s first single “Bad Beast” is also available for listening on all DSPs and by clicking here, and finds Santo wrestling creativity out of a particularly gripping bout with insomnia. “Common Sense,” the album’s second single, was released in June, and is also available for streaming by clicking here.
