"Beauty & Crime" is an album by renowned American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega. Released in July 2007, it is her seventh studio album and her first new studio material since 2001.
The album holds a unique space in Vega's discography as it explores a theme around the different aspects of New York City, a place where she was born and raised. It's a blend of poignant narratives that detail love, loss, and life against the city's myriad backdrops.
The album includes the songs "New York Is A Woman," "Ludlow Street," and "Zephyr & I." These tracks become the epitome of Vega's musical expedition, penning down city's reality in an unusually exceptional pattern, beautifully reflecting the charm, despair, and evolution of the Big Apple. Versions of two songs, "Frank and Ava" and "Pornographer's Dream", appeared on her previous album, the independently released "Live at Montreux 2004."
"Beauty & Crime" was Vega's first album for Blue Note Records, and it was well-received by the audience and critics alike. It also won her a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, highlighting its technical accomplishments. This significant accomplishment echoes the fine music production, which brilliantly resonates with Vega's intent, enhancing her striking narratives and raw tunes.
With this album, Suzanne Vega demonstrated her gifted storytelling abilities while remaining incredibly true to her inimitable art form. The essence of her songs in "Beauty & Crime" is that they unfurl in real-time and in the real world, providing listeners a vivid sense of experiencing and connecting with her music.
