New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Suzanne Santo will release her solo debut album Ruby Red on August 11th. Best known as one-half of Americana duo HONEYHONEY, Santo steps out on her own for the first time and, more than 10 years into an acclaimed career, turns a new corner. Today, she released her bold second single "Blood On Your Knees" which debuted on American Songwriter who described it as "a raucous ditty that decries needless self-pity."
"I think it's important to be able to tell the difference between needing emergency surgery and needing some rubbing alcohol and a band-aid," stated Santo.
American Songwriter continued, "While 'Blood On Your Knees' marks a stylistic detour from her folkier past, she sounds right at home amidst its pop and soul leanings."
Produced by multi-platinum Grammy nominee
Butch Walker, Ruby Red is caught halfway between the dark swoon of pop-noir, the raw rasp of soul music, and the honest punch of Americana. It's an album about love, life, and lust in the modern world. A moody, fierce, melody-driven 11-song offering, Ruby Red ranges from Southern-gothic anthems to slow-burning soul ballads to explosive rockers, all anchored around Santo's voice: an electrifying, elastic instrument that's capable of both vulnerability and ferocity.
Rolling Stone raved "The new record marks an expansion of her Americana roots, with Southern-gothic soul and dusky, driving pop-fueled songs" while KCRW stated
"[Ruby Red] showcases her prowess as a singer/songwriter."
Before they collaborated on Ruby Red, Santo made multiple appearances on
Butch Walker's latest album Stay Gold. She joined him on the road, too, singing harmonies and playing violin, guitar, and banjo during a nationwide tour in 2016. During breaks in her touring schedule, she began diving into a different type of songwriting, looking to diverse albums by Erykah Badu,
David Bowie, Townes Van Zandt, and the
Alabama Shakes for inspiration. For years, she'd always been somebody else's bandmate. This was a time to explore her own identity. To write her own music. To ignore genres and defy expectations. To determine what, exactly, she wanted to say, and find out the best way to deliver it.
"This record is so fucking sexy, I can't deal," stated
Butch Walker. "Proud to have been in the room when these songs were going down. Put it on and turn out the lights."
Track List:
01) Handshake
02)
Ghost In My Bed
03) The Wrong Man
04) Best Out Of Me
05) Regrets
06) Yours Or Mine
07) Love Fucked Up
08) Blood On Your Knees
09) Bullets
10) Better Than That
11) Regrets (Acoustic)
Tour Dates:
08/10 - Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater
08/23 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
09/21 - Tahlequah, OK @ Medicine Stone Festival
