Suzanne Vega Maps the ‘Beauty and Crime’ Scene of New York City

Suzanne Vega at the scene of the 'Beauty and Crime.'

“Doo doo doo doo, doo da-doo do …”

Weeks before the release of her latest album, Beauty and Crime, folk songstress Suzanne Vega remains the subject of a small but intense food fight in her hometown of New York City. A few upstart Brooklynites still question whether the Tom’s Restaurant located in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan is actually the setting for her hit song, “Tom’s Diner,” from 1987. Despite heaping spoonfuls of evidence in Manhattan’s favor, they insist the tune was written about another Tom’s Restaurant in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn.

Either location is a win for the queer community, and especially lesbians, who have robust representation in both zip codes. Still, the extensive pancake selection in Brooklyn, with flavors like lemon ricotta, far surpasses the one to be found uptown.

Even those listeners too young to remember the initial a cappella version of “Tom’s Diner” would surely recognize the wildly popular remix by British producers, DNA, in 1992. The original version later played an integral role in mp3 creation when that technology’s developer used the song as the subject for his experiments in audio compression. And just last year, Vega became the first major recording artist to perform live in avatar form within the virtual world of Second Life.

Given her adventurous patterns, it is fitting that Beauty and Crime, Vega’s seventh album, blends acoustic softness with the edginess of synthesized beats. Available from Blue Note Records on July 17, Beauty and Crime excels in the moments when its disparate musical styles achieve perfect balance, just like a great pancake recipe.

Take in more of the 'Beauty and Crime' scene after the jump!

Vegan unveils in her latest effort.

Beauty and Crime delivers highly personal work from Vega, centered on New York City, its sights and people. She sings her trademark poetry over lush orchestral arrangements, often topped with electronic touches. A cast of guest musicians, as eclectic as the music itself, includes background vocalist and vocal arranger KT Tunstall, and guitarists Lee Ronaldo of Sonic Youth, and Gerry Leonard, who’s worked with David Bowie.

The catchy opener, “Zephyr and I,” is a rollicking recount of Vega’s walk down West End Avenue with the noted graffiti artist. “As You Are Now” talks about her relationship with her young daughter, Ruby Froom, who, supposedly, inspired the title of Soul Coughing’s 1994 debut, Ruby Vroom. Bites into the Big Apple continue with “Ludlow Street,” a somber number where Vega reveals her feelings upon seeing younger generations in her old haunts. But it’s a more electrified track like “Unbound” that stands out among the eleven here.

No matter what elements you prefer in this mix, you won’t be able to disagree with the sage advice in the somewhat mournful concluding song, “Anniversary.” Vega sings, “Make the time for all your possibilities. They live on every street.” That goes for whether you eat pancakes in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or some other place altogether.

Suzanne Vega plays live in New York on July 12, and New Jersey on July 22, before returning in mid-September for more U.S. appearances.