Suzanne Vega: 99.9F° (A&M)

Vega is so cool, detached and knowing on every song that they should have called it 88.8F°. (1992)

Suzanne Vega's last album 99.9F° (A&M) is wrapped up in interminable cleverness. Part of this is due to the arrangements of producer Mitchell Froom who'll use the slightest excuse to be weird, and part of it is Vega's penchant for preciousness.

There's no doubting her singing or writing skills, but what could have been poetry comes off as calculated.