Suzanna Choffel - “Quarantine Valentine”

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…Sir Woman, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Ruthie Foster

Classic folk and country patterns underscore Suzanna Choffel’s songs, but it’s her biting lyrics and smoky vocals that make her sound like hug of an old friend who’s armed with an inside joke. Her latest single was 2021’s “Quarantine Valentine”, a romantic number that shares funny-in-its-own-way lyrics around six-feet distance, masks, and somehow falling in love through a once-in-a-lifetime mess. Listening to songs from more recent pockets of Choffel, who is about twenty years in since her debut, the natural ability in her songwriting is palatable and gives the feel that you’re listening to the best of country soul. That goes for both ballads and more upbeat material alike, consistency and reliability being the cornerstone of Choffel’s sound. She showcases at Saxon Pub on Saturday night. (Kevin McStravick)

2012 Review: There are many folk singer-songwriters who go for an upbeat pop sound, but rarely does an artist spend as much time in the darkness as Choffel.  Sure, there are a few upbeat tracks like the energetic, New Orleans-tinged “Raincloud”, but I think Choffel really shines with quieter, reflective tunes like new single “Golden Fires”.  She’s got a special tone in her voice, jazzy without overdoing it.  There’s also a slight grittiness that gives her an air of honesty and heartbreak.  Suzanna Choffel’s sophomore LP, Steady Eye Shaky Bow, was released last year and is definitely a display of growth for this locally popular Austin songwriter.