Album Review
In many cases, artists who claim that they are "beyond category" are guilty of wishful thinking. That doesn't mean that they're untalented — only that they aren't as distinctive or unique as they would like to think. But the enigmatic Debbie Spitz, aka Suki Rae, really is an extremely difficult artist to categorize. The New York-based singer/songwriter/flutist has recorded everything from vocal jazz to adult alternative to traditional Middle Eastern and Jewish music. So where would you place Rae's CDs if you were managing a CD store? That's a tough question because words that describe one of her albums don't apply to another. Far from a carbon copy of either Water & Fire or I Think of You, My Bamboo Hat is best described as adult alternative with strong Caribbean leanings on some tracks and a jug band influence on others. While some of her other work has favored a deep-thinking, serious-minded spirituality, My Bamboo Hat is as fun and lighthearted as it is quirky — Rae's more eccentric side asserts itself on humorous tracks like "De Mongoose of de Island," "Bugs in da Bed," and the honky tonk-flavored "One Poached Egg to Go." Trying to sing in a country vocal style, Rae sounds awkward; she's way too much of a New Yorker and an urbanite to be truly convincing as a country singer. But then, "One Poached Egg to Go" was meant to be ironic — Rae never claimed to be Patty Loveless or Tanya Tucker — and the tune's awkwardness is actually a big part of its charm. My Bamboo Hat never takes itself too seriously, which is why that track is appropriate for this pleasantly good-natured, if mildly uneven, album.
