Dangerous Times by Sue Medley: A Raw, Unfiltered Blast from 1991
Alright, let’s get real here. Sue Medley’s Dangerous Times isn’t your cookie-cutter pop-rock album. Released back in ’91 under Mercury Records, this thing hits hard with its mix of genres—pop, rock, folk, world, and even a splash of country. It’s like someone threw all their favorite sounds into a blender and hit puree. And guess what? It kinda works.
The album was pushed out across Canada, Europe, and the US, but don’t expect some shiny overproduced mess. Nope. With producers like Michael Wanchic (yeah, John Mellencamp’s right-hand guy) and Simon Vinestock pulling double duty as engineer and mixer, it’s got grit. You can tell they weren’t afraid to let the rough edges stay rough.
Now, onto the tracks. I’ll cut straight to the chase because life’s too short for filler talk. The title track, “Dangerous Times,” grabs you by the throat right off the bat. It’s punchy, raw, and Sue’s voice cuts through like a knife. She wrote this sucker herself, and you can feel it—the lyrics sting with honesty. This ain’t no sugarcoated love song; it’s about living on the edge, making mistakes, and owning ‘em. When she belts out those high notes, you better believe it sticks in your brain long after the record stops spinning.
Then there’s “57 Chevy.” Holy crap, does this one rip. If you’ve ever had a hankering for something that feels like cruising down an open highway with the wind in your hair, this is it. The guitar work is greasy and loud—just how it should be—and Sue’s vocals have this raspy edge that makes you wanna grab a beer and crank it up to eleven. Lyrically, it’s simple but damn effective: freedom, rebellion, and that sweet vintage ride. Forget subtlety; this track punches you square in the chest and doesn’t apologize for it.
What’s wild is how Sue manages to blend these genres without losing her identity. One minute you’re vibing to folky storytelling, the next you’re headbanging to gritty rock riffs. Sure, some songs lean heavier on one style than others, but that unpredictability keeps you hooked.
Looking back now, Dangerous Times feels almost forgotten, which pisses me off a little. Maybe it didn’t blow up charts like other albums from the early ‘90s, but damn if it doesn’t deserve more recognition. Sue Medley poured her soul into this project, and you can hear it in every note.
Here’s the kicker though—why’d we stop letting artists take risks like this? These days, everything’s so polished it loses its teeth. Albums like Dangerous Times remind us that music doesn’t need to be perfect—it needs to be real. So go dig this one up if you haven’t heard it yet. Trust me, it’s worth the hunt.
Oh, and one last thing: whoever decided to bury this gem needs to answer for their crimes. Seriously.
