(12 February 2000) Atlanta based singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player Sue G. Wilkinson is about to complete her first solo album. Her limited edition pre-release EPs, See About Me and Sympatico are available from her official andmp3.com websites respectively. The latter is a digital audio music CD which will pay mp3 on computer as well as normal audio ona standard player. We were also provided a couple of ditional adult alternative tracks from Sue's forthcoming album to review.

See About Me. Sue's pre-release limited edition EP is comprised of four tracks beginning with the bluesy R&B sounding track "Box." It's easy to imagine why her live performances in the USA and England receive critical acclaim. Here Sue's vocals sound most like Tina Turner / Aretha Franklin. The slow moving ballad "Bitter Girl," written by Sue herself, is sung sensitively in a similar style. "Lack Of Trying" is a typical R&B track Sue co-wrote with James Scruggs and its extensive vocal multi-tracking adds texture to the overall sound. The title track "See About Me," written by James Scruggs, is another bluesy R&B number accompanied primarily by piano. Again, multi-tracked vocals producea great effect. The contrast in styles between this EP andSue's work on Sympatico is dramatic.

Sympatico. The title track has done very well on mp3.com charting #1 in Atlanta, #1 in Georgia and #7 worldwide in the AAA Adult Alternative category. The digital audio music CD actually contains two tracks ("See About Me" and "Bitter Girl") from See About Me and serves as a wonderful introduction to the artist's singing and songwriting. "Sympatico" is an instrumentally lush track written with film scorer, bass player and recording artist, Patrick O'Hearn. It was originally an instrumental piece for Sam Sheperd's Broadway play "Simpatico" soon to be a major motion picture starting Sharon Stone, Jeff Bridges and Nick Nolte. Lyrics that tell a story about holiday romance perfectly compliment the sensuous and jazzy melody. Sue's absolutely stunning ethereal vocal part perfectly compliments ambient and orchestral electronic instrumentation. Soundtrack in proportion instrumentally, the evocative crystalline vocals are presented with tremendous emotion.

Also written by Sue with Patrick O'Hearn, the sensitive "Stronger Heart" is dominated by emotionally illustrative vocals and accompanied by quieter ambient electronic instrumentation. Our bonus tracks included Sue's highly theatrical and powerful vocal performance of "Alone Again" explores the "quirkier side of pop music"—reminscent of Tracy Hitchings in her Dancing On Stones project—with a variety of inspiring vocal excursions. "Out Of The Blue," a richly instrumented and vocally strong ballad, is a stunning testament to the singer's range, power and ability to perform theatrically. An additional ballad-like track entitled "Change" is available for download at Sue's website. Its building instrumental perfectly compliments Sue's evocative and soaring vocals carrying on from "Out Of The Blue" and crossing over between the R&B/Rock style of See About Me and the adult alternative theme of Sympatico—it is a fantastic track.

We completely adored the Sympatico EP with the two bonus tracks that Sue included for Musical Discoveries' review. Sue's recordings are available for preview at herwebsite and mp3.com—be sure to sample them today. Clearly, Sue's forthcoming album will be worth a cross-country journey and be a must listen!