Belong (Susan McKeown album)

Last updated
Belong
Belong (Susan McKeown album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 13, 2012
Studio
Genre
Length38:58
Label East River Records (United States)
Hibernian Records (Ireland)
Fish Record (United Kingdom)
Producer Susan McKeown
Susan McKeown chronology
Singing in the Dark
(2010)
Belong
(2012)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Irish Times [1] Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg
The Irish Examiner [2] Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
The Oak Ridger [3] Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
AllMusic [4] Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg

Belong is the twentieth studio album by Irish singer-songwriter Susan McKeown, released through Hibernian Records on November 13, 2012. [5] Produced by McKeown, Belong features guest appearances from Declan O'Rourke and James Maddock. [4]

Contents

Belong peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Folk Albums chart, while "Everything We Had Was Good" reached No. 1 on the Folk Singles chart. [6] The song “No Jericho” was covered by Irish singer Mary Coughlan on her 2020 album Life Stories.

The album was met with critical acclaim from various media outlets, including AllMusic, The Irish Times , the Irish Examiner , and IrishCentral , among others.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Susan McKeown

  1. "On The Bridge To Williamsburg" - 3:06
  2. "The Cure" - 3:30
  3. "Everything We Had Was Good" - 3:33
  4. "Belong" - 3:51
  5. "Fallen Angel" - 2:31
  6. "Lullaby Of Manhattan" - 5:07
  7. "City Of The Roses" - 2:47
  8. "Delph" - 2:49
  9. "Patience" - 3:48
  10. "Our Texas" - 4:04
  11. "No Jericho" - 3:58

Personnel

Musicians

Production & Technical Personnel

Artwork & Design

Charts

Chart (2007)Peak
position
U.S. Folk Albums ( Billboard )11

Critical reception

Upon its release, Belong was met with critical acclaim from various media outlets. Siobhán Long, in a review for The Irish Times , awarded the album 4 stars, writing

"McKeown's voice, widely admired for its clarity and richness of tone, is getting better and better with age. Ever more open, more welcoming, it's as if she is coming closer to home and to herself, with each of her recent album releases. It's apt then, that this latest collection is titled Belong. Filled to bursting with songs that resemble diverse members of a single household, each one asserting its identity in suitably idiosyncratic fashion… Thought-provoking and joint-swivelling in equal measure: Belong is quite an achievement." [1]

Gwen Orel, in a review for the Irish Examiner , offered similar praise, remarking "Belong is a mature CD that looks out as much as in, sharing observations of individuals and places, inviting the listener into its world." [2]

Mike Farragher, in a review for IrishCentral , noted “Susan McKeown has just released a tantalizing new CD, Belong. It blends folk, acoustic blues, country kickin’ beats and slippery jazz to make a perfect blend for your lazy Sunday morning.” [7]

References

  1. 1 2 Long, Siobhán (2014-11-27). "Susan McKeown: Belong". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  2. 1 2 Orel, Gwen (2013-01-08). "A Feeling of Belonging With Susan McKeown". Irish Examiner USA. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  3. Chianca, Peter (2012-11-27). "Album Review: Susan McKeown, 'Belong'". Oak Ridger. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  4. 1 2 McKeown, Susan (2012-11-13). "Belong". AllMusic. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  5. McKeown, Susan. "Belong". Discogs. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  6. "Grammy Award-Winner Susan McKeown Releases New Album 'Belong'". Folking.com. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  7. Farragher, Mike (2012-11-25). "Susan McKeown will always "Belong" – a perfect blend of jazz, beats and blues". IrishCentral. Retrieved 2025-11-24.