99.9F° (pronounced Ninety-Nine Point Nine Fahrenheit Degrees) is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega. Released on September 7, 1992, by A&M Records, the album marked a departure for Vega, as she embraced a more electronic, experimental sound. It peaked at No. 86 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was Vega's fourth Top 20 album on the UK Albums Chart. The single "Blood Makes Noise" reached number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. 99.9F° was the first of two of Vega's albums to be produced by Mitchell Froom, whom she later married.
The album was certified gold (500,000 copies sold) by the RIAA in October 1997. It was certified silver in the UK (60,000 copies sold) by the BPI in March 1993. Vega has referred to 99.9F° as her favorite of her studio albums.
Contents
Critical reception
The New York Times wrote: "By far Vega's most rewarding record, 99.9 F degrees ... is the first album in which she breaks almost completely away from the conventions of the New York folk milieu that nurtured her." Trouser Press wrote that "many of the songs display a new interest in space and sound, using both in an almost sculptural fashion, creating a compelling amalgam that industrializes folk music."
Personnel
Suzanne Vega – vocals, acoustic guitar
Mitchell Froom – keyboards, string arrangement on 12
Tchad Blake – electric guitar on 3, 4, 6, 10
David Hidalgo – electric guitar on 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11
Bruce Thomas – bass guitar
Jerry Marotta – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
Richard Pleasance – electric guitar on 1, 3, 10
Michael Visceglia – fretless bass guitar on 5
Richard Thompson – guitar solo on 11
Greg Smith – baritone saxophone on 8, 11
Jerry Scheff – double bass on 6, 12
Marc Shulman – bouzouki on 5
Sid Page – 1st violin on 12
Joel Derouin – 2nd violin on 12
Maria Newman – viola on 12
Larry Corbett – cello on 12
Suzie Katayama – copyist on 12
Technical
Ronald K. Fierstein – executive producer
Tchad Blake – engineer, mixing
Len Peltier, Suzanne Vega – art direction