Reviews

Want to find out what others have to say about Sue and her music? Then you are in the right place!

Christine Lavin

"I met Sue Pyper at the Vancouver Island Music Fest. During the weekend at least a half dozen Canadian performers who were working the festival said to me, "You must meet Sue Pyper -- you will love her!" and they were right.”

“This year she recorded "Before You Learn To Fly", her very first album. It's a beautiful mix of covers and originals -- some of the artists she covers are Nanci Griffith, John Prine, and Mary-Chapin Carpenter, so you know she has fine taste. Her originals have that 'timeless' feel of the best contemporary folk. Long time fans of folk music will recognize her as a wonderful new discovery.”

Christine Lavin

Sing Out Magazine

“Sure, Sue Pyper does some mean covers, including Nanci Griffith’s “Five and Dime” and Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “This Shirt” on her debut release. These and other works by her neighbors Gordon Carter and Joanna Finch are engaging and solid, but it’s with her own four creations on “Before You Learn To Fly” that she really takes off.

“I Can’t go Back” is an award-winning song about finding the place where you belong, both internally and geographically. And it is far from the only good cut on the album. With her four originals she establishes an ability to form a catchy chorus, and deliver personable story lines with pleasing vocals of strength.

My favourite is the title cut, offering caring encouragement, reinforced musically by the grounding support of Kathy Stacey’s cello. “Highland Clearance” is about Pyper’s homeland, where life necessitates forced relocation. Pennywhistle (Sam Lennox) and Pyper’s chorus create wee aches even for those who were never near the Scottish border.

All the musicians are from Vancouver Island, most from the small ex-mining town of Cumberland, and most with day jobs. The truly local involvement in no way sounds amateur. Featured on bass and harmony throughout is Tammy Fassaert. Robin Sutmoller on violin could, but hasn’t, quit his day job as a doctor. The production guidance of Chilean producer and guitarist Rodrigo Figueroa keeps Pyper’s delivery strong, simple, clear, and clean. She has a good ear for covers and will, no doubt, provide us with further quality originals."

Angela Page - Sing Out Magazine USA

WFUV New York, NY

"I was enormously impressed by her first CD, which I received in 2002. I used four songs from it in one program (the maximum permitted under WFUV's streaming regulations) then played "I can't go back anymore" on my December program devoted to what I considered to the 10 best new songs/singers of the year. I find her work - both as a songwriter and an interpreter to on a consistently high level - i await future releases with great anticipation:

Bob Sherman, WFUV New York, NY

EAR FM, New South Wales, Australia.

“Open the case, remove the disc, insert, push play and just HANG ON ! Lovely voice, great guitar and some of the best lyrics you will hear for a very long time to come. That plus her interpretation of some of our top songwriters makes this album absolutely "top drawer". That's Sue Pyper's CD "Before You Learn To Fly". Traditional writing and we are here to be part of it ! We don't have to wait."

Jim MacQuarrie, EAR FM, New South Wales, Australia.

Rambles – On line folk magazine Review

"Not since a good friend popped an Indigo Girls tape into my Walkman back in the late 1980s have I been as pleasantly surprised by a folk musician as I was by Sue Pyper. Oh, there have been individual songs that I've liked, technical prowess that has impressed, and voices that have wowed, but for overall musical tone, subject diversity and lyrical interest, Pyper wins hands down.

Originally from London, England, Pyper grew up in a decidedly non-musical family. Her father was a telephone engineer and her mother a nanny. Pyper herself had no intention of becoming a musician, although she taught herself to play the guitar and sang for fun. She studied art in college and went on to build a successful career for herself in communications and photography. But at age 27, something clicked. She quit her job, traveled the world and returned to the UK having made the decision to pursue singing full time. She now makes her home in Canada, where she has built a large and devoted following.

The influences on Pyper's music are apparent the moment she opens her mouth -- John Denver, Joni Mitchell and Nancy Griffith all come to mind with a healthy dose of Celtic influence thrown in for good measure. Followers of folk and country music will recognize songwriters such as Mary Chapin Carpenter ("This Shirt") and Nancy Griffith ("Love at the Five and Dime"), amongst the titles on the CD, but it's in her own music and lyrics that Pyper really shines. In "Before You Learn to Fly," she touches on the power of the individual to create and shape life. On another and very different note that demonstrates her versatility, "Highland Clearance" is about the love of homeland and a people's struggle to survive.

Pyper's voice is rich, clear and versatile. When she hits a note she does so with ease and precision. Moreover, the vocal and musical accompaniments are simple and supportive, designed to complement Pyper's voice rather than compete with it. The acoustic guitar handles most of the backup, with occasional help from cello, flute, violin and drums. The songs themselves are diverse, ranging from Scottish ballads and bawdy folk tunes to country-western and quasi-new age songs.

Best of all, she is that rare performer who is capable of bringing you to tears one moment and startling you into laughter the next. This is the total package, folks, and it's presented with the ease of a consummate pro."

Rambles Magazine, Written by by Jena Ball
published 20 September 2003

Clytia Fuller, KZSC 88.1FM, Santa Cruz, California

“I usually don't take the time to give folks a special mention, BUT, I received the Sue Pyper CD (as recommended by Christine Lavin) in the mail this week, and WOW. The whole CD is great. Out of the 10 cuts, I rated 8 as 1st and 2nd choices. If you like it spare and beautiful, I strongly recommend her.”