Suzy Wilde

Suzy Wilde. A name familiar on the music scene. Having spent most of her life on the stage in multiple canadian bands, such as Wilde Sisters, Flashlight Radio, and as a guest member of the awesome Toronto band, Great Bloomers in 2010, she has now moved on to her own project, self titled as simply, Suzy Wilde.
Suzy's huge musical background has led to writing an incredibly creative, diverse, album that is both fun, and beautiful.
Enlisting the help of some of her musical friends she recorded her five track album, and had the talented Mike Olsen(Arcade Fire) produce and mix her album. To finish things off, the entire album was mastered by David Travers-Smith.
The album is set to be released this week (September 20th) at the legendary Toronto Tavern, El Mocambo, with special guests such as Mike Olsen himself. I was lucky enough to get a preview of Suzy's album and was blown away at the production levels, and of course, the music and her voice.

Track One: “Flame”
Described as a mid tempo track about the struggle to “rekindle hopeless, fading love,” the work of Mike Olsen is noticeable in the beautiful and soothing opening track. A perfect blend of guitar, bass and synths give the song an atmospheric, warm sound, that really propels the song forward. The song feels like a constant build up to something bigger and better. On top of the music itself, Suzy's voice immediately stands out, and showcases her years of musical experience. Her talent is obvious in this first track, and lays down a certain standard of what you can expect throughout the album. What really stood out to me in this song other then Suzy's voice, is the use of the drum-loops. Finally someone has learned that drum-loops don't have to be boring! This track is a perfect intro to who Suzy Wilde is.

Track Two: “When I Grow Up”
Drawing no doubt from her time in an alt-country band, “When I Grow Up” has an obvious country/folk styling to it. Guitar and banjo are prominent, with a driving bass guitar, give this slow folk jam a strikingly powerful feel to it. Written about the reluctance to accept inevitable change, “When I Grow Up” is one of those songs that is emotionally powerful. Suzy's voice is what drives the direction of the song, and her voice perfectly carries the sadness of having something change, no matter how much you want it to stay the same. To me, this is definitely a song you should save a slow dance for.

Track Three: “Good for You”
Wow. The intro to this song is so hauntingly beautiful. There is a sense of build up, and with a simple drum/bass line and vocals on top, you can't help but get chills. A real rock jam, “Good for You” is all about the desperation in falling in love with someone who may not quite share the same feeling. A much bigger, up tempo song than the previous two tracks, we are given a taste of Suzy's tougher side. Influenced by the likes of Emily Haines of Metric, “Good for You” is a perfect blend of guitar riffs, driving bass, and rocking drums, a perfect staple of what a good fun rock song should be.

Track Four: “Edge of the Sky”
This track is easily the most melodic track on the album. A slow ballad about those certain people in your life you'll never forget, “Edge of the Sky” is another emotionally charged song. Lots of echoing guitar chords and piano, make a perfect backing for Suzy's voice on this track. A sharp contrast to “Good for You”, “Edge of the Sky” is a song to grab hold of someone you care about and just listen to the music. The feeling of having lost someone is prominent in this song, but this song is all about knowing they're never gone, which is beauty in itself.

Track Five: “Youngest Bride”

The whole time I was listening to this album, it was the vocals that really impressed me and stood out. The music was obviously really well done, talented, and beautiful, but Suzy's voice is just so dead on. Her years of experience are obvious, and it really adds to each track. It's also nice to see that she switches styles up, but doesn't go all over the place. There is a sense of direction in her music, but she also shows off her various backgrounds.

One quote from a blogger who wrote about Suzy was, “Pay attention to Suzy Wilde, she will be my future wife.” Eell I feel like once more people hear her music, this guy may have a lot of competition.

I'm honestly rather jealous I don't live in Toronto, because I would be lining up to get into this show.
Another great example of Canadian talent, be on the look out for Suzy in the future.
- Rage Regina

With a dreamy voice and a breezy air of nonchalance, Suzy Wilde is taking local critics by storm and is quickly becoming Toronto’s new indie darling.

Wilde is daughter to famed Canadian singer-songwriter Nancy White—whose songs were played for years on CBC Radio—and sister to Maddy Wilde of the alternative rock band Spiral Beach.

Between her family connections and previous industry experience in the alt-country band Flashlight Radio, Wilde managed to score Mike Olsen to back her first solo EP. Olsen has worked with such hit acts as Arcade Fire, The Hidden Cameras and Ohbijou, making him the perfect choice to produce this eclectic album.

Her first solo EP drifts from summery pop to dreamy folk and is littered with swaying, oceanic melodies that are reminiscent of a crisper Youth Lagoon. Flame as a whole, though it lacks the flow of most modern folk albums, serves to prove just how versatile Wilde can be. “Good for You” is a harsh contrast to the other four songs, portraying a depth and mild bitterness that rounds out the album.

The standout song on the EP is without a doubt “Youngest Bride,” demonstrating a hurried beat and folksy harmony that seem like quieter echoes of First Aid Kit’s second album, The Lion’s Roar.

Lyrically innocent, Wilde’s songs lack the jaded maturity that listeners have come to associate with true folk. Regardless, Wilde does not endeavor to join the ranks of the classic acts —like Joni Mitchell and Carol King—but instead aims to bring elements of their music into the new world.

- Western Gazette

“Oh mother, understand,” sings Suzy Wilde, her dark voice breaking slightly beneath its burnished surface. “I must release my hand. Can’t spend eternity in Never Never Land.”
Home leaving songs evoke bitterness more than most. Just ask Bruce Springsteen. But not with Wilde. When she debuts “When I Grow Up,” the lyric’s source, on Sept. 20 at the El Mocambo, she and her mom will be looking directly at one another. Expect loads of love in the room, not loss.

Mom is Nancy White, veteran Toronto singer/songwriter, social critic and CBC star. “I will be the one trying to wipe the look of adoration off my face,” White informs me. “It really bothers her.”

Well, yes and no, says Wilde. “The song was written a couple of years ago when I was going through a quarter-life crisis,” the 26-year-old singer/songwriter explains. “I was feeling in limbo.

“My whole life had been with music. My mom, my dad (composer/pianist Doug Wilde), my stepmom (pianist Liz Acker) and my sister (Maddy Wilde) have all established music careers. But it was hard for me to figure out what my voice was, to establish myself as something different.”

White understands her daughter’s worries. She remembers Suzy approaching her one day to ask, “Mom, would you be mad if I became a scientist?”

“Of, course not,” White told her no doubt knowing that any sign of resistance on her part might drive her daughter to work with Bunsen burners.

It also helped Suzy that she and sister Maddy “are very, very different. It’s the cliché about the older and young sister thing (Maddy is 23). She’s the kind of rebel with a different hair colour every week. I am the over-achiever. “

The sisters together backed White over the years, appearing at rallies. “Suzy and Maddy sing great together and like to see tour work together,” White says. “Suzy is not quite a folkie. Maddy is an indie rock chick in every way. They are alike in some ways but Suzy has a bit more music theatre in her.”

Maddy — formerly with Moon King and Spiral Beach — backs Suzy on the new Suzy WildeEP, but won’t be at the Elmo show as she is now touring with Odonis Odonis. White says her own offer to be Maddy’s replacement got nowhere: “My offers to sit in on banjo have been rebuffed.”

(Considering herself semi-retired these days, White is nevertheless appearing Saturday at Cabbagetown’s Flying Beaver Pubaret, 488 Parliament St.)

Wilde’s writing, often autobiographical and confessional, reflects some aspects of her mother’s quick witted feminism. In Youngest Bride Wilde sings of “promises broken, ties undone.”

“I think there’s a lot of ground covered in the EP,” says Wilde. “It only has five sings but I think it explores a lot of things. Of all the things my mother has written about I think feminism is the one thing she’s passed down to me. It’s something I really care about.

“When I Grow Up” is, says White, “really a very wise song … It’s all about being on her own. I never wrote a song about my mother.” - Peter Goddard, Toronto Star

Celebrating the release of her self-titled debut EP, Suzy Wilde, embraced friends, family and onlookers during her set at Toronto’s El Mocambo Thursday night. The 26 year old singer-songwriter gave a spirited set kicked off by EP track ‘Flame’ and quickly had the crowd (a healthy number) eating up Wilde’s performance.

Wilde eased into rocker ‘Good For You,’ admitting during a brief introduction she may have used up the two most lively track in her set already, admittedly that sounded a little concerning. Instead Wilde kept some savory tracks for the rest of the set including ‘New Constellations’ by her former project Flashlight Radio, as well as the southern soul of ‘Won’t Come Back.’

Relishing in the spotlight, Wilde, peppered throughout her set quips, loving endorsements of her parents and acknowledgement of her supporting band. Wilde soaked up every moment playful jamming alongside her band on grooves like ‘Go Home Bay’ only added to the chanteuse’s charm as she invited her audience in, as if more a small group of a friends than a release party.

Book ending the set with the remaining tracks off Wilde’s EP, the glowing waltz ‘Edge of the Sky’ and the ever enjoyable ‘Youngest Bride’ that played out an outro jam to end off a solid set worth the crowd’s applause and cheers. This wasn’t Wilde’s first performance and it showed this singer-songwriter is more a veteran than a new comer, but worth watching either way. - Tommy MacMurdo, Shattered Vynil