Ten minute tea with Afternoon Tea. Spend ten minutes with Afternoon Tea. In the time it takes to boil one kettle, and let one cup of tea steep, we will have your daily art + music fix covered. Take your afternoon tea break with our Afternoon Tea curators.
Today’s tea + soundtrack + visuals curated by Sue Decker.
Victoria, BC’s Sue Decker will release her second album, Keeping Time, on March 22nd. She collaborated with sought-after roots producer Steve Dawson to record at The Henhouse Studio in Nashville. On stage, Sue‘s wit and compassion draw the audience in while traveling through territory that is earthy and beautiful, sometimes dark and gritty, and always life-giving. She is guided by authenticity, a belief that everyone’s story matters, and faith in the eternal power of a song.
New single, “The Lost Ones,” was inspired by the opioid/unhoused crises:
I increasingly witness people in crisis on the streets near where I live. Each time, fear and compassion mix with a feeling of powerlessness and lately I started to ask myself, ‘when did it become okay to just walk on by someone in distress?’ And then I think ‘what if it was my friend or family member?’ I have been impacted by mental health and addiction issues in those close to me so the song is infused with personal experiences as well.
Stream + share “The Lost Ones” now via your preferred platform:
On Keeping Time, Sue‘s unique capacity for pairing meaningful and topical lyrics with ear-catching melodies shines through. True to her aim as a songwriter, she uses ordinary language to fuse everyday moments with the unspeakable and the extraordinary. The album title comes from a line in one of the songs, but it felt right to describe the whole album. The recording process was mostly live-off-the-floor playing music together in real time. The songs hold a lifetime of experiences within small moments—looking back on the past and what was not meant to be, current challenges we’re all facing, and preparing for what the future may hold.
Sue Decker has one of the most remarkable voices I have heard for many a day. She has a warm voice, deep and strong and there is a haunting quality to it that gives me chills. – Andy Snipper, Blues Matters UK
Visual: Edge of the Forest by Emily Carr
As someone living in Victoria, Emily Carr is an obvious choice. Aside from the familiar terrain, the movement in her painting draws me in. Bold colour is something I’m always attracted to as well and this piece portrays strength and loneliness, delivering earthy and ethereal all at once. From what I’ve read, she was driven by a desire to capture spirit in her paintings and that motivates me to do the same with music. In fact, I have started writing songs that are inspired by her art, her writing, and her life. Maybe my next album?
Music Choice: Allen Dobb “All Costs”
I met Allen when we played a songwriter show in Brentwood Bay, BC. I had been a fan before we put the show together and I was thrilled to hear that he was working on a new album. It is such a great record and much of the inspiration for the songs on his new album come from the interior of BC where I grew up. The combination of exquisite playing and evocative lyrics makes this album a desert island pick for me.
Tea: Nilgiri decaf with cream and sugar
This tea has so much oompf, even the decaf! I was introduced to it by my husband’s family and they get it from Westholme Tea Company here on Vancouver Island.
Tea + Me 