Artist of the Week 6/13/11: Rumer

[Bill in CT]

One day I was browsing the music magazines at a chain bookstore (as often happens) and I read in MOJO about an English singer named Rumer (stage name...real name Sarah Joyce). It said she was superb, harkening back to such vocalists as Dusty Springfield and Carole King. (I've also seen Karen Carpenter mentioned as an influence.) Intrigued, I listened to clips online and ordered her album Seasons of My Soul. I really enjoy the album. She has fine phrasing and delivers the songs in a way that conveys the emotion of the lyrics without becoming overwrought. She doesn't have any North American shows scheduled yet but I'm hoping she will cross the pond at some point as I'd like to see one of her shows. Check out some videos below.

[StevieRay]

...what a tremendous 1970's nostalgia.

[beantownbubba]

Fuck yeah, Bill!! Had heard of her, but not heard her and oh yessss, excellent way to start off the week. I do believe I'm gonna have to go find that album Thanks, Bill.

Dusty Springfield for sure, and that's a good thing I'd add Sade, espy on the first song.

Glad you brought that avatar back, stevie ray!

[beantownbubba]

Is it true that the album's only available as an import?

[Bill in CT]

Is it true that the album's only available as an import?

Yes. I recommend the bonus track version. It's a reissue that includes "Alfie" and "It Might Be You."

[beantownbubba]

Yeah, I just had to do it, didn't I? Had like 3 spare seconds at Heathrow so ran into HMV, "just curious" to see what I could have paid for the Rumer album instead of the $25 or so i paid for it as a shipped import. It was on sale for 5 pounds, call it 8 bucks. AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!

[Bill in CT]

Rumer is coming to these shores later this month! The dates are listed below.

10/23 Philadelphia World Cafe Live
10/25 Alexandria Birchmere
10/26 New York Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2
10/27 Philadelphia World Cafe Live
10/28 New York Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2

http://www.rumer.co.uk/live.htm

I'm planning to attend the 10/28 show in NYC which appears to be free! She goes on at 8 pm that night.

[Bill in CT]

Rumer's second album entitled Boys Don't Cry is out and I'm listening to it now. It's a covers album with a focus on male writers and songs from the 1970s. Here is the track listing of the special edition (the one I recommend) with the writer(s) in parentheses.

P.F. Sloan (Jimmy Webb)
It Could be the First Day (Richie Havens)
Be Nice to Me (Todd Rundgren)
Travelin' Boy (Paul Williams/Roger Nichols)
Soulsville (Isaac Hayes)
The Same Old Tears On A New Background (Stephen Bishop)
Sara Smile (Hall & Oates)
Flyin' Shoes (Townes Van Zandt)
Home Thoughts From Abroad (Clifford T. Ward)
Just For a Moment (Ronnie Lane)
Brave Awakening (Terry Reid)
We Will (Gilbert O'Sullivan)
Andre Johray (Tim Hardin)
Soul Rebel (Bob Marley)
My Cricket (Leon Russell)
A Man Needs a Maid (Neil Young)

[beantownbubba]

interesting song selections, Bill. A bunch I've never heard for sure - don't know if they're obscure or i'm ignorant. Had no idea Gilbert O'Sullivan had written anything beyond "Alone Again (Naturally)".

What's your first take? How does it compare to the first album (beyond the obvious difference in the material)?

[Bill in CT]

What's your first take? How does it compare to the first album (beyond the obvious difference in the material)?

It's a similar style to the first album. I'm really enjoying the new one so far. I only had 3 of the originals in my collection before I got this album (Rundgren, Marley, and Young). I was familiar with some of the others (Hall & Oates, TVZ) and she did a terrific version of Travelin' Boy when I saw her in NYC last October.

[Bill in CT]

The piece below was on CBS Sunday Morning some months back.

[Smitty]

Anyone who covers Flyin Shoes and Brave Awakening (I'm both a TVZ & Terry Reid fanatic) is A-OK in my book.

[Bill in CT]

Rumer is currently on a European tour. The remaining dates are below.

Wed 02/18/15 Dublin, Ireland The Academy

Thu 02/19/15 Belfast, United Kingdom The Limelight

Fri 02/20/15 Liverpool, United Kingdom Epstein Theatre

Sun 02/22/15 Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre

Mon 02/23/15 Coventry, United Kingdom Warwick Arts Centre

Tue 02/24/15 London, United Kingdom Barbican Hall

Thu 02/26/15 Edinburgh, United Kingdom The Queens Hall

Fri 02/27/15 Cardiff, United Kingdom The Gate

Sat 02/28/15 Nottingham, United Kingdom Albert Hall

Tue 03/03/15 Amsterdam, Netherlands Tommy Hilfiger's Peoples Place

Thu 03/05/15 Stockholm, Sweden Sodra Teatern

Fri 03/06/15 Copenhagen, Denmark Lille Vega

Sun 03/08/15 Hamburg, Germany Mojo Club

Mon 03/09/15 Brussels, Belgium Ancienne Belgique

Tue 03/10/15 Cologne, Germany Kulturkirche

Thu 03/12/15 Berlin, Germany Heimathafen Neukölln

Fri 03/13/15 Zurich, Switzerland Kaufleutensaal

Sat 03/14/15 Munich, Germany Tonhalle

[Bill in CT]

Rumer will cross the pond for a tour in April. The dates are below. I'm planning to see her in NYC and maybe Philly as well.

Fri 04/03/15 Nashville, TN City Winery Nashville

Mon 04/06/15 Vienna, VA Jammin' Java

Tue 04/07/15 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live

Wed 04/08/15 New York, NY HighLine Ballroom

Mon 04/13/15 Evanston, IL SPACE

Thu 04/16/15 Seattle, WA The Triple Door

Sat 04/18/15 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret

Sun 04/19/15 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios

Tue 04/21/15 Oakland, CA Yoshi's Oakland

Thu 04/23/15 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Forever Cemetery

[Bill in CT]

[Bill in CT]

[Bill in CT]

[Bill in CT]

[beantownbubba]

Will have to check out those clips. Thanx, bill. If she adds a boston date come on up and i'll join you.