Rumer - new artist, with echoes of Karen Carpenter*

[Nicko]

My copy of Into Colour arrived today - have just finished listening to it. It's stunning - even better than Seasons of My Soul. 'Play Your Guitar' is probably the early favourite, but 'Butterfly' is absolutely heartbreaking. Anyone who accuses Rumer of sounding like Muzak should have a good listen to that track - it's so soft and yet so emotionally powerful.

I have to echo that, it's a fabulous album and 'Butterfly' is wonderful and piano work by her fiancé Rob.
Another favourite is 'Better Place'

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I just heard a "Rumer" that Rumer is now at JFK New York......my package that is....

 

[Rudy]

I had notification that my vinyl shipped a few days ago. But it is coming via DHL which means it will be either destroyed, delayed or lost. DHL is criminal in how they handle shipments.

 

[Actorman]

They just listed the pre-order for Into Colour on iTunes (release date: February 10, 2015) and there is an additional track on it called "Frederick Douglass." No info on a (US) CD release yet.

 

[Harry]

Mine arrived from the UK a few days ago, but I haven't had more than two minutes together to attempt to listen to it!

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Well, I guess it was just a Rumer.....website was not updated or Rumer flew out of JFK just for me cause I got a knock knock tonight mailman delivered my Japan "In Colour" listening right now. I can confirm that the Intro (return to blackbird) is the added intro that appears on the official video however it contains a longer intro not on the video. I'm so happy about that cause I like it. I also noticed one of the bonus tracks, Hasbrook Heights is featuring Dionne Warwick. I didn't know this. I'm only up to Dangerous so I have a free night tonight to enjoy this CD.

 

[GroovinGarrett]

Hey mang! How's Atlanta treatin' ya?
No vinyl? I have the vinyl on order but it may not have shipped yet, as I didn't get word from Amazon UK. I'll report back here after I give it a spin. Should sound nice with the new cart.

Wind chill of 15 this morning. Feels like home.
I'm waiting to read a few reviews before I drop any coin on the vinyl, just to be sure it's a decent pressing, etc. The CD arrived Saturday and it's been in my car since then. This feels like a true sophomore album, the follow-up to Seasons of My Soul. She's fully polished now, an artist in her prime.

 

[Rudy]

Wind chill of 15 this morning. Feels like home.
I'm waiting to read a few reviews before I drop any coin on the vinyl, just to be sure it's a decent pressing, etc. The CD arrived Saturday and it's been in my car since then. This feels like a true sophomore album, the follow-up to Seasons of My Soul. She's fully polished now, an artist in her prime.

I'll be posting a review of the vinyl, whenever it gets here. Seasons was a good pressing (quiet, flat), and I recall that Boys was pretty good also. Atlantic seems to use decent pressing plants.

14 near the lake here this morning, with a lot of wind. You missed quite a crazy summer, weather-wise! Lost one car in a flood, and could have lost the other in a storm that blew apart some huge old trees in our neighborhood... a big limb landed in the driveway where we sometimes park.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

My Review of the Japan version of Into Colour.....

So I have listened to Into Colour about 3 times through with a few tracks getting extra spins and I have to admit that I really like this CD. Since I am really late in purchasing any of her CD's I'm doing it in reverse by obtaining her latest release first although I did get the Slow Single CD. For me, I can usually tell on first listen if I love a song or not and many of these got extra plays after first listen.

As I mentioned before I really like the intro and Dangerous is what ultimately pulled me into this release so those were easy favorites. Reach Out really reminds me of an Olivia track from her Warm & Tender CD called "Reach Out For Me" written by Burt Bacharach/Hal David, 2 different singers and song but their delivery is similar, Rumer's Reach Out feels like it could have been written by Burt Bacharach. I'm still not crazy about You Just Don't Know People, maybe that will grow on me. The next track, I almost want to say is my favorite off the CD (at least today) I actually played this several times after I first heard it as I really liked this one. It almost has a waltz type feel, I love her tone and reflection in certain words. Then the drums and bass guitar came in on the next track, Play Your Guitar and this is another favorite, the chorus repeats quite a bit but for some reason it works great here. This song gives off a 70's feel to me. Sam, I previously heard as the free giveaway and this was another track that lead me into purchasing this CD. I really like this track a lot. It reminds me of Olivia's version is a different way. Better Place is a very sweet, caring song and she sings it very well. I'll probably need a few more listens on this one. When I saw the title of the next song I immediately thought, what will this one sound like and I was surprised to find I really like this one. The opening lines are so true, we are the generation of being lost in technology, we need a different dream, it reminded me of how my life was before all this technology enveloped into our lives. There is so much more out there, sometimes we need to just turn off the tv, cell phones, ipads, pick up the phone instead of sending a text, write a letter and enjoy the outside sun...I love this song, for me it just inspired me. It brought a smile to my face singing the lyrics. Butterfly, yes Nick you were right, so haunting and beautiful. This reminded me of Karen's exquisite delivery, the piano and vocals are perfect on this one. I was wondering what that sound is at the start of I Am Blessed, it's only the first 2 or 3 seconds, sounds like the tape starting up or something. This is a nice song.

The inside lyric booklet only contains tracks 1-11 so for the 2 bonus tracks I had to pull out the white Japan insert lyric booklet to find the words for the next tracks. I was not familiar with the song Hasbrook Heights but after doing some research Dionne recorded this on one of her albums. I went tonight to check out her version and let me tell you, Rumer's version sounds 10 x's better, in fact I gave this several listens when I first heard it I knew I would like this one, Dionne only sings backing however she does come in on several verses but it's mostly Rumer. They sounds really great together, I like this track, very 70's feel. Sailing...I knew this from Christopher's version it's always been a favorite of mine and Rumer really does a great job on this one, I really like this track, great piano work and love the strings. I'm so glad I got the Japan version to get these bonus tracks.

I guess Into Colour left such an impression on me that I decided to purchase Boys Don't Cry the Japan version with the bonus track I Wanna Roo You. The Japan version contains 17 tracks however it's missing Welcome Back so I decided to just purchase that track from iTunes individually.

 

[Harry]

I had an odd experience when I finally DID get to sit down with Rumer's INTO COLOUR. As I typically do these days, I ripped the CD into the computer and then listen to the whole thing. The odd thing that happened is that when Windows Media Player reported the track titles, it somehow jumbled tracks 3 and 5. It was reporting that track 3 was "Baby Come Back To Bed" when I knew it was "Reach Out", since I was familiar with that one from the EP. Then it said that track 5 was "Reach Out".

With all of Rumer's various album incarnations, I'm wondering if indeed a version exists somewhere with those two tracks reversed from the way this UK version is.

By the way, lovely album, and much closer to the feel of her first album, SEASONS OF MY SOUL.

I'm wishing I'd ordered the Japanese version now as I really like the song "Hasbrook Heights", one of the lesser-known Bacharach songs.

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I'm sure that I will eventually get around to purchasing her first album, Seasons of my Soul, not really sure why I'm doing it in reverse but I'm really liking what I hear so far. The more I play Into Colour, the more I like these tracks. I played Hasbrook Heights several times tonight and this is a really great tune, I really like the way Rumer sings those words Hasbrook Heights, the way she pronounces it as she sings it's very different than Dionne did on her version. This is probably my 2nd favorite track after Baby Come Back to Bed, at least right now. I love the 70's feel Rumer brings to this and Dionne subtle vocals work perfectly.

....who remembers as a kid putting cards in my bicycle spokes going clickety clack.....

 

[Murray]

....who remembers as a kid putting cards in my bicycle spokes going clickety clack.....

I did that too, even though it wreaked my baseball card collection! Why do I have a sudden urge to go out for a Slurpee, even though it's freezing cold outside? Might as well freeze my brain too!

Into Colour is easily the best new album I've heard all year!

 

[Jamesj75]

After learning about Rumer here, I purchased her first two CDs, both of which I enjoy (with Seasons of My Soul getting the edge). Again, I thank members of this forum for enlightening me.

Into Colour arrived at my home this past Saturday, much to my enjoyment! I have now played this CD several times, and I have a good feel for it. And "feel" is the right word, as this CD (musically and lyrically) evokes feelings. Before I continue, let me thank the previous posters who have given their impressions/reviews of this CD. In particular:

So I have listened to Into Colour about 3 times through with a few tracks getting extra spins and I have to admit that I really like this CD.

A few things jump out at me:

• As suggested (and as I learned from hearing her previous CDs), Rumer's voice is reminiscent of Karen Carpenter's, so that alone is enough of a draw. Like Karen's voice, Rumer's is also sweet and soothing.
• Into Colour is really a mood album, and that mood is romantic. The almost omnipresent backing vocals are haunting.
• Some of the songs offer life-affirming, positive messages ("Better Place," "I Am Blessed"). And I like that message!
• A few quick sound bites:
  • "Pizza and Pinball" is an infectious tune that evokes a happier, simpler, childlike time, which is ripe for revisiting. It's a fun listen!

    It brought a smile to my face singing the lyrics.

  • "Dangerous" could have been recorded in 1979. The disco beat is enjoyable.
  • "You Just Don't Know People" is reminiscent (to me anyway) of Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Making Love."
  • My early favorite, though, is "Better Place." I love the message in the lyric as well as Rumer's smooth delivery.

My final observation: Although many of us are clamoring to hear further unreleased material performed by Karen (solo and with Richard), Rumer's music is so similar that it can help fill that void. What I am also awaiting: Rumer's recording of a Carpenters' song. She has to do it at some point...Right?

 

[Nicko]

Chris as ' Baby come back to bed' is your early favourite from Into Colour here's the live version on Jools Hollands show

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

James, you hit the nail on the head....
"Although many of us are clamoring to hear further unreleased material performed by Karen (solo and with Richard), Rumer's music is so similar that it can help fill that void."

That's exactly how I'm feeling....I can hear Karen singing so many of these songs off Into Colour that it does fill that void in a different sorta way. It's not that I'm trying to replace Karen with Rumer it's that Rumer stirs emotions in her delivery and tone and pitch and creates that warm feeling inside that I first got when hearing Karen's vocals. There are several songs off Into Colour that I can hear Richard Carpenter's production or marriage of lyrics to artist. They are Rumer's indeed but it does stir familiar emotions inside and these type feelings don't happen with just any artist yet Rumer is doing it for me. I've been listening to this album non stop the past several days and it's getting better and better with each listen. I guess only time will tell if she ever cuts a Carpenters song but my guess is she won't at least for a while, although she has done a lot of covers so maybe she will surprise us, with her vocals it would be incredible to hear.

I love that live version, thanks Nick.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I received my copy of the Japan release of "Boys Don't Cry" w/ bonus track, however I can't open it until Christmas argh!! Santa orders. Oh well, this gives me more time to soak in, "Into Colour". I hope I like Boys Don't Cry even more, it will be interesting to find which song contains the words Boys Don't Cry because there is no song title to match.

 

[Nicko]

I guess only time will tell if she ever cuts a Carpenters song but my guess is she won't at least for a while, although she has done a lot of covers so maybe she will surprise us, with her vocals it would be incredible to hear.

I know she sang "this Masquerade" accompanied by Leon Russell on keyboards at the BBC's electric prom 3 years ago, which was filmed.
Apart from that I have it on good authority from a friend of hers( who loves carpenters) that she has sung a great version Of " Road Ode" for him.

 

[Actorman]

Rumer has posted links on her Facebook page to Soundcloud for her versions of "Sailing" and "Hasbrook Heights." I don't think you can download them (I didn't see that as an option anyway) but at least you can hear them.

 

[Harry]

Rumer has posted links on her Facebook page to Soundcloud for her versions of "Sailing" and "Hasbrook Heights." I don't think you can download them (I didn't see that as an option anyway) but at least you can hear them.

Thanks!

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Rumer has posted links on her Facebook page to Soundcloud for her versions of "Sailing" and "Hasbrook Heights." I don't think you can download them (I didn't see that as an option anyway) but at least you can hear them.

If it's streaming, of course you can download them, believe me people find a way to do that sort of stuff. It surprises me that she would offer links to full listens of tracks because like I said people are going to download them. I bought them from Japan at full price and I have no problem with that, I just think it boarders on (you know what) and we have the artist basically saying here are the songs do what you have with them. I don't know much about Soundcloud but it that service even legal? I always thought that if it's original music that the creator has licensed for free downloading then yes you can. If it is commercial music then there must be some copyright involved. But again I don't know much about all this, except artist are always saying how their not getting paid for their music and then stuff like this happens and it makes you wonder.

 

[Murray]

Chris, of course Soundcloud is a legal service. Rumer put those songs there for her fans to hear, so she must either own the rights, or she did so with the blessing of her record company. I'm very happy that she made them available for everyone to hear (in low res mp3), since not all of us can afford to import the Japan version of the album. I'm hoping that she'll eventually offer them for sale on iTunes, so that I can get them in better quality.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Yeah like I said I don't really understand it all...so then why wouldn't places like Amazon or even iTunes not offer full listens and remove the 30 sec or 1 minute restrictions, like you said and offer a low res of the song? I've not seem other artists doing this. So I guess Dionne gets her royalties for streaming full songs like that?

I read a post recently from someone in the carpenters forum that they don't buy their music but get it free from downloading so I'm confused how that is any different from soundcloud. What was Richard carpenter saying about all the royalties they have lost over the years in his interview with Chris May? I guess I'm unclear.

 

[Harry]

It's a totally different thing when an artist offers their fans a song or two on the Internet. Rumer is one of those who does. She's done it before on her two prior albums and it's considered "promotion". It used to be that artists would send their stuff to radio stations so that fans could listen to whole songs - for free - before buying them. That model is somewhat outdated now, and the Internet has taken over. Artists put up their hit singles on YouTube, just to get exposure - and to hopefully spur sales of their albums.

Having someone rip off an artist like Carpenters is just plain wrong. People have put full albums on sites like YouTube and other, more seemy peer-to-peer sharing sites. And people just continue to steal stuff from the artists and is the reason that Richard was complaining about losing sales to downloading.

But when an artist willingly puts stuff onto a website - that's a gift. Not copyright infringement.

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I guess that makes more sense, since she is putting up the full song and it's her soundcloud page. Still I wonder how she regulates others taking the song and putting it up on their soundcloud page or maybe that doesn't matter. I would place a bet that these tracks show up on you tube soon and not from Rumer but from some fan that captured it and want to be the first to broadcast it on the tube. I guess I have always looked at soundcloud as a fans site where people do their own mixes on official songs but I have seen a lot of soundcloud pages that contain full Olivia songs and they are not unofficial remixes but they are the original tracks or tracks from her box set from Japan. I've never seen Olivia post a link to soundcloud so I've always wondered does she approve of her music being streamed by fans in full songs from deluxe sets. I guess I'm from the old school where all we use to get was 30 sec listens and any thing further would warrant a purchase of the song. Now with you tube it's just the opposite full albums are placed there and I wonder if with the artists consent?

 

[Rudy]

Well, I'm probably of the unpopular opinion here, but this latest album is one I will not be playing often. This is a preview of my thoughts before I post an official review elsewhere.

Seasons Of My Soul is a gripping debut--she showed us her strength as a vocalist, being able to sing without screaming. The backing was traditional, not bathed in synthesizers or drenched in hip-hop like so many others are. And the songwriting was all her own, drawing on a lot of personal experience. There were a few goosebump moments on that album, where you get that "connection" with the songwriter's intent on the song.

Sadly, I get no goosebumps whatsoever from In Colour. It's all nicely written and performed, but it doesn't have that simplicity and directness. The sonic texture is more like being awash in middle-of-the-road stylings, rather than the simpler pared-down presentation on her debut. I sort of liken this to Donald Fagen's last album, which is a worse trainwreck than I ever could have imagined him recording--it is very similar in that the production is very weak, and lacks any type of rhythmic drive compared to his earlier albums. Gary Katz should get back into the swing of things and have Fagen deliver the album he's capable of. But I digress.

Musically I give Into Colour three stars out of five. Average. A nice listen, but I'm not engaged by it.

Sonically, the sound is hidden behind a bit of a veil, sounding somewhat receded into the background. Some more immediacy would have made the whole recording "pop" a bit more. And it may have made me enjoy it more--it needs a bit more liveliness. I'd probably rank it three out of five on sonics. Not bad, but not remarkable either.

What really irks me is that I am on the second copy of the vinyl version of this album, and the pressing is total garbage. Both copies are off-center...on side one only. Sloppy handling of the metal parts on the press. Both are noisy, with occasional ticks throughout, and a few pops toward the beginning. I'm also hearing sibilance on the last track on side one; sorry, but with the equipment I'm using now, there's no sibilance unless there's an issue with the vinyl. Oh, and the nice greasy handprint on side two is a nice free bonus, I'm assuming?

For all the care that Rumer put into the unique packaging of this LP, it is a complete insult to her efforts to have it pressed to such a low quality. With Pallas (Germany) and CBS (Holland) pressing flawless, flat vinyl, this is completely inexcusable. This isn't quite as bad as the beautifully mastered 2-LP Dire Straits On Every Street pressing (done by GZVinyl) that had visible scratches and gouges in the vinyl. I couldn't even Frankenstein a completely good copy from both sets on that one. Pressing quality: one star. Horrible.

My replacement copy of Into Colour, BTW, was shipped via DHL and in true form, it arrived late, and the box heavily damaged. The LP inside was pretty much unscathed--the record was undamaged, but the top of the cover was heavily scraped, and one corner was curled. I had three other LPs arrive that same day, sent via Royal Mail, in single LP mailers, and they arrived intact and within a week of being shipped.