Thursday 6 November 2014

Rumer Into Colour



I wonder if you know the UK singer-songwriter, Rumer? In case not (or even if you do), I thought you might enjoy a listen to her new album Into Colour which comes out on the 10th of this month; this article includes an exclusive stream where you can hear all the songs.

There is so much about this particular album that I love, but my favourite thing about it is its courage. Rumer is bi-polar, and that alone inevitably means each day requires her to be brave. She went through the sorrow and agony of miscarriage, and picking up the pieces and going on from that is always, always a hard and lonely road. And then of course, she has taken the human reality of her soul into the sometimes so cynical world of the music business, let them try to make her product of her music, her voice, her life. Reading the comments on the article I linked you to, where Into Colour is streamed, I feel bruises on my spirit when I scroll through the thoughtless candour of those who have come along to air their opinions. That’s what happens, if you publish anything – a story, a song. You show the world your soul, and what do you get? Some bright spark who wants to tell you you’re just like Karen Carpenter. Oh, please!

I love the song I am blessed. I love Dangerous, with its insight into how terrifying it can be to start again. I well know that feeling. I think the song Butterfly will speak to every woman who ever lost a baby. And Better Place – that's so lovely.  My favourite of all is You Just Don’t Know People, with its maturity of reflection, and its hope.

As we talked about this new album over breakfast this morning, our Alice said what a blessed relief it is to be offered songs where you can actually hear the words. Amen to that! 

I love the honesty of this music, too – not only the emotional honesty as Rumer allows us to share the working through of the deep experiences that have shaken her inner world (it takes courage to public share those things), but the artistic honesty; lyrics that put into words the movements of the heart, carried by original melodies. That’s another thing I love about Rumer’s music – it has actual tunes. So many commercial songs are churned out artificially – constructed bands singing constructed ditties – that proper singer-songwriter work like this is a rare joy. It takes me back to the wonderful flowering of music in the 60s and 70s when musicians like Carole King and Joni Mitchell brought their heart and soul to the public stage.

Fab, I think. How about you?





4 comments:

suzy said...

I love the ambiance, simplicity and honesty of these tracks. Thank you so much for sharing :)

Pen Wilcock said...

:0)

Yes, they are songs that work their way into your soul. xx

Luis said...

I just want to thank you for this extremely insightful post. Your write-up really gives a fantastic perspective to Rumer's music and her latest album, Into Colour.
I'm with you when you mentioned the artistic honesty and if I can add, the rawness of what she is sharing with her fans. The information you shared her makes sense now. I can't stop listening to 'Into Colour' and I think is her best work by far. I want to end by saying that her music is a breath of fresh air when it comes to today's music.

Pen Wilcock said...

Thank you - yes, it's a brilliant album - the kind of music you feel as though you've known forever and never get tired of.