Review of Rumer's Album

Slow – The beautiful debut single from Rumer
By John Williams From here.


The hotly tipped female singer/songwriter, Rumer, releases her debut single on Atlantic Records on August 23rd, the track is called Slow and is taken from her forthcoming album.

Driven by a stop-what-you’re-doing voice, ‘Slow’ is a smouldering, unrequited love song, and a tantalising taste of her self-penned debut album (due in the autumn). She will announce details of her first live dates shortly, having played beguiling sets at the likes of Glastonbury Festival and Hard Rock Calling.

An authentic and emotional songwriter, Rumer’s non-traditional musical upbringing has shaped her classic yet contemporary sound. She was born and spent the very early years of her life in Pakistan (her father was the chief-engineer of the enormous Tarbela Dam). The youngest of seven children, living in an expat colony without TV or newspapers, Rumer and her family would often sing and write songs together.

It is this folk tradition that she brought with her when the family relocated from this “otherworldly landscape” to the New Forest. There, she first saw – and became captivated by – the technicolour movie musical. “Ever since,” she recalls, “I’ve always looked for that lilting, romantic melody. I basically wanted to write the soundtrack for Hedy Lamaar walking down that spiral staircase.”

Rumer was found by her manager, when he posted a question not at all related to music on his Facebook page: “Who Is The Most Underrated Person You Know?” Five separate people, none of whom knew each other, replied with the word ‘Rumer’. Finally, in March 2010 – and after a decade of trying to catch a break – Rumer finally signed to Atlantic Records.

Rumer’s debut album is a beautiful, autobiographical yet brilliantly universal record. ‘Slow’ is just a glimpse into an array of timeless, quality pop songs: see the soaring ‘Am I Forgiven?’, the ache of ‘Healer’, and the fragile beauty of ‘Aretha’. And if you require any more validation of the talent on show, you could do worse than ask Burt Bacharach, who heard of Rumer through the grapevine, and was so won over that he flew her to California and asked her to write with him. “I cried with joy when I found out,” she says. “If Burt Bacharach says you’re good, you have to start believing it too.”

Glasswerk.co.uk Single Review

Rumer - Slow

By Laura, Glasswerk.co.uk Thursday 29th July 2010

The hotly-tipped Rumer will release her first single, 'Slow', on 23 August (Atlantic Records). Driven by a stop-what-you're-doing voice, 'Slow' is a smouldering, unrequited love song, and a tantalising taste of her self-penned debut album (due in the autumn). She will announce details of her first live dates shortly, having played beguiling sets at the likes of Glastonbury Festival and Hard Rock Calling.

An authentic and emotional songwriter, Rumer's non-traditional musical upbringing has shaped her classic yet contemporary sound. She was born and spent the very early years of her life in Pakistan (her father was the chief-engineer of the enormous Tarbela Dam). The youngest of seven children, living in an expat colony without TV or newspapers, Rumer and her family would often sing and write songs together. It is this folk tradition that she brought with her when the family relocated from this "otherworldly landscape" to the New Forest. There, she first saw - and became captivated by - the technicolour movie musical. "Ever since," she recalls, "I've always looked for that lilting, romantic melody. I basically wanted to write the soundtrack for Hedy Lamaar walking down that spiral staircase."

Lyrically, Rumer's songs draw on this rich and complex personal history. Her parents separated at the age of eleven, when it emerged that her biological father was in fact the family's Pakistani cook, with whom her mother had struck up a relationship. Years later, whilst singing for the indie band La Honda, Rumer leaned that her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
She swiftly moved back to the New Forest to be near her, living in a caravan in a wreckers' yard and teaching drama at a local college (despite a lack of qualifications). Her mother died in 2003, and Rumer, working as everything from a pot washer to a popcorn seller back in London, hit rock bottom. She sought refuge in a stately home in the countryside, living and working in what was essentially a commune, owned by a "charismatic, philanthropic baronet." It was in this colourful yet liberating environment that Rumer finally threw herself back into writing music.

'Slow', then, signposts a time when Rumer's luck finally started to change.
At an Open Mic night in Kensal Rise, she met, by chance, award-winning TV and musical composer Steve Brown. Perhaps Steve Brown hasn't led a life quite as turbulent as Rumer's, but anyone who's written songs for Harry Hill and featured in the Alan Partridge TV show 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' as band leader Glenn Ponder. well, it's quite a CV in itself. Brown quickly became Rumer's producer, and gradually, things began to fall into place. She was then found by her manager, when he posted a question not at all related to music on his Facebook page: "Who Is The Most Underrated Person You Know?"
Five separate people, none of whom knew each other, replied with the word 'Rumer'. Finally, in March 2010 - and after a decade of trying to catch a break - Rumer finally signed to Atlantic Records.

Rumer's debut album is a beautiful, autobiographical yet brilliantly universal record. 'Slow' is just a glimpse into an array of timeless, quality pop songs: see the soaring 'Am I Forgiven?', the ache of 'Healer', and the fragile beauty of 'Aretha'. And if you require any more validation of the talent on show, you could do worse than ask Burt Bacharach, who heard of Rumer through the grapevine, and was so won over that he flew her to California and asked her to write with him. "I cried with joy when I found out," she says. "If Burt Bacharach says you're good, you have to start believing it too."

Cumberland News article

EX-CARLISLE SCHOOLGIRL SIGNS RECORD DEAL WITH MAJOR LABEL

By Pamela McGowan, CUMBERLAND NEWS

A former Cumbrian schoolgirl is gaining national acclaim after signing a record deal with Warner Atlantic.

Sarah Joyce, aka Rumer

Sarah Joyce – stage name Rumer – has come a long way since winning the school’s talent show back in 1994.

She is about to release her debut single Slow and has already had it named single of the week on Radio 2.

The 31-year-old singer/songwriter spent her teenage years in Carlisle at Newman School before leaving at 16 to pursue her ambition.

It has been a hard slog but years later she is finally hitting the big time and gradually becoming a household name.

She now hopes her success will inspire other young people to follow their dreams.

Having had her single listed ahead of its release on both Radio 2 and Magic FM, she is also preparing to support Jools Holland on his UK tour this autumn – the finale being a show at the Albert Hall.

She also has a celebrity fan in the form of easy listening legend Burt Bacharach, who invited her to sing for him when she visited California.

Sarah, who was brought up in Wentworth Drive, Lowry Hill, said her music is quite jazzy and has often been compared to The Carpenters.

Having moved to the city from the New Forest at the age of 11, she spent her secondary school years at Newman – and believes its teachers had a big part to play in her success.

“Newman was a lot of fun. They were very musically orientated. We did a lot of singing and drama and that really inspired me,” she said. “For me school was a positive experience. It wasn’t always easy but I enjoyed it and they encouraged us to follow our dreams.”

Saying that, Sarah – who lived in Carlisle with parents Jim and Tina and sister Kathy – admits it hasn’t been easy to break onto the music scene.

She left school at 16 and started playing gigs, trying to get her name known.

In 2003 she hit rock bottom when her mum died of breast cancer. She eventually picked herself back up and ploughed back into songwriting. She named herself Rumer after her mum’s favourite author, Rumer Godden, and her determination eventually earned her that big break.

“I’ve done every job going just to get by and there’s been a lot of rejection. It’s not like The X Factor where you all queue up for your chance, it’s very difficult trying to make a name and get some interest. I’ve seen a lot of very talented people chuck it in saying it’s not for them. You have to make sacrifices and be prepared to have no money.”

But for Sarah it has all been worth it after signing a deal with a major company. She now sits on Atlantic’s books alongside the likes of Paolo Nutini and James Blunt.

She is now awaiting the release of her single – which has had good reviews from The Guardian, Independent and Music Week – on August 23 followed by an album in the autumn.

Rumer interview

From here.

Rumer takes it "slow".

Born in Pakistan and raised in Australia, Tasmania, South Africa and the U.K., soulful songstress sure has an interesting background. Her smooth voice and slow songs are sure to make this Pakistani-British singer a hit on the scene! But things didn't always come easy for this up-and-coming artist.

"You have to be tough. I was constantly rejected, and I kept trying to improve. You see a lot of amazing musicians quit, because you have to sacrifice," Rumer said in a statement.

"I've always felt a bit outside society. I'm not concerned with what's musically popular or fashionable, really. All I wanted was to make something of quality that would stand the test of time, that people could come back to, and that was rooted in authenticity. Because that's the kind of music I listen to," she added.

Rumer's life is beautifully portrayed on the release and every song has a meaning; one of her tracks off her album Seasons of My Soul, "Slow," is "about being obsessive in a new relationship. It's a love song, but it's unrequited love, and the chorus has that Greek Chorus effect, advising me not to fall in love too fast."

Rumer Backstage at Hyde Park

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Backstage at Hyde Park Current mood: cheerful It was incredible to be one of several acts chosen to support Stevie Wonder, in hyde park. I loved this trailer

8 Jul: Guardian - First Sight

First sight: Rumer

caroline sullivan, the guardian

An Anglo-Pakistani singer-songwriter in the classic 1970s soft-rock mould of Karen Carpenter and Carole King

Rumer ... Bacharach is a fan. Photograph: Rebecca Miller

Who is she?

A singer-songwriter in the classic 1970s soft-rock mould of Karen Carpenter and Carole King. To hear her, you'd never guess she was an Anglo-Pakistani hippy with a complicated history.

How complicated, exactly?

She was born in Pakistan, the youngest child of an English couple who were working in Islamabad. Once back in the UK, she learned that her father was actually the family's Pakistani cook, which prompted a decade of aimless travelling and frenetic songwriting. There was even a stint in a commune run by a "philanthropic baronet". After eventually settling in south London, she amassed a following that now includes Carly Simon and the godfather of lounge, Burt Bacharach.

What does Bacharach see in her?

Rumer's pure voice and lilting melodies are influenced by artists he worked with, Carpenter and Dionne Warwick. Rumer often writes about love, though her lyrics incline toward euphoria or desolation. When Bacharach came across her, he flew her to California just to hear her sing.

And then success came calling?

There was a spell of knocking on doors before a major label signed her. But with Radio 1 exposure in the offing, she could be a wild-card pop success.

3 New Tracks by Rumour

Rumer by Atlantic Records UK