The Carpenters released their “Now & Then” album in 1973, but it wasn’t until the mid to late 70s that I picked it out of my dad’s record collection. It was out of pure boredom that I flicked through the stack of LPs. Ordinarily if it didn’t wear any platforms or have the word ABBA written across it, it held very little interest to me. But I guess I had nothing better to do, so I placed the LP on the turntable, and so began my love affair with Karen Carpenter. The Carpenters released their last album in 1981 and by early 1983 Karen was no longer with us, but her legacy of intimate and expressive vocals remain. Fast forward to 2010 and Rumer. Feted as a great vocal talent of her generation, she created a buzz amongst music critics everywhere when she first released “Slow” nearly a year ago. Now she has found a home at a major label and “Slow” gets the wide release it deserves. She has the ”I have to stop what I’m doing to listen to you” quality in her voice which has been most likened to that of Karen Carpenter. There are no diva vocal acrobatics here in her delivery, just gentle simmering perfection that finds a little corner of your heart, sets up camp there and never leaves. All you want to do is hear more. ”Slow” is the first cut from her forthcoming “Seasons of My Soul” debut album. Unrequited love has never sounded this gorgeous and sad. It has taken this Pakistan born English girl 10 years of hard graft to get herself noticed. Welcome Rumer, your time has finally arrived.
LISTEN TO “SLOW”
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Author: Songbird
