Georgie Thorogood reviews the new record by Rumer – Nashville Tears, The Songs of Hugh Prestwood, ahead of its release this Friday through Cooking Vinyl.
An interesting album celebrating the songs of Hall of Fame songwriter Hugh Prestwood, this was a challenge to review, not because it was difficult to listen to at all, but because so many of the songs are so nuanced in their differences. Prestwood’s success began in the 1970s and this selection of songs has been produced to embrace that era. Rumer’s vocals sound incredibly like Karen Carpenter throughout the album and it would be easy to mistake this for an original Carpenters’ album.
Beginning with the Fate of Fireflies, a beautiful classical orchestral intro is a little at odds with the rest of the song. Rumer’s gentle tones make this very easy listening and the production has used different paces and levels of backline to create interest. The closing outro of piano and percussion are so twinkly and sparkling that the listener can’t help but think of fireflies (or at least Peter Pan’s Tinker Bell) whizzing around to round off a pretty song.
‘June It’s Gonna Happen’ is a slower paced melody but full of hope – exactly what we need at the moment, although the “Summer’s gonna carry us away” lyrics seem a little tongue in cheek for 2020!
‘Moving on’ and ‘Oklahoma Stray’ embrace the real story telling aspects of country music and, it has to be said, the melancholy as well. The production has been sensitively created and the use of the violin and strings only adds to the country authenticity of a lovely song.
There is a more folky influence throughout Bristlecone Pine (ft Lost Hollow), with a mysterious and haunting tone. Americana duo Lost Hollow add another layer to the track and it’s well positioned in the album, giving a change of atmosphere.
Grammy nominated when sung by Shenandoah, ‘Ghost In This House’ reverts back to a similar vibe as ‘Oklahoma Stray’. A calm and gentle story-telling song with beautiful clear vocals, but continuing a melancholy vibe.
‘Deep Summer in the Deep South’ is a more energetic melody with a distinctly southern feel. It has a larger production which picks up the pace of the album after the softness of ‘Ghost In This House’, possibly one of the favourites from this album.
‘Heart Full of Rain’ transports the listener back to a 70’s era, but just when you thought everything was going to get a little more cheerful, it’s back to a sad story again!
‘Hard Times for Lovers’ ups the tempo again with a heavier production set up and is possibly one of the more commercial songs on the album. The bluesy ‘Starcrossed Hanger of the Moon’ reigns it back again with ‘The Song Remembers When’ featuring possibly the most relatable lyrics for us music lovers, each one of us has a song that transports us straight back to a particular moment – it’s another favourite from the album which has also previously been covered by Trisha Yearwood.
‘That’s That’, ‘Here You Are’ and ‘Learning How to Love’ are individually all beautiful versions of the songs, however following on from ‘Oklahoma Stray’, ‘Ghost In This House’ and ‘Heart Full of Rain’ just leave them feeling a little samey and depressing.
The ‘Snow White Rows of Arlington’ is a stronger song all around. With a patriotic theme, clever use of percussion and a stronger vocal, this is a great song, although in my opinion may have been better positioned as the last track.
‘Half the Moon’ rounds off the album and with a bit of a Mexican twang, has a more distinctive feel to many of the other songs, it keeps promising to become more cheerful, although not quite getting there. It’s a pretty version of the song and leaves the listener in no doubt as to the talent and delicacy of Rumer’s voice.
Overall, this is a beautifully sung selection of songs, but perhaps a little too extensive given that they are all very much in the same vein. Hugh Prestwood is of course exceptionally talented and it is so interesting to see the variety of artists who have sung their own versions of his songs and how different they sound when given each artists individuality, yet how similar they sound when sung by one artist only. All in all, it was a really enjoyable listen, although perhaps lacking in the promise of any excitement.
