Boys Don't Cry

About

Rumer's 2011 debut album, <i>Seasons of My Soul</i>, was like a trip back to the early '70s, when The Carpenters reigned over AM radio; its tunes sounded as if they'd been written with Burt Bacharach on hand. Her follow-up release, 2012's <i>Boys Don't Cry</i>, is a collection of covers that shows her impeccable taste and her natural ability to simply sing a song. Whether it's Jimmy Webb's "P.F. Sloan," Hall & Oates' "Sara Smile," or Terry Reid's "Brave Awakening," Rumer handles these songs with sensitivity while Steve Brown orchestrates with taste and restraint. Her take on Isaac Hayes' "Soulsville," from the <i>Shaft</i> soundtrack, is an inspired reformatting of a pure soul number, while Townes Van Zandt's "Flyin' Shoes" hints at country music. Neil Young's "A Man Needs a Maid" adds a level of intensity. Even John Sebastian's hit single "Welcome Back" can be heard as something other than the TV theme to <i>Welcome Back Kotter</i>. The tonal richness here is simply beautiful. The deluxe edition adds four bonus cuts, with a soothing cover of Bob Marley's "Soul Rebel" and Gilbert O'Sullivan's "We Will" among the highlights.

via Apple Music