The debut album by British singer Rumer comes out on a major label this year, but it's already making big waves in the U.K., where it was released in 2010 and made quite a few year-end lists. The album, Seasons of My Soul, follows an emotional arc worthy of the title, from love to heartbreak and back again.
"None of it is conscious," Rumer tells Weekend Edition Sunday host Liane Hansen. "The title just appeared because I noticed the songs were coming around again. Because it took so long to make the album, I started to notice the emotional landscape just kept coming around."
The critical response to Seasons of My Soul has often invoked the work of two 1970s icons: Burt Bacharach's arrangements and Karen Carpenter's vocals. Rumer says she's flattered by the comparisons, if a little surprised.
"I respect her so much," Rumer says of Carpenter. "I hope people don't think I'm trying to sound like her. I don't do it on purpose. ... I think it comes from wanting to sing the song clearly, and wanting everyone to hear every note and every word as it lands."
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