Rachel Sumner brings you on a sweet summer trip with Heartless Things
Let me paint a picture for you: endless dandelion fields, sweat sticking to your forehead, the aromatic scent of a rural countryside, the taste of a melting 4th of July popsicle, the noise of cow bells ringing and horse reigns jingling. Those specific senses that are often tied to the “good old days,” middle-of-nowhere, small-town, cowgirl aesthetic embody Rachel Sumner’s latest album Heartless Things, bringing hints of southern belle charm and old American folk music into the East Coast picture frame.
If you enjoy the voices of Faye Webster, Jesse Jo Stark, or Lucy Gray from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, you will absolutely love Rachel Sumner. Sumner is a Boston-based singer-songwriter with impeccable guitar skills. She embraces the American folk genre passionately. Knowing that each of her songs acts as an ode to a whole history of musical traditions passed on through generations makes them even more captivating and enticing. Her voice can powerfully generate feelings of bitter romance, youthful naivety, and sympathy that make you want to dance instead of cry.
“Bygone Times” is one of the most alluring songs within this country-esque musical collection. The introduction begins eerie and slow, reminiscent of the beginning of the movie Coraline. Then the pace picks up, embracing a folky and vintage aesthetic. Sumner’s unique voice is able to transform like a chameleon, turning her from cowgirl to country siren. The acoustics in this song are impeccable: the melody of the ukulele – or banjo – seamlessly intertwines with her voice. The mix of fingerpicking and percussion in this song sounds like tap shoes dancing on a hardwood floor. More than that, Sumner showcases her songwriting talent through lyrics such as, “You settle right behind / The lids when I close my eyes” which turns the simple idea of thinking about someone into something much more descriptive and poetic. “Bygone Times” has a regretful, bitter tone that somehow makes rhythm its friend, turning even Sumner’s most scornful lyrics into something someone can groove to. There’s fiery passion behind this song that is almost contagious, lighting a spark in the listener’s ears.
Another song with indie movie soundtrack potential is “Too Tired” with its beautifully hopeless theme. Rachel Sumner is able to sing with such rich melancholy – this song is an anthem for those with a constantly disappointing, unreliable, nonchalant lover: “I get that you’re busy / I get you’re a popular man / If your schedule allowed it / Do you think you could pencil me in?” These are such simple lyrics, but they’re sung with such outstanding relatability and rawness. Sumner also decides to begin with this muffled overlay upon her voice, then switches to a clear mic, as if she is helping us gain the same clarity that she is singing about.
Arguably the most unique thing about this album is that it makes the listener feel as though they’ve been reincarnated as a small-town girl singing to her diary about her romantic troubles. You could be in your bed at 3 am and, as Heartless Things starts playing, your room has suddenly turned into a saloon. Maybe you’re driving home, and then as Sumner’s voice reaches your ears, the steering wheel has turned into the reins of a horse. This album reaches the hearts of those who like to glamourize the simplicities of life. The love Sumner sings about feels raw; it is a realness and relatability hard to find these days. The simple rural setting that she thrives on feels like a breath of fresh air. As much as the big city, bright lights type of music creates an exciting atmosphere, it can become overwhelming and tiring after a while. An album like Heartless Things is the refreshing and relaxing break from modern times that everyone needs.
Heartless Things paints an authentic, rural scene that pulls listeners in through Rachel Sumner’s stunning voice, which is perfectly suited for the American folk genre. She is able to unify stories with her voice, using her guitar skills to accentuate the plot that she thickens with each riff. This album radiates the wisdom, solitude, and simplicity of the past, each song a faint ghost telling a tale and singing a tainted lullaby.