heartless things coming may 10th
Lennon Award-winning singer-songwriter Rachel Sumner is thrilled to announce the release date for her highly anticipated sophomore album. Heartless Things - a captivating collection of ten original songs - will be available May 10, 2024.
In conjunction with this announcement, Sumner unveils the next single, "Katie," (out now) offering listeners a glimpse into the rich storytelling, whimsically lush instrumentation, and thematic ties that define the album.
“In each song there's some aspect of heartlessness and selfishness that threads everything together. ‘Katie’ is the thematic antidote of the album,” Sumner says. “It’s a love song for roommates or friends - dear ones that fall into despair - with the needed reminder that despite the hard times, there may be ‘fields full of flowers’ just around the bend.”
Heartless Things marks a significant evolution in Sumner's studio sound, stepping out from the acoustic string band framework of her 2022 debut album Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light. This new record blends elements of chamber-folk and indie-pop with Sumner’s love of Appalachian balladry and bluesy hooks, resulting in an immersive setting that highlights the top-notch narrative writing we’ve come to expect. With this album, Sumner continues to push the boundaries of folk music while staying true to her own unique artistic vision.
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Though Sumner has roots in both the bluegrass and classical worlds, this is true-blue singer-songwriter folk through and through, too: achingly clear, and wide open to the world, with twang and tenderness enough to carry us through the fire of an unusually difficult year
- Cover Lay Down
Rachel Sumner
& Traveling Light
Photo by Sasha Pedro
Fresh off a first place win at the 2023 Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival band competition, Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light have been captivating audiences throughout the northeast. With songs as sweet and biting as the nectar and venom in her voice, Sumner's lyric-forward writing and penchant for snaking chord progressions demand something far beyond folk conventions, highlighting the acrobatic range of her brilliant bandmates Kat Wallace (fiddle) and Mike Siegel (upright bass).
Sumner is no stranger to the stage. She spent her early career on the bluegrass circuit, singing and writing with the genre-bending Boston group Twisted Pine. Since setting out on her own, Sumner's songs have been critically acclaimed, winning the Lennon Award in the folk category of the 2021 John Lennon Songwriting Contest for her song "Radium Girls (Curie Eleison);" earning her a spot in the Kerrville New Folk Competition; and being chosen four consecutive years by WBUR/NPR as one of the top Massachusetts entries in the Tiny Desk Competition.
Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light released their debut LP in the summer of 2022 to critical acclaim.
Live
Listen
Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light // 2022
listen to rachel’s interview on folk alley’s basic folk podcast with cindy howes
FOLLOW
Contact
for booking inquiries: Ethan Robbins | Leap frog Booking
Ethanr@leapfrogbooking.com
