Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea (2010)

I'm a fan of Corinne Bailey Rae's 2006 self-titled debut album, so I picked this CD up without hearing it, based on the strength of that previous release. I wouldn't exactly call this a sophomore slump, but this album isn't as strong as the first. The first had more of a neo-soul flavor throughout and this album sometimes strays from that formula. There a lot of musicians on hand; the arrangements are bigger than I would have liked. Some of the music was recorded after the 2008 death of Bailey Rae's husband, so the music can get understandably bleak at times. The critics liked it: it got a score of 78 from metacritic. Still, I love Bailey Rae's voice and I can tell her songwriting is maturing, so I'm sure I'll pick up her next release as soon as it drops.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #7

Tracks: I like Are You Here, Feels Like The First Time, and the title track. I usually skip Love's On Its Way and Paper Dolls.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Corinne Bailey Rae (2006)

Corinne Bailey Rae (2006)

I bought this CD on the strength of the single, Put Your Records On. Rae has a fantastic voice. It's not particularly strong, but it suits her music. I guess you'd put her in either the neo-soul category or the singer/songwriter category, but she's placed herself on the fence between the two. The only problem with this CD is that, at 11 tracks and 42 minutes, it's far too short.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #4

Tracks: Mostly good stuff here. My favorites include Like a Star, Trouble Sleeping, Call Me When you Get This, and Breathless, but Put Your Records On is definitely the star here. I'd Like To gets special recognition for being funky. I'm less likely to listen to Enchantment and Choux Pastry Heart.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: When I first accepted my current job in 2006, I spent three months in my new town without my family. We didn't want to move the boys one week before school started, so we waited to move until December. This mellow, relaxing CD helped keep me company during that tough transition.