Track Listing

1. Are You Here
2. I'd Do It All Again
3. Feels Like The First Time
4. The Blackest Lily
5. Closer
6. Love's On Its Way
7. I Would Like To Call It Beauty
8. Paris Nights/ New York Mornings
9. Paper Dolls
10. Diving For Hearts
11. The Sea

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35 in Music
• Released on: 2010-01-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .11 pounds

Album Description
Corinne Bailey Rae's new album, The Sea was co-produced by Bailey Rae with Steve Brown, and Steve Chrisanthou, who produced many of the songs on her debut album, which has sold four million copies worldwide. Bringing together a new band of musicians, Bailey Rae recorded the album mainly in Leeds and Manchester, England. Her voice, always an expressive and soulful instrument, resonates with a poignant and newfound depth on The Sea. Loss and grief are recurring themes yet a sense of beauty and wonder ultimately radiates from the album's dark corners.

Customer Reviews

A departure for a new, more mature sound. Hertbreakingly beautiful.
Here we are far from a sort of mellifluous, less-troubled older sister of Amy Winehouse, all neat, low-key, mellow jazz-pop and nimble rhythms over which the Leeds girl sang with a perky jazzines.
Corinne has a terrifyingly beautiful childlike murmur and a smoothness in her voice that tends to veer into politeness. Unlike Amy Winehouse, who makes a sobbing drama out of every note, she isn't a natural candidate for turning personal devastation into soap opera.
With her Scottish saxophonist husband Jason Rae tragically passing away two years ago for an accidental overdose of methadone and alcohol, it's hard not to view "The Sea" through the prism of the saddest type of break-up.
And it's impossible not to think of her personal heartache as her voice takes flight on dreamy opener "Are You Here" and later whispers goodbye over the gorgeous title track. But even ignoring the painful circumstances of its birth, this is a record that often has more in common with Tim Buckley and Laura Nyro - or Marvin Gaye at his more unhinged - than it does the usual RnB suspects and shows real growth for Corinne Bailey as a songwriter and musician.
Her long-awaited second record is a stunning collection of confessional soul songs with an organic, acoustic feel.
The refreshingly simple arrangements combined with warm, jazzy chord progressions are reminiscent of vintage Stevie Wonder at times.
And yet "The Sea", produced as per the debut by Steve Brown and Steve Chrisanthou, is no self-indulgent lack of tunes-fest.
Even at its bleakest - "Closer" or "Love's on Its Way", where there is "blood on the streets" - "the music and melodies draw you in, and even when they follow their own lushly orchestrated circuitous path, they seem to dare you to drift away". - Paul Lester
The best moments here are when the Yorkshire songstress, now 30, lets her hair down.
The deep soul of '"Closer'", the chugging stomp of 'Paris Nights/New York Mornings" - a fizzing pop gem that recalls her frothy debut - and the rock guitar break in "The Blackest Lily" are all good examples, but best of all is "Paper Dolls" with its darker 60s guitar stylings. "All my life, all my life, it's not right / Nobody told me I could do something/ Nobody told me I could be something," she sings on the biggest and best chorus she's ever stuck on plastic.
"I'd Do It All Again" is a fantastic song, crawling through jazz-flecked nursery slopes, before climbing to a swooping soul chorus.
All in all, "The Sea" is the intense and moving result, showing an artistic leap, an entirely new departure and maturity, that should win over at least some of those critics from first time around.
Back to Black
Corinne Bailey Rae

Rae has released an absolute gem
Rae's sophomore release is a major departure from her sunny day, stroll in the park debut. The material on THE SEA is melancholic but overall outstandingly beautiful. All 11 tracks convey this hauntingly elegant moodiness but in 11 different ways. Here's how.

1. "Are You Here": The opening guitar chords reintroduces the listener to Rae. Rae's opening notes reminds how honey-coated her vocals are. Later in the track, the songs takes an abrupt shift, changes key and a storm of electric guitars descend - skirting Radiohead territory.

2. "I'd Do It All Again": My personal favourite. If I had my way, NARAS should have this as a nominee for ROTY and SOTY. Simply exquisite, simply poetic. This is complex songwriting - the chord progressions are completely original and a level-up in instrumental arrangement on "Like A Star". When the song hits the bridge and Rae's voice soars, you're simply just carried away. Her vocal nuances are delicate and absolutely sublime.

3. "Feels Like The First Time": A catchy song that opens with some heavy piano tinkling. It's a mark of the chorus, that is the complete opposite of the song's peaceful verses. The groove is hot.

4. "The Blackest Lily": Wow - Rae brought on the britpop on this album too. I reckon there are 3 songs on this album in this vein, but all 3 are somewhat different. This, the first of the 3, is an all-out rocker. Completely unexpected and unforetold from her debut. A pleasant surprise.

5. "Closer": Check out the beats on this track. I dare you to tell me the groove is not sick. Reminiscent of The Artist Formerly Known as Prince both in vocal delivery and instrumental arrangement. Very sexy.

6. "Love's On Its Way": The opening verse wanders aimlessly a little, but sets the scene for the chorus. This song just builds and builds, and the layers of instruments gradually hit epic-scale. When it finally erupts in the 3rd minute, the swirling synths, soaring background vocals, heavy drumbeats and Rae's voice lifts it up. The words hit hard: [love's on its way/I hope it won't be too late] Poetic.

7. "I Would Like To Call It Beauty": Most unsurprising track of all, as it is closest to the material of her debut. Simple little acoustic track that never really gets too loud and is easy on the ear, which provides the listener with a breather after all that's happened with the first 6 tracks.

8. "Paris Nights/New York Mornings": The pace picks up once again. This is song 2 of 3 that is a throwback to the Britpop era of Blur and Oasis. Call it the revved up version of "Put Your Records On" if you like. Perhaps the most cheerful song of this collection.

9. "Paper Dolls": Song 3 of 3 of Britpop reference, and the heaviest one. Essentially a rock outing, and so catchy.

10. "Diving For Hearts": Laced with heavy guitar distortions and helter-skelter beats. Perhaps the oddest of the bunch and could signify what would happen if Rae ventured further into alternative music. It reminded me a little of Coldplay's tracks on PARACHUTES - that's a good thing because that's my all time favourite Coldplay album. At minute 3.50, unexpected chorals enter the scene to bring in the final climactic ending. I would most welcome Rae to explore this type of music in future.

11. "The Sea": A most fitting album closer. The words do much more than the song for me here, especially if you know what she's been through: [goodbye/paradise... ] This song has a bittersweet quality to it, in that the instrumentation and melody is one of happiness, while the words are sad. Rae exits album no.2, quietly and thoughtfully, with the following words: [The sea/the majestic sea/breaks everything/crashes everything/cleans everything/takes everything/from me].

I wanted more when it was all over. This is a testament to Rae's artistry and how she has matured as an artist. Top-notch production and engineering too.

My only reservation is did it take the tragic turn in her life to inspire such genius?

This album is pure perfection and in my opinion, one of the best albums released so far in Grammy's 2010-2011 eligibility period. Would be a complete shame and crime if Rae didn't book herself a slot in AOTY.

From one fellow music lover to others, don't miss out. Get this one.

Liam F
6 Feb 2010

I listened to it all night long
I found it stunning, haunting, beautiful and a joy to listen to. Every time I listen to it, it gets even better. Her voice is more mature, the words are well written. It has more variety than her first CD. And did I say, I love her voice. I'm not a music critic, just someone who loves music, and this is the real thing. Get this CD, you will be happy you did!