It’s a sad story, but one that makes for stirring art.
There’s no “Put Your Records On” here - Rae’s 2006 radio hit about self-love, “sapphire and faded dreams.” But The Sea is a satisfying release from - and for - an artist sure to stay on the musical radar for a long time. Bailey Rae has received two GRAMMY AWARDS, two MOBOS, alongside multiple nominations including BRIT and BET Awards. Heavy keyboard harmonies and a solid drumbeat underscore a story of a girl realizing her own potential too late to change. The annual Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens continues to bring the finest national and international musicians to West Michigan, thrilling music lovers across all genres and all generations. “Paper Dolls” has a similarly pressing, urgent feel. The deep, low opening and urgently fluttering piano chords of “Feels Like The First Time” reveal a restless poignancy, and the song ends without any melodic or lyrical closure. Often dark and heavy, The Sea might throw off fans looking for lighthearted fun. It’s like the calm after the storm of grown-up calamity. The song is reminiscent of some of the peppier songs on her first album, but the images are more mature - “I can see the lights from the restaurant / I couldn’t quite perfect that nonchalance / Paris and champagne like warm brown sugar cubes.” Corinne Bailey Rae recalled summer youth and first love, while The Sea seems to come several lifetimes later. “Paris Nights/New York Mornings” fondly recalls carefree days in love. Though all its tracks are tenderly nostalgic, not everything on The Sea is mired in tragedy. Her pitch-perfect voice can carry itself with minimal instrumentation, as she proves on harmonically simple tracks like “Love’s On Its Way.” Anchored by a light guitar-and-percussion backing, Rae spreads her voice thin for an angelic effect in the gracefully ascending chorus, only to slip back into a thick, mournfully tuneful texture in the verses.
Though most of the songs on The Sea are poppy in structure, Rae has the delicate touch of an indie singer-songwriter, baring her soul in a classy and relatable way. Rae is neither a Beyoncé-fabulous R&B diva nor a drama-crazy pop star. But instead of watching from a distance, we feel the pain and confusion alongside her. Listening to “Are You Here,” the subsequent rumination “I’d Do It All Again” and many of the other songs on The Sea is like overhearing Rae’s real-time attempt to come to terms with her husband’s untimely death. We already know the answer.Īs is typical of Corinne Bailey Rae, the song feels like a glimpse into a very private and personal moment. Murmured memories of her husband’s eyes and the taste of summer build toward the plaintive cry of the track’s titular line “Are you here” - there’s no question mark. The opening is a little creepy and dark, but Rae’s intimate voice immediately wraps the listener in. Subscribe to Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso on iTunes.“He’s a real live wire,” Rae says of her late husband in the first line of The Sea. Corinne is on tour! You can find more information about locations, showtimes, and tickets at her website.The music used in the show can be found here, here, and here.Corinne and Sam discuss both in this week’s episode, along with her her love of music (8:07), the experience of losing her late husband(31:00),and falling in love, again (52:49).
In recent years she’s made two new excellent records: “The Sea” and “The Heart Speaks in Whispers”. Shortly after being thrust into fame, Corinne experienced the unimaginable tragedy of losing her husband, Jason Rae. Both in her lyrics and conversation, the way in which Corinne expresses herself is deeply powerful. Many will remember Corinne from her 2006 break-out hit “Put Your Records On” which earned her three Grammy nominations. This week Sam sits down with singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae.
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