|
The Sea |  | Artist: Corinne Bailey Rae
Label: Capitol
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $6.99
as of 9/7/2010 19:15 CDT details
You Save: $11.99 (63%)
New (31) Used (11) from $6.27
Seller: thetangotienda
Rating:  76 reviews
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 5.2 x 4.7 x 0.2
EAN: 5099960763723
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Tracks:
| • | Are You Here | | • | I'd Do It All Again | | • | Feels Like The First Time | | • | The Blackest Lily | | • | Closer | | • | Love's On Its Way | | • | I Would Like To Call It Beauty | | • | Paris Nights/ New York Mornings | | • | Paper Dolls | | • | Diving For Hearts | | • | The Sea |
|
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
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.
Album Description
2010 release, the long-awaited sophomore album from the British singer/songwriter. The Sea showcases a remarkable step forwards in the musical evolution of one of the most acclaimed artists of recent times. Corinne started work on the songs for her second album at the end of 2007, following a whirlwind two years which saw her go from unknown singer/songwriter to worldwide multi-platinum, award-winning artist with a string of Grammy and Brits nominations to her name. Recorded mainly in Leeds and Manchester and co-produced by Corinne Bailey Rae with two separate producers, Steve Brown and Steve Chrisanthou, The Sea is a career-defining album. Working with a new band of musicians, most of whom she has known for many years, she has produced an extraordinarily intimate album, full of a lyrical potency that is wonderfully descriptive yet honest, open and deeply evocative of her personal journey.
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 76
 Rae has released an absolute gem February 6, 2010
Liam F. (Melbourne, VIC Australia)
22 out of 22 found this review helpful
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 January 29, 2010
Hulamama (Hawaii)
22 out of 24 found this review helpful
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!
Absolute Genius. February 23, 2010
A. Pack
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
To me Corinne Bailey Rae is the essence of great music. Her first album put her in a position where most artists cannot even dream of being. Her first album I would say is summer, where as 'The Sea' is more the fall/winter season. But that doesn't make it any less interesting. I think it might be better. It shows her incredible talent off so well. She is such an amazing singer/songwriter with a voice like no other. Her music is so intimate and personal. She writes from experience and that is easy to tell. It makes her music very easy to relate to, also one feels very connected to her listening to her music. Rae experienced a huge tragedy in her life recently, and this album reflects that. Which I admire - she is a brilliant songwriter. But the album is not just about sadness. It's a perfect combination of all of the ups and downs life brings to each one of us. Some stand out tracks to me are 'I'd Do It All Again', 'Closer', 'Paris Nights/New York Mornings' - really you can't go wrong on any of the tracks of the album. It's a stand out album.
Corinne Bailey Rae's The sea is an album that should be in everyone's library.
wonderful, warm, soulful May 3, 2010
Quiero Cafe (South Texas)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Just gotta drop my dos centavos here amidst this muddied sea of confused reviewers. This album is the most truly soulful thing to come out of the mindless music factory in well over a decade. You might have to look back to a decade with a 7 in it to find anything comparable. So the sounds might be considered retro - might be retro. But the important sound is the voice. This is a voice that aches and yearns. This is a voice that is feeling the notes as well as the words, not just mindlessly baroquing over a stilted blues scale, not spewing a river of bold-faced obscenity that will accompany her latest scantily clad music porno. This record deserves to be cast into gold if for no other reason than it provides a brief calm amidst the swirling sewage, a coda that casts my tired mind back to days when the radio was the bringer of emotional ecstasy, not a sludge pump of corporate product designed to turn hearts to stone. No matter what the words say, the meaning is there, writ large, between the words, floating like a resonant harmonic, an electromagnetic pulse of something old but now staggeringly new. Anyone whose heart does not respond needs to report to the nearest morgue, where vocoder voiced gargoyle demons can continue to pump product beneath their grey skin - eyes wide and vacant, ears hearing only a dull monotonous hum of faux-sensuality passed off as egotistical high.
Damn, this is good! May 3, 2010
K. Ritchie (GA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This album is truly, unexpectedly AMAZING! I was never a fan of CBR, but I just got this cd on a whim, and I so glad that I did! This music is like nothing that is out right now--it's retro, modern and NOT genre specific at all. And this girl can SANG! CBR's vocals are just beautifully controlled and evoke a genuine emotional response; I just want to cry for her! Also, lyrically speaking, she is certainly gifted. Her lyrics are the type that are intriguing to simply read. As far as my usual tastes in music, I am all over the map--Coldplay, Jamiroquai, Sade, Nora Jones (sometimes), Ella Fitzgerald, OutKast, Jeff Buckley and Joshua Redman are among those in regular rotation, and to me, this is a seamless addition to my collection. I think if you have any interest at all in this album--and you must since you are reading these reviews (and maybe not necessarily a Top 40 listener), please give this a shot.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 76
|
|
|
|
| |
