Corinne Bailey Rae

AserAser 2,351 Posts
edited June 2006 in Strut Central
My first introduction to this girl was on the b-side of a New Mastersounds' 45. I am a huge fan of this song, but was disappointed she wasn't featured on more tracks on their album. Now fast forward a few years and her debut cd is blowing up. I think it's at #5 on amazon's sales ranking, who would've thought. The marketing juggernaut is fully behind this release and she has already made appearances on the Tonight Show, Regis, etc. It's always interesting to see someone you discovered on an underground level reach mainstream acclaim. I feel this, as do a lot of 20 something girls that hang out at starbucks. I also rike Norah Jones though, so yes I am in "THAT" demographic, hah. LIsten hereplease don't hold back on the nag champa this, kufi that jokes. The more the merrier...

  Comments


  • BlightyBlighty 225 Posts
    She's got a nice voice but essentially she's just Martina Topley-Bird blanded down for the mainstream.

  • JuniorJunior 4,853 Posts
    I was excited about her before I heard her music, was getting a lot of pre release hype as a "real soul" artist or some such bollocks.

    Having heard it now it's failed to move me in any way - don't know if it's the bland production or what but serious underwhelmed.

  • Diamante_DDiamante_D 215 Posts
    I can't get with her tepid lightweight voice. Same goes for Lily Allen, who is the current darling of the UK music press. Just seems a tad insipid to me. I suppose it is aimed more at people who like the idea of listening to soul music, but lack the time or inclination to go and dig out the real stuff.

  • AserAser 2,351 Posts
    granted, the production is rather by the numbers, with more than a shade of air/zero 7 brazing downtempo. Perhaps I just see the untapped potential that was shown on the New Mastersounds track. Plus I find her voice rather soothing.

    Lumping her w/ Lily Allen is a disservice, that is just a 2006 version of 2005's Uffie and 2004's MIA. I don't think the blogosphere is celebrating Corinne's material, it's too MOR.

    I am so not feeling that video where Lily gets her friend to scratch up every single record in his collection.

    now when you folks mention searching for "the real", what do you consider that to be? Are you basing your judgement on new music or fetishsizing your ahem northern soul collection. I fall into that trap at times too, there's no use comparing every new release to Donny Hathaway "Live". They're different breeds, and I can enjoy them equally.

    If I had to pick someone to rep from this so called "neo soul" scene, hands down it would be Adriana Evans. The new Omar record is a smash too.

  • Diamante_DDiamante_D 215 Posts
    granted, the production is rather by the numbers, with more than a shade of air/zero 7 brazing downtempo. Perhaps I just see the untapped potential that was shown on the New Mastersounds track. Plus I find her voice rather soothing.

    Lumping her w/ Lily Allen is a disservice, that is just a 2006 version of 2005's Uffie and 2004's MIA. I don't think the blogosphere is celebrating Corinne's material, it's too MOR.

    I am so not feeling that video where Lily gets her friend to scratch up every single record in his collection.

    now when you folks mention searching for "the real", what do you consider that to be? Are you basing your judgement on new music or fetishsizing your ahem northern soul collection. I fall into that trap at times too, there's no use comparing every new release to Donny Hathaway "Live". They're different breeds, and I can enjoy them equally.

    If I had to pick someone to rep from this so called "neo soul" scene, hands down it would be Adriana Evans. The new Omar record is a smash too.

    The only reason I mention Lilly Allen, is because they have the same kind of slightly flat deliveries that don't really grab me. I wouldn't lump them both into any sort of neo-soul pigeonhole or anything, but I just feel that they lack the balls to warrant that much attention.

    I can't think of many modern (90s/00s) soul artists to compare, but I'd rather hear something like Sharon Jones, who can turn it up a bit if she has too. I don't think CBR has that kind of range. Hell, I'd rather listen to any of the current pop-soul yodellers like Beyonce or Xtina than CBR, because at the very least, they sound like they have some sort of conviction - albeit perhaps in a rather affected way.

    Really though, there is so much good old soul music around if I want to get a fix, I don't see what's wrong with sticking that on instead. Lately I've been getting a lot of play out of that Camille Yarborough Iron Pot Cooking album, which until recently, I hadn't heard all the way through. That to me sounds incredible, so why waste my time checking out new artists that don't move me in the slightest. I'm not adverse to new stuff in the slightest, but it has to grab my attention first.

  • I'm with Aser on this one. Also first heard her on the New Mastersounds 45 (which i consider the a-side of that release), and was somewhat dissatisfied that she didnt feature on more tracks.

    As for her (supposed) MOR-ness: ive got no problems with that as long as the songs are good, the production not too stuffy and - most importantly - her singing is heartfelt without frills or whining.

    In short: You go girl.

    aside: the song mentioned above is called "your love is mine" and should be p2p-able.

  • bluz510bluz510 5 Posts
    She could really come out top notch if she started working with some solid production...Or..I wouldnt mind an acoustic album like


  • Mike_BellMike_Bell 5,736 Posts
    From the soundclips that Aser posted, I'll say that she's alright but I'm not running to Best Buy to pick up her CD anytime soon.

    No hatt but I think her production takes away from her talents being fully exposed.

    Give me Nicole Willis and/or Sharon Jones over her anyday.
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