The Sea brings Leeds’ most soulful singer, Corinne Bailey Rae out of her four year hiatus since the sad and untimely death of her husband, Jason Rae. Her loss is a consistent theme within the album, which combines heart wrenching soul with the kind of modern jazzy pop peddled by the likes of KT Tunstall
Whilst Bailey Rae makes pleasing sounds and has a strong voice at her disposal, something lacks in The Sea, making it feel somewhat empty in comparison to her previous offerings. The opener ‘Are You Here’ tentatively suggests her slow soulful songs have gained a new depth, and her Melua-esque voice and deep lyrics really portray the pain of bereavement, the layers building to an effective climax. Sadly, it is the only ballad on the album which achieves this. ‘I’d Do It All Again’, ‘Love’s On Its Way’ and ‘Diving for Hearts’ are perfect examples of soft but directionless jazz. The lyrics become dull and insipid, and it feels like Bailey Rae is grasping at influences from a long lost era.
That said, Bailey Rae provides some songs with a striking glitz. ‘The Blackest Lily’ and ‘Closer’ utilise lively beats and more contemporary lyrics. You can feel Bailey Rae just enjoying her voice as she experiments more, playing around with song and synths.
The Sea is an interesting listen, sometimes outdated and often disappointingly weak, especially for a voice with such admirable potential. One could argue “yeah but, she’s doing soft songs like, so she should be soft” (that’s the Essex in me, sorry), and this is true to some extent, but this approach just doesn’t seem to suit the album as a whole. It sometimes lacks direction. Whilst there is a good mix of upbeat and chilled songs, which really portray the hopeful spirit Bailey Rae is trying to capture, there are parts which drag the whole album down. Some tracks just feel too outmoded and are perhaps not strong enough to pull.Corrine Bailey Rae out of her accustomed musical hiatus.
Mum will like it for the car though.