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There’s a newness, a freshness to Corinne Bailey Rae. I guess one
might expect that her sophomore effort might be if not samey-sounding
then maudlin, sad. Bailey Rae suffered a massive blow back in 2008
when her husband, fellow musician Jason Rae died of a supposed drug
overdose.

Taking the poppy jaunt of “Put Your Records On” and tossing it over the
ledge, Bailey Rae had to take a new tack. Not for her career but for her
own sanity. Enter The Sea: a compendium of laments and sporadic joys
that not only gives a new view of the soul singer but also invites new
fans into the fold.

If you didn’t know, Bailey Rae has a history in rock. Her first band ,
Helen, was likened to Veruca Salt at one point. The all-girl guitar rock
band didn’t last but the spirit of that music has stayed with her on her
musical journey. Her other inspirations are artists like Bjork (her version
of “Venus as a Boy” on the deluxe edition of her self-titled album is
spectacular,) and one of neo-soul’s founding fathers, Donny Hathaway .
Theses inspirations are alive and well on The Sea.

While maybe not as cohesive as her first record, Bailey Rae certainly
knows how to plan a punch on her discs. On her debut she stole my
soul with a song called Choux Pastry Heart. Are You Here, the first
track on The Sea, starts slow and builds to a point where you nearly
forget to breathe. Lo-Fi turns into lush and haunting, reminiscent of Jeff
Buckley, Gemma Hayes, and Tori Amos but all very much Corinne.

The song is so clearly for her husband and that notion alone brought me
to tears. “He’s a real live wire/ He’s the best of his kind/ Wait till you see
those eyes” and then she asks quietly, “Are you here?” The song ends
up sweeping, taking off, soaring and landing and you’ve experienced an
emotional meltdown in that process. It’s the standout track of the album
and what a way to grab the attention of the listener immediately- make
‘em cry!

From her website, www.corinnebaileyrae.net , "I wanted to be open,"
explains Corinne. "I'm really aware that I can't hide any of my feelings.
With music I feel like it's the one time when I don't have to think and I
don't have to contrive anything. So that's how this record turned out. It's
not contrived. It's just open."

There is nothing artificial about this turn. The album is on the whole, a
grief record. However, around every turn there’s hope. Hope in the lyrics
and hope in her voice. Bailey Rae continues a sort of signature sound
with songs like “Feels Like the First Time”, the ominous piano in the
beginning sounds like it could turn into a horror film soundtrack but
oozes into an almost 3D R&B instant classic and “Closer”is an excellent
example of how a throw-back to the 70’s and 80’s should be done in the
2000’s. No gimmicks here.

There are songs that feel like slight missteps. Not that “I Would Like to
Call it Beauty” isn’t gorgeous and “The Blackest Lily” is a little wake-up
call on this mostly drowsy (in a good way) record but ‘Beauty’ feels like
it would be quite at home on an episode of Grey’s Anatomy or even
Gossip Girl and for reasons I can’t explain to you, patient reader, it’s
bothersome. We have enough Roisin Murphey’s and Feist’s in the world.
It fit’s the mood of the record but is too reminiscent of what every female
singer-songwriter is doing right now. “Black Lily” may follow the theme of
the overall piece but it’s sound doesn’t. There’s a slight annoyance when
an album veers from smooth to crunch to smooth in a matter of 3 songs.
Save the rollicking for side b or save it for the next record.

Those are MINOR inconveniences. What you have here is a very strong
second offering from an artist who understands what she wants from her
sound. She may say that she doesn’t have to think when it comes to
her music but she’s not merely a conduit, she’s a thoughtful songwriter
with a great ear for melody and let’s face it- she’s got a way with
catharsis.

THE BEST MUSIC OF 2009

In a year that smeared Lady Gaga in our faces (and for some reason,
the majority of people enjoyed it...) there were only a few records that
gave us light and joy. Each of these bands/artists possess something
rare: the ability to craft a record so catchy, so sweet, so interesting and
so relevant in a time where music has eaten itself and the music critics
are becoming younger and more accepting of the crap out there.
Please bear in mind that this is my top ten list. I’m telling that these
records are great and that you should love them even though I know you
probably won’t. The world we live in stops us from turning off all of the
lights and listening to an album all the way through and trying to
connect the dots from song to song. Now we want one song and we’ll
download it quickly and move on with our day. I’ve included standout
songs from each of these records to make it easier for you to check
them out.

Top 10 of 2009

1)The Most Serene Republic: ...And the Ever Expanding Universe (Arts
& Crafts)
You may have never heard of them but The Most Serene Republic are an
excellent example of fusing sounds and experimenting with layers to
create something so beautiful and so poppy, you just want to jump of
our your earthly body and travel the cosmos. I wish I could I could draw
you picture with glitter crayons. It’s the only way I could illustrate the
lush vibe of Universe. Standout Track: “Four Humours“.

2)Grizzly Bear: Veckatimist (Warp)
I should’ve been the head of Grizzly Bear’s street team in 2009. I fell in
love with them a while back when I heard their cover of the Yes classic
“Owner of a Lonely Heart”. I wanted to spread Bear’s gospel and may
have gone into overdrive this year once Veckatimist was released. What
you have here is an Indie-sounding band that utilized jazz and pop to
create something for everyone. It was another one of those bands that
everyone was telling me I’d like but I’d put it off strictly by the genre
titles that were being tossed around (psych-folk, anyone?) You cannot
deny when something is genius. It just is. Standout Track: “Cheerleader”

3)Norah Jones :The Fall (Blue Note)
It’s no secret that people of all ages enjoy a Norah Jones tune. Though
The Fall is quite a departure from her breakthrough album Come Away
with Me, it only proves that Jones has secured herself a long career in
music. No matter what genre she covers she succeeds. She’s not going
anywhere and for that we should all be thankful. A break-up album for
the whole family to enjoy! Standout Track: “Stuck”

4)Neko Case: Middle Cyclone (ANTI)
I went into Middle Cyclone already knowing I was going to love it. Case’s
voice is so powerful that it’ll send me to Weepville even during the
happiest song. I was lucky enough to see her at the Englert Theater in
Iowa City six years ago and met her and turned into a blubbering mess
by the shear force of her voice. Over the years it’s only gained strength.
Never in my life have I heard such an aching song.
There was a moment on this record that I literally stopped breathing. If
not for any other reason buy this album to hear Vengeance is Sleeping.
That is your standout track…

5)Jenny Lewis: Acid Tongue (Warner Bros.)
It pleases me to no end that there are people my age like Jenny Lewis
who appreciate good music history. What was recaptured here on Acid
Tongue was that Laurel Canyon community feel. I’ve never been to
Laurel Canyon but the stories are sad and lovely and rife with creativity.
Frank Zappa lived there- enough said. Rilo Kiley has always dabbled in
different genres but I always believed that Lewis had such a rock & soul
voice that I was waiting for a record like this. You can hear summer all
over this record. The sun, the sky, the warm nights, maybe the smell of
pot, wine, and sex. A 1970’s night in California done well in the 2000’s.
Standout Track: “The Next Messiah”….it’s long and all over the place
and amazing.

6)Animal Collective :Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)
I’ll be honest with you….I HATED Animal Collective. Every magazine I’d
read, magazines like Magnet and Harp (two of my favorite publications,
Harp is now Blurt,) would sing the praises of this Maryland group and for
some reason I didn’t get the appeal. Add to that the Panda Bear project
before them that I wasn’t impressed by (because the term ’freak folk’
irritates me…) and I’m done. Then comes Merriweather Post Pavilion
and I’m suddenly smitten. I don’t want to be. I fight the good fight but I’m
in love. There’s power pop, there’s a Beach Boys feel, there’s a Grizzly
Bear comparison made. It’s not as cohesive as GB but it works. Damn
it. I want to walk around with you, Animal Collective. Standout Track:
“Summertime Clothes”

7)Sondre Lerche: Heartbeat Radio (Rounder)
Lerche is one of those artists I caught on to in the early 2000’s. I was
working at Co-op in Clinton and Faces Down was released on the
Astralwerks label that I fell in love with. An unabashed pop music fan,
Lerche chose the synthesizer over loud, crunchy guitars, although he’d
probably ace that sound if he tried. He loves string arrangements and
long melody lines. He can croon and swing and it doesn’t seem
contrived.

8)Maxwell :BLACKsummers Night (Columbia)
YAY! The return of Maxwell! Like D’Angelo, Maxwell won’t put
something out unless he knows it’s good. There are three very important
male R&B/ Neo-Soul artists in my musical world. Maxwell, D’Angelo
and Raphael Saadiq. All three of these men craft smooth grooves and
gorgeous melodies and while they are prolific writers they are rare with a
releases. Again, I love and hate this.
Back to Maxwell. Welcome back, sir. Your songs ooze sex and
intelligence. Your voice is like wine.
His new look is fresh and his approach to his work is as well. Many
reviews I’ve read weren’t impressed with his latest effort and of course
they wouldn’t be. Maxwell didn’t reinvent the wheel with
BLACKsummers Night. He’s Maxwell in 2009. Still channeling Prince
and Smokey Robinson, Maxwell remains relevant with harkening back to
the greats and keeping up with the times. Standout Track: Pretty
Wings.

9)Florence and the Machine: Lungs (Island)
I’m an Anglophile. I’ll admit it. I am so enamored with English culture
and speak to my cats with a British accent on a daily basis. One of my
favorite shows of all time is Never Mind the Buzzcocks. The show gave
me a new appreciation for Gary Numan and made me hate . It’s a music
game show that is as hilarious as it is informative. I mention this
because I swear I heard Florence + the Machine referenced and it was
the first time I’d ever heard of them. I could be wrong (and I probably
am,) because all of the episodes sort blend together after a while. One
day, Florence appeared and I was intrigued. A tiny little redhead with a
voice of a rocker/gospel singer. Lungs could almost be likened to
Evanescence’s first record. Bombastic, emotional, slightly overproduced
in parts. The difference here is that it doesn’t feel as in-your-face. They
chose to cover a song called “You’ve got the Love” which I’d only heard
Candy Staton sing. I thought it was such an odd cover. I was moved
beyond words with their version. It’s a three dimensional album with
robust vocals and there’s really nothing more to say. Standout Track:
Hurricane Drunk and You’ve got the Love.

10)Lily Allen: It's Not Me it's You (Regal)
Lily gets a lot of flack. Whether it’s her weight, her mouth, or her song
lyrics, Allen always finds trouble in the British tabloids. She’s had her
share of heartaches and familial issues and it’s all documented in her
songs. I can see why some wouldn’t like her and why people might not
appreciate her electro-pop choice for her second record but I heartily
disagree with anyone who disputes her talent. It’s Not me it’s You, from
start to finish, is what someone like Britney Spears should aspire to
make. It’s angry, it’s mean, it’s sad, and you can dance to it! We’re
always waiting for a big F-You from Britney but she never delivers it.
Allen delivers in spades. It’s an album that I listen to with my eyes
closed and all I can see is a kind of circus sideshow. A one-woman
show that even I’d enjoy…and I hate one-woman shows! Standout Track:
Never Gonna Happen.

Honorable Mentions:
Jeremy Enigk: OK Bear
Apostle of Hustle: Eats Darkness
Bria Valente: Elixir
Dappled Cities: Zounds
Mary J Blige: Stronger with Each Tear

So there it is. My ultra-wordy top ten of 2009. Hopefully, 2010 will bring
more excellent releases from interesting artists that don’t wear their hair
like a hat. The rule of thumb for the new year? Skip the gimmicks and
expect the best.

A review of Norah Jones' latest

I was a little sad to find out that Norah Jones and Lee Alexander, Jones'
bass player and boyfriend, had broken up. After all, their musical kinship
is what gave us the gorgeous and understated jazz record that had
soccer moms swooning, "Come Away with Me" and the wonderful
bluegrass-tinged second record "Feels Like Home" two years later. It
would be wrong to assume that Jones couldn't make it on her own.
She's cowritten or written more than a bulk of her own material and
saying that Alexander was some sort of svengali would be a gross
exaggeration.
Although I was nervous about the new record after the last one, "Not Too
Late". It's Tom Waits/Tin Pan Alley references and overall lack of
cohesiveness led me to think that Jones was going to give us a
'searching for myself' album after testing our patiences with "Sinkin'
Soon".
What happened was a break-up. A WONDERFUL break-up. While I
don't like to make it a habit of dancing in the faces of the heartbroken, I
have to say that it's usually then that a great album is born.
"The Fall" is a mostly mid-tempo, genre-straddling, 'searching for
myself'-but in-an-honest-way record.
Jones is known for her soothing vocals and her ability to make any
situation sound downright lovely and "The Fall" is no exception.
Her first single did what I was secretly hoping for. It threw people off a
bit. "Chasing Pirates", also the album's opener, is an odd mixture of that
Jones signature sound with a slight throwback to the late 80's/early 90's.
It's a hard song to peg and the lyrics seem to be a secret only Jones
understands but somehow the listener is assured that this song fits even
if not thematically. However, it's the second track "Even Though", that
seems to be the true opener. The song follows the tempo of "Pirates"
but is far more explanatory: "I'm feeling lonely" repeated throughout.
It's important to note that the very feeling of the record remains true to
Jones style as a vocalist.While songs like the bitter "Stuck" and the
Aimee Mann-tinged "You've Ruined Me"seem to remove Jones a bit from
her comfort zone, producer Jacquire King, who is better known for his
work with the likes of Modest Mouse and Kings of Leon, allowed the
chanteuse a chance to stretch out her arms creatively. King had the
opportunity to give her a rock and roll makeover here but instead let the
songs flow in true Norah fashion but still managed to nudge her to the
brink of emotion.
Also helping her on her journey through heartbreak are songwriters who
are somewhat known for their lack of discretion when it comes being
hurt. Ryan Adams, Jesse Harris and Will Sheff from Okkervil River all
share writing credits with Jones.
Just when you think you're going to walk away from this record hating
your ex all over again and drowning your sorrows in beer and tears,
Jones picks us up with a wink and a smile in the end. "Man of the Hour"
if anything, reminds us while some of us wallow sadly in singlehood, at
least we still have our pets. A love song to a dog- has this been done
before? If so, I doubt it's been done in such a sweet way.
"The Fall" has made it into my 2009 top ten. Will it make it into yours?
4/5 Stars.