Corinne Bailey Rae

Corinne Bailey Rae is of the blues/soul variety. Don’t let them tell you otherwise. The sultry songstress from Leeds is the new millennium Sade with a pinch of Jill Scott and Billie Holiday in between. I don’t fault the record label for shoving her in that bland box currently occupied by jazz/pop diva Norah Jones, which is why the overall product is a bit over-hyped and over-produced. But stripping away the glossy exterior reveals a funky/classy vibe twinned with a breathy and alluring voice. "Like A Star” is a bluesy joint and perhaps my favourite cut. Current single "Put Your Records On” is a bouncy mid-tempo number that’s obviously targeted for the mainstream. Hotter tracks include the Sade-sounding "Enchantment,” the powerful "Call Me When You Get This” and the playful "I’d Like To.”