Corinne Bailey Rae

After having had a phenomenal start to the year with the fabulous 'Put Your Records On', Bailey Rae subsequently brought out this much in demand, self-titled debut album. The album starts with the track 'Like A Star', which is a slow, jazzy number. Her vocals are still distinctive but the song is not as catchy or as memorable as 'Put Your Records On'. 'Enchantment' is less jazzy, and also quite unmemorable, fortunately the CD then redeems itself with 'Put Your Records On'. This is followed by 'Til It Happens To You' which whilst being another slow number has a nice beat with a definite blues feel followed by another single 'Trouble Sleeping' which is a bit livelier again.

The haunting strings that play during the introduction of 'Call Me When You Get This' reminds me of a 1960s film soundtrack, although the rest of the track does not offer much more, I was also disappointed with 'Choux Pastry Heart', a very slow, and sombre track that is not to my taste at all.

'Breathless' is a lovely uplifting track and one that grabbed me instantly, as most of the other tracks (excluding the singles) I suspect are more growers. 'I’d Like To' is one of the more upbeat numbers with a strong brass section. It is then slowed back down again for Butterfly which reminds me a bit of Eva Cassidy. The album closes with the melodic 'Seasons Change'.

I have been burnt a few times by buying contemporary 'Easy Listening' type CDs and not enjoying them, as my tastes tend to be a bit rockier, but I was glad to be given as I had loved the two singles I had heard. However, I feel the general sameness of much of the music could inhibit further success. It is a great background CD to have on at a dinner party, or for sitting reading, but I can’t see me picking it off the rack to often to listen to all the way through very often , but I wouldn't be disappointed if most of these tracks came up on my iPod when set to shuffle