Music Review: Corinne Bailey Rae - The Heart Speaks in Whispers

I've been a fan of Grammy-winning Corinne Bailey Rae since her debut Like a Star - not so much Put Your Records On which was her biggest hit - so was really excited to hear she was releasing a new album. The Heart Speaks in Whispers is her third album, following her eponymous first album and the heartbreaking The Sea which was written in the midst of grief.

I couldn't helped but be moved by the upbeat tone of the new album - there's a hint of Prince's Little Red Corvette or Raspberry Beret in Horse Print Dress. The kaleidoscope of emotions and tempo is Taken by Dreams moves me. There's an undertone of soul throughout the album with a host of different genres - funk rock, pop, jazz, lo-fi. There's a theme of the outer space and cosmos in and out of the album too.

In terms of collaborations it's exciting to see that the sister ladies from King (Amber Strother and Paris Strother) feature in the vocals.

No song immediately grabs me like Choux Pastry Heart, Enchantment or I Would Like to Call It Beauty but it's great to hear her sweet soulful vocals in a new body of work that sits cohesively as an album.

Download:

Tracks - 1, 4, 10

On another note, I read Corinne's thoughts on happiness on Garance Dore's site and it is so beautiful:

'On happiness…

I feel like it’s so easy for us to hold happiness away from ourselves, so you say “when I get that great job I’ll be happy” or “when I get a partner I’ll be happy.” You make all these provisos in your mind about what happiness looks like for you. But I love the idea of ritualizing and celebrating the moment, not waiting for everything to be perfect, just do it! Don’t think, “oh when I get a new kitchen I’ll have my friends around for dinner,” just be there! In the mess, in the chaos, in the pain, that is life. If you’re waiting for your life to be perfect, you’ll never arrive at that point.'

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