KDEC Review: Corinne Bailey Rae – “The Sea”

By Jason Hettinger

At some point and time, we’ve all lost somebody very close. Whether it is loss by death, moving away, or some other reason, it is human nature to be overwhelmed with questions while mourning some type of loss. Why did this happen? How did this happen? Is there something I could’ve done to prevent this from happening? These questions accompany any serious loss, and they’re precisely the topics Corinne Bailey Rae’s sophomore album, “The Sea,” explores.

Singer/Songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae hit the music scene with a big splash with her eponymous 2006 self-titled debut, powered by the uplifting neo-soul single “Put Your Records On,” resulting in plenty of critical acclaim, and a handful of Grammy nominations. In the spring of 2008 Bailey Rae was in the process of recording her follow-up album when her husband/saxophonist Jason Rae died of an accidental methadone overdose, causing Baily Rae to spend the next two years in isolation, stricken with grief. But after her musical hiatus, she returned to the studio to finish what really is a remarkable, eloquent comeback album.

“The Sea” begins with a pair of songs that ask plenty of questions, like the album opener “Are You Here?” The fascinating idea about the opening songs is that the questions are never explained or answered… only asked. The lyrics of the next track “I’d Do it All Again” are even trickier, centering around an argument she and her husband had before his surprising death. Yet Bailey Rae sings of her love in the present tense throughout the entire length of the album.

After the delicate opening of “The Sea,” Bailey Rae goes back to her neo-soul roots, and busts out some numbers seemingly from left field, including the slithering, Rolling Stones-esque “The Blackest Lily,” a nod to Philadelphia’s neo-soul party The Black Lily. But not every song unfolds so neatly. There are several tracks that don’t really have a hook at all. Songs like “Love’s On Its Way” and “Diving for Hearts” have elements of soul, jazz, and even some heavy rock, but aren’t pop songs. Instead, Bailey Rae almost stubbornly crafts them to become a vehicle for her wandering, inconsistent thoughts.

The most powerful song is the title track that masterfully brings the record to a close. Bailey Rae’s tender, oh-so-soft voice sings about generations of loss, and the endless sea of time that “Breaks everything/Crushes everything/Cleans everything.” It all seems quite incongruous, but so is the recovery process one must face after a loss. “The Sea” (both the album and the title track) go through almost an entire cycle of mourning, reminiscing, and wistful yearning, so it isn’t unfamiliar, but is at times uncomfortable.

As I said, “The Sea” is an album about loss and grief that asks questions but answers none. After numerous listens, I can only locate one nugget of comforting information buried within its context. After a serious loss, you are still you. You are still yourself plus the loss, plus the pain, plus the suffering that comes with it. The recovery process isn’t so much about “getting over it” as it is incorporating these new emotions, absorbing what is necessary, and somehow finding the strength to remain the person you’ve always been.

Jason is a 24-year-old “Ad-Guy” who works at KDEC FM 100.5 in Decorah. Jason is excited for spring, as springtime in Decorah truly is special. Catch Jason on FM 100.5 weekend afternoons.