Hope you are all enjoying your summer!
It's that time again. Album review time, and this one is one of my personal favourites. Alternative, beautiful, natural hair advocate Corinne Bailey Rae. You might remember her from " Put Your Records On" and "Like A Star" from her self-titled album. As time has gone on so has her personal style and music taste and I'm so pleased to be reviewing and listening to this complete album for the first time. It's been a long time and she's back.
So let's get to it. The Heart Speaks In Whispers has 16 tracks and is1 hour and 15 minutes. I'm anticipating this will be 1 hr 15 of musical bliss. But as always my album reviews are in "real time" so lets see. The first song "Skies Will Break" is good. It has a mix of electropop and rock along with her usual soft voice and is truly transformative. It has a steady tempo but is more of a fast song. Addmitedly I've heard track 2 before. ( many, many times before) and it has to be one of my favourite songs this summer. "Hey, I Won't Break Your Heart" is lyrically beautiful and honest. Starting off with a simple guitar and piano melody mirroring a lullabye it's has a slow peaceful tempo. It's rhythm reflects it's lyrics " Love is more hesitant the second time". Halfway through it becomes much more soulful with the addition of harmonies and soft drums. It's easy to be immersed in the romance of the song. It's a slow song but not a ballad. Track 3 is fun, definitley got more of a jazz vibe. It seems every song has a different genre. The jazz instrumental with horns and trumpets adds to the overall smooth calm vibe.
This next song was so different I thought it was an advert. Corinne just created a pick n mix of genres and I 'm taken by surprise each time. It starts of with hands rhythmically clapping along with distinct percussions. Especailly agogo bells and cowbells. This one has a very tribal sound to it.
Moving on to Track 5- The album is amazing but it almost seems like a collection of singles than an album. Despite the clear storyline of love being followed in each track there seems to lack a sense of continuation between the genres. Track 5 is like a country song. Acoustic guitar. It has a 2012 Lady Antebellum kind of vibe.
Track 6 is clearly a sensual, smooth jazz track it's slow and something to sway to. It's called "Green Aphrodisiac". I'm listening to this as it's raining outside and it sort of compliments the theme of the song: Delicate, peaceful, natural.
The mood continues to change as we move on to Track 7 "Horse Print Dress" has me BOPPING. It's a light , fun, pop track and definitley a dance track for a party.
Next up is Track 8 " another jazz track but more like "Quiet Storm" ( genre) than the others. It has much more of a loose instumental style and fluid rythm. I'm finally starting to get a sense of continuity from the album.
Track 14 " Ice Cream Colours" is really sweet. (pun not intentional) it has elements of doo-wop making it a happy and up-beat ways to wound up the album.
Lets talk about Track 15 - it is a heart-felt ballad emphasisng the doubt and unpredictability of the end of a crossroads in a relationship. It reminds me of Adele in many ways the songs/ singer's ability to translate feelings and understanding about love without directly experiencing. Thats what music is supposed to do, take you to a place, put you in a situation. Express emotion.
The final track "Push On For The Dawn" definitley does that. Expressing that glimmer of light and hope. The use of harps and windchimes in a simple 2 chord instrumental part at the end at the end gives it a heavenly feel, as if memories are being replayed and a door to the future is being opened.
My overall view: The album, although varying in genres compensated with the continuation of a personal journey. Honestly portraying vunreability, happiness and heartbreak. This is the story of love and is communicated clearly and wonderfully through strong instremuntation and artistic vocal techniques. If you like variation in your music this is the album for you as it's simply a rainbow of musical genres combined. I'd say it's another piece of art for Corinne Bailey Rae and each individual track has it's own awesome style so it's guranteed you'll fall in love with at least one song.
Her album is available everywhere so give it a listen! and as always, thank you for reading!
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