Returning after a two year hiatus, English singer-songwriter Corrine Bailey Rae's second album, 'The Sea', is definitely a progression from her debut. The album is intensely emotional, and often deals with the death of Rae's husband, who died in early 2008. 'The Sea' mixes jazz and rock influences in equal measure, being compared to the work of artists as varied as Marvin Gaye and Joni Mitchell, and includes the single 'I'd Do It All Again'.

Dec 2009

Almost four years after the release of Corinne Bailey Rae's four million-selling debut album, she makes a welcome return with her long-awaited second album 'The Sea'. Corinne's showcases a remarkable step forwards in the musical evolution of one of the most acclaimed artists of recent times.

Written in Corinne's own universe, away from influence and distraction, 'The Sea' is a creative leap that propels Corinne into a completely different musical realm. Early listeners have suggested a wide array of musical forebears including Curtis Mayfield, Jeff Buckley, Stevie Wonder, Björk, Marvin Gaye, Radiohead, Nina Simone and Pink Floyd, yet Corinne has crafted something entirely her own.

Her voice, always an expressive and soulful instrument, resonates with a poignant and new-found depth. Soaring and intimate, delicate and warm, there is power, grace and passion flowing through her vocals. Corinne sounds unlike anyone else; a genuine artist of our age and yet uniquely transcendent.

• Uncut - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The mood is established by 'Are You Here,' a gorgeously personal love song written in the midst of loss."
• Entertainment Weekly - "What makes it all work is her lithe voice, as eloquent an instrument as ever." -- Grade: B+