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Corinne Bailey Rae Just wondering if she's been discussed here yet? Her style is very grassroots folky R&B. Her new song "Like A Star" is getting some pretty decent video rotation on VH-1 Soul. Her voice is very subtle and raspy instead of powerful and she has a Macy Gray-ish softness but some would say she is more "marketable" (industry talk for easier on the eyes). She's a British born songstress not unlike Floetry but her sound is very different from them.
Anybody feelin' her? 
http://www.myspace.com/corinnebaileyrae http://www.corinnebaileyrae.net/ I've been revisiting Lina lately, so I haven't delved into this record yet. So far, I'd equate her to someone like Goapele. | |
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You know what - I REALLY wanted to like her but when her first record came out it gradually crept up on me....she can't sing.
Sure - at first it sounds like a unique style but then it becomes more and more obvious that it sounds like somebody singing along to soembody elses records...and her album is more of the same. Its a real shame because we are in need of decent young talent But thats just my opinion | |
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I dunno but my friend been downloading her stuff.. Straight Jacket Funk Affair
Album plays and love for vinyl records. | |
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I think people have become a bit high-standardish about singing these days. Personally, I don't think a great song has to be delivered by a great singer if the singer wrote the song. Look at Bob Dylan. I can't stand his voice personally but I have nothing but respect for him as a songwriter. Its become commonplace to expect the wailing of huge boisterous notes or full scale riffs of one word as a measurement of singing these days and shows like American Eye-dull co-sign that to the fullest. If that were the only measure of talent, we'd never get good songs. (I'm not saying that's how you feel personally, just that it seems to be a general consesnus these days). Like I said, I haven't delved into her CD yet but I will and then I'll give an opinion. I didn't like Goapele's voice and had dismissed her as just another pretty little mixed chick doing grassroots/granoala R&B until I heard "First Love". She shows potential. I haven't ruled Corinne out yet either. Personally, I don't think every singer has to have great vocal skill. Anyone has the right to express themselves. Not everyone singing is going to be Luther Vandross or Patti LaBelle. I just have a dislike for POP singers who can't sing. If you're going to be mediocre at singing, please be singing about something! Be singing because you wrote a great song ad you feel it, not just because you want the world to be your karaoke audience. | |
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I just meant she doesnt have anything unique enough about her to carry of the fact that she has a poor voice.
We see on X-factor/Pop Idol week after week people her age who can sing thier asses off. If she writes good lyrics (which she doesnt) become a song writer | |
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So the ability to carry a tune equals a "poor" voice in your opinion? I ask because it's not like Rae's straining to hit notes that rest comfortably in her natural singing range. Her tone isn't grating or weak. She can "carry her tunes" quite well, if you ask me.
She's not going to set the world on fire with her vocal prowess, but those aren't her cards. | |
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See, that's exactly what I mean. Just because someone sings well doesn't mean that the "better singers" are the only ones who deserve the spotlight. If you write a song that you feel is important to you, why shouldn't you sing it yourself if you can? Her voice is not unbearable like Lumidee or William Hung. Singing is a form of expression. By junk pop t.v. standards, only pop-ish, formulated singers should be singing. I personally believe in expression as an art. There are plenty of okay singers with really good songs. I haven't gotten into Corinne yet, so I can't say whether or not I think her songs are good but in my opiniion MeShell N'Degeocello is not a great singer but she's good enough to express herself. Dwele is mild compared to a lot of his counterparts but I like his material. Macy Gray is not conventional vocally but she has some good cuts. Its all subjective. | |
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I'm not following you dude. | |
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chuckaducci said: I'm not following you dude.
My reply was to PurpledoveUK's post. I agree with what you said. She can carry a tune. I haven't listened to her closely enough to determine whether or not she's a good writer yet but she's not a horrible singer. | |
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BlaqueKnight said: Look at Bob Dylan. I can't stand his voice personally but I have nothing but respect for him as a songwriter.
The Dylan example makes the point perfectly. It's about delivering a strong lyric. In a way, with a strong lyric, it could be better if the vehicle is not a technically great singer. The focus then goes to story being told. tA  Tribal Disorder
http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431 "Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
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The "Bob Dylan's great for lyrics but not for vocals" argument is tired. His voice on Nashville Skyline and John Wesley Harding is just fine, imo.
Given the proper context and/or genre, Dylan's voice isn't as atrocious as people say it is. | |
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chuckaducci said: The "Bob Dylan's great for lyrics but not for vocals" argument is tired. His voice on Nashville Skyline and John Wesley Harding is just fine, imo.
Given the proper context and/or genre, Dylan's voice isn't as atrocious as people say it is. A subjective argument. I personally don't find Dylan's voice "atrocious". He's just not a technically great singer by any stretch of the imagination. tA Tribal Disorder
http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431 "Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
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chuckaducci said: So the ability to carry a tune equals a "poor" voice in your opinion? I ask because it's not like Rae's straining to hit notes that rest comfortably in her natural singing range. Her tone isn't grating or weak. She can "carry her tunes" quite well, if you ask me.
She's not going to set the world on fire with her vocal prowess, but those aren't her cards. Thats what I meant by just my opinion...to me she does grate and cant sing any better than the average girl at the bus stop...she has an everyday voice. If she gets a cd deal then good for her...its just a good job that everybody her standard and above doesnt get a deal or tehyd have to put up alot more new shelves in HMV. And if you mean by 'not her cards' that shes doing the best she can with what she's been delat then maybe she shoudlnt be a singer....I can wite a stort or 2 but Im not good enough to get published | |
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Rae's voice is grating? I'm not sure if I agree with that. Her vocal tone does have some bits of a rasp, but overall, her tone is similar to Norah Jones. Again, she's not straining to hit her notes; I don't know how you can find her grating.
And if you mean by 'not her cards' that shes doing the best she can with what she's been delat then maybe she shoudlnt be a singer....I can wite a stort or 2 but Im not good enough to get published
But she is a singer, with a record contract. But let's say that she isn't a good singer but she is making the best of what she's got: If you adopted her perspective, although you don't consider yourself as a good writer, you'd find a way to get your writings published, just as she's found a way to get her "poor" voice a record contract. [Edited 3/19/06 14:20pm] | |
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theAudience said: chuckaducci said: The "Bob Dylan's great for lyrics but not for vocals" argument is tired. His voice on Nashville Skyline and John Wesley Harding is just fine, imo.
Given the proper context and/or genre, Dylan's voice isn't as atrocious as people say it is. A subjective argument. I never said it wasn't. What's your point? I personally don't find Dylan's voice "atrocious".
He's just not a technically great singer by any stretch of the imagination. Singing is an art form but one that contemporarily doesn't always include great technique or the quest for great technique. C'mon man; you and I both can list a thousand singers who have poor technique but remain celebrated vocalists. Emoting, although it shouldn't be the focal point of singing, is a necessary quality in pop music. Dylan was pretty damn good at doing that. | |
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chuckaducci said:[quote] theAudience said: I never said it wasn't. What's your point? I personally don't find Dylan's voice "atrocious".
He's just not a technically great singer by any stretch of the imagination. Singing is an art form but one that contemporarily doesn't always include great technique or the quest for great technique. C'mon man; you and I both can list a thousand singers who have poor technique but remain celebrated vocalists. Emoting, although it shouldn't be the focal point of singing, is a necessary quality in pop music. Dylan was pretty damn good at doing that. My points were simply observations. You find his Nashville Skyline & John Wesley Harding vocals fine and I find them a bit odd. Odd compared to how he used to sing. But that's his business. Again, just an observation. My ear tends to prefer the technical singers however I can accept the fact that there are other ways to deliver a vocal. tA Tribal Disorder
http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431 "Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
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Gotcha' baby.
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