Corinne Bailey Rae [2 CD]

Disc 1
1	Like a Star 4:03
2	Enchantment 3:57
3	Put Your Records On 3:35
4	Till It Happens to You 4:38
5	Trouble Sleeping 3:28
6	Call Me When You Get This 5:04
7	Choux Pastry Heart 3:57
8	Breathless 4:15
9	I'd Like To 4:08
10	Butterfly 3:53
11	Seasons Change 4:55
Disc 2
1	Since I've Been Loving You 4:25
2	Emeraldine 4:34
3	Munich 3:59
4	Venus as a Boy 3:02
5	Another Rainy Day 3:17
6	Daydreaming 3:57
7	Enchantment Amp Fiddler Remix 3:24
8	I'd Like To Weekender Mix 3:30

Barnes & Noble

Trying to pigeonhole this British songstress is a little like trying to capture a runaway stream of mercury -- dub her a soul singer, and she goes off on a jazz tangent; decide she's a balladeer, and she'll belt out a brassy party-starter. That fluidity is mighty impressive, but it wouldn't mean a thing if Ms. Bailey Rae didn't have the staggering amount of swing that she imparts to the tunes on this, her acclaimed debut. "Put Your Records On," a bright and breezy celebration of music -- making it, listening to it, letting it creep into all parts of one's life -- is a pretty good indication of where the singer-songwriter is coming from, with its slowly percolating grooves and warm, inviting vocals. Rae's supple voice slips sensually through the verses of invitingly intimate tracks like the disc-opening "Like a Star" and burrows into the darker recesses of " 'Till It Happens to You" -- a track that reveals her familiarity with the classic works of Billie Holiday -- using her husky lower register to plow through the heavy emotional terrain. She certainly knows her way around that territory, but she also knows enough about it to recognize that listeners are generally more content to walk the sunnier side of the street -- and that's exactly where she takes them on songs like the beckoning "Call Me when You Get This," a track that finds her cozying up in a light blanket of meticulously arranged brass and reeds. She's been likened to singers as varied as Norah Jones and Sade -- and while those analogies make some sense on first listen, it doesn't take long to realize that Corinne Bailey Rae is a unique talent who merits a category all to herself. David Sprague

All Music Guide

When songstress Corinne Bailey Rae released her sashaying single "Put Your Records On" in her native U.K. it was a feel-good adult alternative phenomenon -- a kind of Norah Jones, Joss Stone, David Gray, or Macy Gray phenomenon. One listen to her breakout soft soul anthem and it's easy to hear why, since Rae is a mix of all the above, but not a contrived one concocted by some major label's scientist. Her self-titled debut sounds a wee rushed and sometimes meanders its way into background music territory, but this comfortable effort is pleasingly homegrown, warm, and poignant in parts, especially when Rae doesn't weaken her strong lyrics with space-filling "doo de do do do"s and "mmmmmmm"s. So if she doesn't make an Alicia Keys-size splash with her debut, she's still a breath of fresh air, and hardly a one-hit wonder. It's risky to open an album with a lazy ballad, but the great "Like a Star" paints Rae as Billie Holiday's pop-influenced granddaughter. Mellowing Style Council or Brand New Heavies fans should dig "Trouble Sleeping," while "Butterfly" beautifully captures the full range of emotions that come with leaving the nest. The well-written and direct "Butterfly" suggests Rae could release a more accomplished full-length someday, but attention to "feel" often seems like the driving force in this album's creation. Adjust your expectations accordingly and Rae's languid debut is very rewarding. [In early 2007, EMI reissued the album with a bonus disc featuring six new tracks and two remixes. Highlights include Amp Fiddler's stylish rework of "Enchantment," Rae's soft cover version of Björk's "Venus as a Boy," and her even softer take on the Editors' previously juiced hit "Munich." Fans of her debut would be cheating themselves if they didn't hear these clever tracks, so they should probably consider re-buying the album or hitting the download shops for these worthwhile add-ons.] David Jeffries

Rolling Stone

[Rae's] voice suggests a warmer, less weird Macy Gray, and she uses it without a hint of diva showiness on breezy, sometimes sleepy songs that evoke girls sassing back and forth in the sweet summertime. Christian Hoard

Boston Globe

[A] delightful album.... Rae's been blessed with a drowsy, lovely instrument and gifted with effortless soul that lifts tunes like "Call Me When You Get This" high above their breezy undertow. Joan Anderman

Los Angeles Times

A freshly minted soul artist whose breezy tunes stylishly blend modern and retro touches, ruminating without cliché on love lost, found and eagerly pursued. Natalie Nichols

San Francisco Chronicle

Her maiden voyage on disc...promises to make Rae one of the most talked-about new pop faces to arrive on this side of the pond in 2006. Lee Hildebrand

Hartford Courant

[Grade: A-] The fragile "Like a Star" and "Choux Pastry Heart" are Rae at her best, tapping into the same ethereal vibe [Erykah] Badu once exploited so well. Dan Leroy