Whatever happened to Corinne Bailey Rae? (...& Some Singers to Tide You Over)

My friend, Stef (of the oh-so-wonderful and (sadly) private Salt and Pepper Blog), recently (read: Four months ago) asked me why I thought Corinne Bailey Rae never became more popular. After all, “Put Your Records On” was a freaking fantastic song. I told her I wasn’t quite sure. I dug CBR hard when her self-titled album came out a million years ago. I related to “I’d Like To” in a really unnatural way. The whole album was jazzy, sultry and sweet. So, what happened? To begin with, I think her next album, “The Sea” veered a little too off course for mainstream fans. It lacked the catchy hooks a good portion of her first album had in songs like “Like A Star” and “Put Your Records On.” Mostly, though, I think she just got lost in the ever swelling female vocalist storm surge.

While I’m sure she’ll be back some day soon, I thought I’d suggest a few girls I think are worthy of Stef’s attention while she waits for Miss Rae’s return. I’ll leave off Adele, because I know I’ve already blogged about her ad nauseam. But you should know she’s definitely at the invisible top of my list.

First, if you want something a little louder, check out Florence & The Machine. If you’re a Gleek, you’ll already know “Dog Days Are Over”-one of Flo’s more popular songs. But don’t let the pop-iness of the single sway you from checking out the rest of her repertoire. If you love a girl who can show some range (and I know Stef does)-Then you should love Florence & The Machine. Bonus Points: She’s as freakishly white as we are!

Next, look up Laura Marling. I’ve mentioned her before, too, but she’s still under the radar enough that I think she’s worth repeating. LM is three years younger than me and I’m afraid she’s far worldlier than I’ll be even three years from now. Aside from having a tragically beautiful voice, her lyricism is absolutely stunning. Her lyrics are the definition of “imagery”. Forget seeing a scene-LM makes you feel the cold souls haunting the room’s air and sink into the depression that brought on the song. Laura Marling is my go-to girl when I know I need to feel something but I’m not sure of what. To be fair, though, I owned both of her albums for quite awhile before I understood the full extent of her greatness. I urge you, if you’re not so sure the first time, to try again. And again. And again.

(*Yes. That is banjo you hear. And, yes, she does her own backing vocals.)

I was hooked on my third girl by the time I got through the very first chorus of the first song I ever heard from her. Abigail Washburn’s song, “Banjo Pickin’ Girl” is deceptively bluegrass for a girl that seems anything but. Just like her husband, the oh-so-awesome Bela Fleck, Abigail Washburn gives banjo with a classic calmness. In ‘Overture’ on ‘Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet,’ she even yodels with sophistication. There’s a sort of Asian feel to everything that comes from Abigail’s banjo. Then. She sings. She has some of the most unique vocal melodies I’ve ever heard. Her newest album, “City of Refuge,” is great for long, mellow drives.

Here’s Abigail at NPR's Tiny Desk...

There are a million more girls worthy of your time. Jessica Lea Mayfield makes the most sullen, stripped down music I’ve ever listened to…and I love it. It’s layered and delayed and it’s beautiful. Ellie Goulding puts all the other dance queens (J Lo, Britney, Lady G) to shame. Her lyrics are actually intelligent and meaningful, they just happen to be to a lot more tech’d out sound than most. “Guns + Horses” is one of my most favorite songs right now. Plus, she’s obviously cool or she wouldn’t have performed at the royal wedding reception at the end of April (oh, yeah, she’s British). Lastly, check out The Civil Wars and Seryn. Technically, they’re mixed gender groups, but their female vocals both have beautiful voices and both bands have exceptionally lovely lyrics. While Civil Wars consists of a fairly stripped down instrumentation, Seryn’s million and a half member band features a little bit of everything. Both bands, though, boast full, rounded sounds that I think are perfect for long road trips.

Hope that helps you fill the Corinne Bailey Rae void, S&P!

Lots of Love,

Me