In a strange twist of fate, I fell in love with Corinne one day while strolling through the Virgin Megastore in Union Square. I spotted her cd and instantly thought I would like it (and her) based solely on the cover art (I'm superficial and shallow and tend to be drawn toward pretty things in pretty packaging...). 
Unfortunately, at that time, it was only available as a British import, and I'm not in the habit of paying $24 for a single cd...so I waited. Then I waited some more. Then I found out she was having a US cd release and jumped on it without hesitation. I was not disappointed. Moreover, I was actually kind of amazed that more people didn't know about her and I hyped her cd like I invented that sh*t myself! On September 23rd, I had the good fortune to see Corinne Bailey Rae perform at one of my favorite venues in New York City, Webster Hall. 
The old school charm and unimposing size of Webster Hall was well-suited to Corinne's music and personality.
She performed as if singing only
for her own amusement, most of the time with her eyes closed and a serene smile upon her face. More than once, she seemed genuinely startled out of her reverie by the applause at the end of a song, or if she opened her eyes briefly, by the room full of fans that were singing along to her every word. 
Every facial expression, every vocal inflection, every shrug of her shoulders, and every gesture of hand...Corinne gave the feeling that she'd invited you over for a cup of tea when her favorite song just happened to come on the radio, and she simply couldn't help but sing along.
Apart from the performance itself - which was effortlessly sweet and moving, endearing Corinne to all who watched and listened - the music was no less inspired. 
The
songs are sparsely, simply written, yet so truthful, one can't help but be moved by the emotion behind the words. Ever more unique, I find, Corinne's songs and voice have the ability to capture joy in a way that is often overlooked in a landscape of bump'n'grind ballads and emo-punk depressive rock torch songs. Even when the songs tend toward more melancholy territory (as in "Til It Happens To You" and "Seasons Change"), it is never in a woe-is-me vein, but rather, has the effect of your best friend giving you a big hug and saying, "Yeah, that really sucks. Just let it all out." If she comes to a city near you, do whatever you have to do to make sure you don't miss it. Now, when is that next album coming?...*sigh*This is actually from a show she did in Leeds, but I thought I'd spread the love anyway...enjoy!
Video courtesy of buttshak3r on youtube.
