On the record: Corinne's sea view (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

On the record: Corinne's sea view

7:00am Saturday 6th February 2010

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It's been a long-time coming and now Corinne Bailey Rae releases the follow up to her debut album. How will it compare? Elsewhere, indie darlings Los Campesinos! and rap-master Lil Wayne return. Read on to see whether they're worth investing in.

Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea.

It is four years since Corinne Bailey Rae's eponymous debut album of happy jazz tunes was released, loaded with carefree hits Like A Star and the summertime anthem Put Your Records On. In the intervening years, the Grammy-nominated 30-year-old has been to the dizzy heights of stardom, and the depths of despair when she lost her musician husband Jason to an accidental drugs overdose in 2008. Her second album The Sea clearly reflects her emotional journey. Lead single I'd Do It All Again was written two months before Jason died, after the pair had a fight. It's a heartbreakingly soulful track, a mature departure from her earlier music, and aptly sums up the entire minor key-driven album. Are You Here combines the lightness of a simple guitar riff, with Bailey Rae's soaring, yearning vocals, while Paris Nights/New York Mornings is even more upbeat. The record has been therapeutic for her and, while many lyrics touch on pain and death, it has a hopeful feel, with the elegant muse on spirituality I Would Like To Call It Beauty at the heart of it.

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Kate Whiting).

Family Force 5 - Family Force 5 (mini album).

They're already confirmed for Cobra Starship's upcoming tour, now the Christian emo-electronica group Family Force 5 release this mini album. There are six tracks on the album and none of them are particularly inspired or believable. As much as they sing about how much they like to "keep the party alive and stay up all night" (Keep The Party Alive) you can't help but think they're probably all tucked up by 9pm after a strenuous evening on the X-Box. The mini album is full of vocal effects, which in places (such as on Share It With Me) shows good production skills. This album will most likely appeal to teenagers who want an alternative to pop without going too far down the indie route.

Rating: 6/10 (Review by Polly Weeks).

Official Soundtrack - Oil City Confidential.

This soundtrack to the film Oil City Confidential is about life in Canvey Island in the 1970s and the success of local band Dr Feelgood. As such it's not surprising the majority of the songs featured are those of the pub-rock band. It includes all of their classics such as Back In The Night and Roxette. In addition to the 20 Dr Feelgood tunes there are also songs by groups who inspired the band - two Johnny Kidd & The Pirates tunes and one by The Paramounts. If you're not a fan of Dr Feelgood this won't be the soundtrack for you, but if you want to have all of their best known tunes - some performed live on one album - then it's worth investing.

Rating: 7/10 (Review by Polly Weeks).

The Postmarks - Memoirs At The End Of The World.

Imagine being given a beautifully wrapped box of chocolates with a shiny ribbon around it, intricate swirls on every sweet and a 'menu' of flavours under the lid complete with fancy fonts? Now imagine putting one in your mouth and finding out it is just Rolo. Listening to The Postmarks' new album produces a similar sense of deflation. Everything about it is wonderfully put together: A suitably grandiose title, lovingly retro packaging and the crispest of production. Then there are the songs. Thoroughly inoffensive and, like a Rolo, perfectly fine. But there is no wit and little panache and the recurring orchestral rushes scream style over substance.

Rating: 5/10 (Review by Rory Dollard).

Los Campesinos! - Romance is Boring.

Fans of the raucous and energetic sound of Los Campesinos! will not be disappointed by their latest offering, which is, thankfully, not too drastic a departure for this indie seven-piece from Cardiff. On their second official album (they refused to give that label to their previous release We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed) singer Gareth offers plenty of biting, in-your-face lyrics ("I think we need more post-coital and less post-rock" starts Straight In At 101 as it means to go on), delivered in fierce vocals that sound like he means them. The punchy title track will have you singing along at first listen, while the sublime The Sea Is A Good Place To Listen To The Future proves the band can pack an emotional punch. Anything but boring.

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Diana Pilkington).

UB40 - Labour Of Love IV.

Ali Campbell may no longer be part of the group but with his brother Duncan taking control of the vocals, UB40 return with another instalment of their Labour Of Love series. With 14 cover songs this is essentially the kind of album you spot in the bargain bucket of a motorway service station album. You're drawn in by the great artists mentioned on the cover only to find once you've set off on the long drive that actually you didn't look closely enough and it's all bland covers rather than the originals. The album includes covers of Smokey Robinson's Tracks Of My Tears, Sam Cooke's Bring It On Home To Me and Delroy Wilson's Close To Me tune. None of the covers come close to the quality of the original tunes and it will take a hardened UB40 fan to rate this album.

Rating: 4/10 (Review by Polly Weeks).

Various Artists - Strictly Rhythm.

This is Strictly with a difference. Over the past two decades, independent label Strictly Rhythm has been behind countless house music dance floor fillers, underground classics and chart hits. This self-titled anniversary album celebrates 20 years since the label was established. The classics have been given a contemporary rework by current pioneering producers. Michel Cleis remains faithful to the original on Latino track Love & Happiness by River Ocean Featuring India, while Nicola Fasano & Steve Forest have given commercial hit King Of My Castle by Wamdue Project a stomping, anthemic overhaul. Many of the tracks are crying out to be mixed but instead are frustratingly faded out. Still, there's plenty of blasts from the past across the house music styles. There are deliciously deep tracks - Deep Inside by Hardrive and the heady classic, Witch Doktor by Armand Van Helden, alongside the more soulful Free by Ultra Nate, remixed by Bob Sinclar.

Rating: 6/10 (Review by Tori Mayo).

Barry White - Unlimited.

With Valentine's Day around the corner, it is entirely appropriate Universal Music have chosen to release this expansive Barry White box set. With four CDs there's plenty of material to get through, the first disc is full of alternative versions of his classics such as You're The First, The Last, My Everything and Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe. The second disc continues this theme and with special versions and re-mixes, it lends itself to the 70s. Disc three sees his releases from the Love Unlimited Orchestra, and without White's vocals dominating on the 14 tunes, it highlights his piano and production skills. The fourth disc houses tunes which White produced for other artists such as Jay Dee, Quincy Jones and Tina Turner. Add to that a DVD with music videos and bonus clips and you've got yourself an exceptional collection!

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Polly Weeks).

Ke$ha - Animal.

She featured on Flo Rida's Right Round single, and now the American singer releases her own album, Animal. Essentially it's Miley Cyrus rebelling. Pure pop tunes are mixed in with contentious lyrics such as on first album track Your Love Is My Drug where she sings "My steez is gonna be affected, if I keep it up like a lovesick crackhead". While it's meant to be shocking and show she's a real party girl, at times the album verges on a sounding like a spoilt rich girl with no grasp on reality. Some other tunes such as Blah Blah Blah are instantly addictive and will be dancefloor hits. Regardless of the material, Ke$ha does have a great vocal ability, it seems she's just got too caught up in trying to stand out.

Rating: 6/10 (Review by Polly Weeks).

Lil Wayne - Rebirth.

His last album Tha Carter III won eight Grammy Award nominations, and now the Louisiana rapper takes a change of direction with a rock-rap album - and it's an exciting listen. It would be easy for this release to be cheesy but it seems Wayne has done his homework and it's a success. While many of the tunes feature other artists, it's when he's left to his own devices that Lil Wayne shines. Such as the tunes Paradice and Ground Zero - the vocal effects may be over the top but the tunes are well produced and highlight Lil Wayne's multi-genre ability. The rap superstar mixes things up again with Nicki Minaj on pop tune Knockout which sounds like it should be the theme tune to a teen flick.

Rating: 7/10 (Review by Polly Weeks).

Singles by Polly Weeks.

:: Corinne Bailey Rae - I'd Do It All Again She's had a hard couple of years but now Corinne Bailey Rae returns with this dark and beautiful single.

:: I Blame Coco feat Robyn - Caesar Regardless of the fact her parents are Sting and Trudie Styler this debut song from Coco Sumner, is very promising. Very promising indeed.

:: Marina And The Diamonds - Hollywood She's been labelled as one to watch this year and this tune doesn't do her chances of breaking through to the mainstream any harm at all.

On the road.

:: Hailing from London's Forrest Gate, rapper Plan B heads on a nationwide tour in April. He begins at Bristol's Anson Rooms on April 8 and finishes at Shepherds Bush Empire on Friday April 16.

:: We may only be one month into the year but Katie Melua is planning ahead and has just announced she'll be heading out on an extensive European tour in October. The UK leg of the tour begins on December 4 at Manchester's Apollo and she finishes at Bristol's Colston Hall just before Christmas on December 21.

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