Almost a year to the date,
Corinne Bailey Rae follows
The Sea with a covers EP. It’s a light stop-gap to hold fans over until
Rae’s third album. Given the circumstances of
The Sea, it’s all the more enjoyable to hear the singer indulge herself and have a little fun with a set of favorites. Some extra-noodly synthesizer work aside,
Prince’s flirty 1979 single “I Wanna Be Your Lover” is played straight. “Low Red Moon” rocks a bit harder than the
Belly original.
Bob Marley's “Is This Love” gets a Southern-style, gospel-tinged makeover, while
Paul McCartney & Wings' “My Love” gets a simple, stripped-down reading. A loose but quietly burning version of “Que Sera Sera” -- stretched out to 13 minutes -- comes from a 2010 performance at Washington, D.C.’s 9:30 Club and features some great vocal interplay between
Rae and guitarist John McCallum. ~ Andy Kellman