Corinne Bailey Rae: The Love EP

Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Love EP” is exactly what the title suggests: a short, five-track collection of love songs. There are cover versions of Prince’s “I Wanna Be Your Lover”, Bob Marley’s “Is This Love”, Tanya Donnelly’s “Low Red Moon” and Paul McCartney’s “My Love”. However, the standout of the record is easily the final cut, a thirteen-minute live version of “Que Sera Sera” which features a soulful duet with John McCallum. The song starts slow, builds to a rousing climax, then fades away to a four-minute coda at the end. It’s a lovely rendition, and the singers’ voices intertwine beautifully.

Elsewhere, results are mixed. Prince’s tune kicks off the set and is heavy on the synths, blotting out Rae’s fine but delicate voice. “Low Red Moon” is unexpectedly rocking, with blasts of fuzzy guitar; again, Rae gets a little lost, but the song is undeniably catchy. The other songs are softer—”Is This Love” might be too soft—and bring the vocals right up front in the mix. If nothing else, Rae is to be commended for branching out and trying new styles, but it’s that final song that really makes this record worthwhile.