| Black Rainbows | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 15 September 2023 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:34 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Corinne Bailey Rae chronology | ||||
| ||||
Black Rainbows is the fourth studio album by English singer and songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, released on 15 September 2023 by Black Rainbows Music and Thirty Tigers. It received acclaim from critics, and was nominated for the 2024 Mercury Prize. [4]
Bailey Rae stated that Black Rainbows was inspired by an exhibition on Black history by artist Theaster Gates at the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago that she attended, which "summoned thoughts about slavery, spirituality, beauty, survival, hope and freedom". [5]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 91/100 [6] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Mojo |  [3] |
| MusicOMH | [8] |
| NME | [1] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10 [9] |
| Record Collector | [2] |
| Uncut | 8/10 [10] |
Black Rainbows received a score of 91 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on seven critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [6] Uncut described it as "an inspired left turn", [10] while Mojo stated that "the music, which is characterised by extraordinary switches in style, reflects the diversity of the archive, morphing from bleepy electronic and futuristic R&B to churning garage rock with distorted megaphone vocals". [3] Record Collector 's John Earls wrote that Black Rainbows "magnificently roars around garage rock, jazz and even, on Erasure, Black Flag hardcore", concluding that "although Bailey Rae is hardly prolific – this is just her fourth album – she's worth the wait". [2]
Jordan Bassett of NME remarked that the album "swings from crunching glam-punk to skronking experimental jazz that wouldn't sound out of place on David Bowie's Blackstar . There are left turns, and then there's this." [1] MusicOMH 's John Murphy found it to be "a huge change in direction for Corinne Bailey Rae, a big, sprawling album that bounces between genres and flies off in directions you'd never expect". [8] Jon Pareles of The New York Times opined that Bailey Rae "boldly jettisons both pop structures and R&B smoothness to consider the scars and triumphs of Black culture" and its "songs flaunt extremes: noise and delicacy, longing and rage". [5] Allison Hussey of Pitchfork felt that "it sounds like a departure but feels like a renaissance", and the "softer turns on Black Rainbows feel nearest to Rae's earlier material, but those, too, subvert expectations". [9]
Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Andy Kellman compared it favourably to Bailey Rae's earlier work, writing that "although Black Rainbows is a uniquely conceptual work and sticks all the way out from" her prior albums, it is "at least as personal" as them, observing that "contrary to her reputation for making pillowy adult contemporary R&B, Bailey Rae started in a punk band that was hard enough to be courted by Roadrunner Records" and "Black Rainbows taps into that spirit more than once". [7]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Spell, a Prayer" | Corinne Bailey Rae | 5:26 |
| 2. | "Black Rainbows" |
| 1:57 |
| 3. | "Erasure" | Bailey Rae | 2:46 |
| 4. | "Earthlings" |
| 3:38 |
| 5. | "Red Horse" |
| 5:42 |
| 6. | "New York Transit Queen" | Bailey Rae | 1:49 |
| 7. | "He Will Follow You with His Eyes" | Bailey Rae | 3:45 |
| 8. | "Put It Down" |
| 8:29 |
| 9. | "Peach Velvet Sky" |
| 5:50 |
| 10. | "Before the Throne of the Invisible God" | Bailey Rae | 5:12 |
| Total length: | 44:34 | ||
Musicians
Technical
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [11] | 54 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC) [12] | 32 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [13] | 13 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [14] | 92 |
Corinne Jacqueline Bailey Rae is an English singer and songwriter. She is best known for her 2006 single "Put Your Records On". Bailey Rae was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2006 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2006. She released her debut album, Corinne Bailey Rae, in February 2006, and became the fourth female British act in history to have her first album debut at number one. The album has sold over four million copies. In 2007, Bailey Rae was nominated for three Grammy Awards and three Brit Awards, and won two MOBO Awards. In 2008, she won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Corinne Bailey Rae is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, released on 24 February 2006 by EMI. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Four singles were released from the album: "Like a Star", "Put Your Records On", "Trouble Sleeping" and "I'd Like To". Corinne Bailey Rae has sold over four million copies worldwide.
"Put Your Records On" is a song by the English singer Corinne Bailey Rae from her self-titled debut studio album (2006). Written by Bailey Rae, John Beck, and Steve Chrisanthou, it was released as the album's second single in February and early March 2006 throughout Europe and as the lead single in North America.
"Free" is a song by American singer Deniece Williams that was included on her album This Is Niecy. The song was written by Williams, Hank Redd, Nathan Watts and Susaye Greene and produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney.
"I'd Like To" is a song by English singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae from her self-titled debut studio album (2006). It was released on 12 February 2007 as the album's fourth and final commercial single. It was released digitally in Mexico on 19 February 2007. In the United States, the song was serviced to hot adult contemporary radio on 11 June 2007.
English singer and songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae has released four studio albums, one live album, four extended plays, 13 singles, one promotional single and 13 music videos.
The Sea is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae. It was released on 20 January 2010 by Virgin Records.
The Love EP is the fourth extended play (EP) by English singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae. It was released on 25 January 2011 by Capitol Records. The EP consists of five cover versions of love songs. Bailey Rae has described The Love EP as "an homage to some of my favourite musicians and a conversation between some of my musical influences". The first single, a cover of Bob Marley and the Wailers' "Is This Love", won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards.
Cheers to the Fall is the debut studio album by American singer Andra Day. It was released on August 28, 2015, by Warner Bros. Records and Buskin Records. She worked with Jenn Decilveo, Adrian Gurvitz, Rob Kleiner, Raphael Saadiq, and Chris Seefried in the production of this album.
Steve Chrisanthou is a British songwriter, music producer, and recording engineer. He is a Grammy Award, Ivor Novello Award and Brit Award nominee, and a MOBO Award winner for co-writing the song "Put Your Records On" with John Beck and Corinne Bailey Rae. In 2008, Chrisanthou won a National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences award for his vocal engineering on River: The Joni Letters, a Grammy Award-winning album by Herbie Hancock.
The Heart Speaks in Whispers is the third studio album by English singer and songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, released on 13 May 2016 by Virgin EMI Records.
We Are King, is an American R&B duo based in Los Angeles, California, consisting of twin sisters Amber and Paris Strother. Originally named King, the group also included their close friend Anita Bias. The Strother sisters are the nieces of the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based electric bluesman, Percy Strother, and are originally from Minneapolis.
The Ooz is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Archy Marshall, and his second album under the stage name King Krule. It was released on 13 October 2017 via True Panther Sounds and XL Recordings. The album incorporates elements of trip hop, R&B, punk rock, and jazz.
The Time Is Now is the seventh studio album by British singer Craig David, released on 26 January 2018. The album features guest appearances from JP Cooper, Bastille, AJ Tracey, Ella Mai, Kaytranada and GoldLink. The albums's first single, "Heartline", was released on 14 September 2017, through David's official YouTube account.
Hive Mind is the fourth studio album by American R&B band the Internet, released on July 20, 2018 by Columbia Records. It was preceded by the singles "Roll ", "Come Over" and "La Di Da".
Athena is the debut studio album by American musician Sudan Archives. It was released on November 1, 2019 under Stones Throw Records.
Lianne La Havas is the third studio album by English singer Lianne La Havas. The album was released on 17 July 2020. Released after a five-year hiatus and written following La Havas' break-up, the album was inspired by the life cycle of nature and its ability to thrive, go away, and come back stronger. Recording of the album took place between October 2019 and December 2019, with sessions taking place in London, Bath and New York. The album's production was handled by La Havas along with long-term collaborator Matt Hales, co-producers Beni Giles, Sam Crowe and guest co-producer Mura Masa.
The Loneliest Time is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen. It was released on October 21, 2022, through 604 Records in Canada, and School Boy and Interscope Records. The album was preceded by the release of its lead single, "Western Wind", which was followed by "Beach House", "Talking to Yourself", and the title track. The album received positive reviews and was placed in several lists of best of the year. In support of the album, Jepsen embarked on The So Nice Tour, which began in September 2022.
Falling or Flying is the second studio album by British singer Jorja Smith, released on 29 September 2023 through FAMM. The album was primarily produced by DameDame* and includes features from J Hus and Lila Iké. It marks Smith's first full-length album in five years and was preceded by the release of four singles: "Try Me", "Little Things", "Go Go Go" and "Falling or Flying".
Why Lawd? is the second studio album by American neo soul duo NxWorries, which consists of vocalist Anderson .Paak and producer Knxwledge. It was released physically on June 7, 2024, by Stones Throw Records, and was digitally released a week later on June 14, 2024.
