English neo-soul singer Corinne Bailey Rae broke through in 2006 with her seductive, Norah Jones-ish hit “Put Your Records On” and a multi-platinum eponymous debut album. Four years later, Rae’s followup, The Sea, doesn’t boast a similar sure shot but is probably a stronger, more diverse album. Rae’s roots are varied — classical, jazz-soul, and indie rock all factor in her bio — and you can hear her stretch beyond neo-soul or vocal jazz here, with moody rock touches (“Are You Here?”) and funkier rhythm tracks (“Closer”) at times. But she still shines on more conventional soft-jazz/neo-soul vocal showcases such as “I’d Do It All Again” and “The Sea.” Corinne Bailey Rae plays the New Daisy Theatre Thursday, September 2nd. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is $21. — Chris Herrington
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