The Corrs Album: “Talk on Corners”

This review has been a long time comin'. I first stumbled upon the Corrs by accident way back in March of this year, sometime around St. Patrick's Day. While channel surfing, I was able to watch the last half of their live performance at the Royal Albert Hall (somewhere in Europe). I believe this was way before their U.S. appearances on SNL and Rosie. It was quite a surprise to discover something different for a change, aside from what was usually heard playing on the radio everyday, at that time. Despite the fact that they're Irish, the Corrs' sound is so unique that I became an instant fan. Hence, I decided to order the video of the performance and this, the "special edition" cd. If you haven't seen the Corrs live, this cd is the next best thing. A majority of the songs are the same ones from the live performance I saw, even though they're the studio session/remix versions. Despite this, the music on the cd sounds great in its own right, whether you keep it in the car, at work, or on your playlist at home. Even though this is a re-release version of their second outing, you won't be disappointed. It's one of my favorites, make it yours.

Album 2 1/2 from The Corrs is a mixed blessing. If you have previous Corrs albums, this one may be a bit of a departure from what you are used to, while if you are new to The Corrs, you might get a different impression of their origins. Talk on Corners Special Edition is a remix of their sophmore album of the same name after some tweekings to get the sound to appeal towards a more club and pop audience. Depending on your musical taste this may be a better or worse sound than their previous releases, but still brings the mix of classic Irish ballads and trend setting pop together in a fine collection of songs. Most impressive are Dreams(a Fleetwood Mac remake done for the dance club scene), Runaway(from their debut album remixed), and I Never Really Loved You Anyway which all highlight the beautiful voice of Andrea Coors as well as the many talents of the rest of the family. For other Americans, PBS has been running a taped show of The Corrs Live from Prince Albert Hall from their 1998 St. Patrick's Day concert in London which really shows The Corrs at their best which is live in concert. Overall another solid effort from the hottest Irish import since U2.

First off, I'm trying to find the "Original" Talk on Corners. This special edition literally angers me; beautiful music, lyrics, and singing set to a drum machine. It's almost as if someone (Probably Corr's management) was desperate to make The Corrs into pop stars in the US. I can picture them now - mixing Britanny Spears CD with the Corrs... Yea, it's a hit!

Irish music normally makes one want to jump up and dance. This music is intended to be played at a dance club, not an Irish pub. The difference is much more powerful than my feeble words are conveying.

Beyond the hated drum machines (Do The Corrs not have an accomplished drummer? Of course they do.) the lyrics and harmonies are right on with what I expect from The Corrs. The gifted playing that is almost but not quite covered up by the inhuman beat-box mixes is a joy to find, when you can uncover it.

If you like dance/techno then this might be a CD that is close enough to your style of music, but different enough to be unique. Otherwise, I'd recommend Forgiven Not Forgotten or the fabled Original Talk on Corners that I think exists only as an import. If it doesn't, don't tell me. I need that hope.

Once upon a time, there was a band from Ireland called the Corrs. They had talent, style and personality. Unfortunately, their brilliant music was ignored until they mixed their songs and remarketed them - hence, what is now known as "Special Edition." Genuinely talented, with lots of brilliant songs, the Corrs are unmistakeably Ireland's best export. The album is moody, with the brilliant "What Can I Do" remixed by Tin Tin Out and Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" helps boost that dangerously dull mid-point of the album. You cannot help but want to cuddle Andrea Corr when you hear her singing her need for "Intimacy" and Hendrix's "Little Wing" is poetic. The whole "special" lark eclipses the original "Talk on Corners" album which is remarkable in the groups' own right. Only "Dreams" can qualify for the real improvement, but it is still an easy going, entertaining musical journey. All hail the Irish band who hold a place in all our hearts. Enjoy.

Despite all the complaints about this being inferior to the original release (and ok, it is... a little) it's still a great Corrs album, and the only version you could really find in the states. The main difference, aside from some song changes, is in the increased pop style of the production which takes away a bit from their Celtic sound. Compared to your average pop though.. man does this sound good.

With gems like "Only When I Sleep", "What Can I Do", "Queen of Hollywood", "So Young", and "Hopelessley Addicted", what can you really complain about? They do keep some of the Celtic sound, especially on songs like the instrumental "Paddy McCarthy", "I Never Loved You Anyway" and the remake of "Runaway" from their debut. They even do a very passable rendition of Stevie Nicks "Dreams", successfully pushing it towards the dance floor.

The sisters sound great, and this is a very enjoyable pop album with that Celtic feel that made their debut album such a smash. (also reccomended) The Corrs are still up and coming artists, and although I wasn't terribly impressed with "In Blue", I have to believe they've got some great music left to make.