The Corrs "Home" (Rhino 2006)

A return to their Roots for the Photogenic Irish Crew

Promoting an album as a return to “fond beginnings” and “new interpretations of traditional Irish songs” seems a little weird when 10 of the 12 tracks have an orchestra on them and three of the songs are by comtemporary writers. The Corrs have attracted an audience through their radio friendly AOR and undoubted sex appeal. Their music however has an ersatz quality at the best of times and here they all but smother any trace of empathy with the traditional music of their homeland. There are touches of the Celtic spirit, the ending of “Spancill Hill” for example where bodhran, tin whistle and fiddle conjure up a lively session but this is preceded by a syrup laden leaden thrump through this traditional song. Andrea Corr’s vocals don’t help, sounding cold, lacking dynamics and with poor control, you can hear her inhaling noisily before each next line, “Peggy Gordon” is rich in this, more diaphragm please. Breathing does not equal emoting. Of the contemporary songs “Heart Like a Wheel” is passable but their cover of Richard Thompson’s “Dimming of the Day” is abysmal with nasal vocals destroying memories of the original and Phil Lynott’s “Old Town” is reduced to an eighties type production with terrible piccolo trumpet inserts. Anyone wanting to hear some traditional Irish songs beefed up should head in the direction of Van Morrison and the Chieftains Celtic Heartbeat instead.

Date review added:  Friday, February 24, 2006
Reviewer:  Paul Kerr
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  The Corrs