Album Review #11 - The Corrs - "Talk On Corners" (1997)

 

Album Review #11

 

Artist:  The Corrs

Album:  Talk On Corners

Year of Release:  1997

Grade:  4.5 / 5

 

Band Members

The Corrs:

Andrea Corr – lead vocals, tin whistle

Sharon Corr – violin, backing vocals

Caroline Corr – drums, bodhran, backing vocals

Jim Corr – guitars, keyboards, accordion, piano, backing vocals

 

Assorted musicians on individual tracks

 

Background

What happens when you make a movie about a fictional Irish soul band called The Commitments and a group of 4 siblings try out?  Well, the baby girl of the family gets a supporting role as the main character’s little sister while older brother Jim and older sisters Caroline and Sharon had small parts as musicians.  They were signed by John Hughes (not the director but Irish musician/manager) as The Corrs.  They had played together as a quartet in the aunt’s pub in Dundalk, Ireland.  After they performed in Dublin, they were asked by the US Ambassador to play at the 1994 FIFA Cup in Boston as well as the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.  They released their first album “Forgiven, Not Forgotten” which went to #1 in Ireland as well as platinum in the UK and Australia (4x Platinum in Ireland). 

 

They were under huge pressure to deliver a follow up and that is “Talk On Corners”.  They turned the album into Atlantic Records who hated it.  They sent the group back to the studio to continue recording.  The band mutinied and the label threatened to sue them.  Their manager believed in the album so much that he basically guaranteed that the album would be profitable.  This album was no sophomore jinx.  In fact, it became one of the largest selling albums of the 1990s as well as the biggest selling album in the UK by an Irish band (that includes U2).  However, the album had just mediocre sales in the US. 

 

What kind of band is this?  They are a pop rock band.  Not hard rock but fun, easy to listen to and tap your foot too.  Sometimes, it is easy to listen to the critics who claim it is three very good looking girls and their brother but they can write and perform.  Their fans are legendary.

 

 

Track Listing

1.      “Only When I Sleep” (The Corrs, Oliver Leiber, Paul Peterson, John Shanks)

2.      “When He’s Not Around” (The Corrs)

3.      “Dreams” (Stevie Nicks)

4.      “What Can I Do” (The Corrs)

5.      “I Never Loved You Anyway’ (The Corrs, Carole Bayer Sager)

6.      “So Young” (The Corrs)

7.      “Don’t Say You Love Me” (The Corrs, Sager, David Foster)

8.      “Love Gives, Love Takes” (The Corrs, Dane Deviller, Sean Hosein, Leiber, Stacey Piersa, Elliot Wolff)

9.      “Hopelessly Addicted” (The Corrs, Leiber, Shanks)

10.  “Paddy McCarthy” (The Corrs)

11.  “Intimacy” (Neil Geraldo, Rick Nowels, Billy Steinberg)

12.  “Queen of Hollywood” (The Corrs, Glen Ballard, Deviller, Hosein)

13.  “No Good For Me” (The Corrs)

14.  “Little Wing” (Jimi Hendrix)

 

 

Review

The opening track “Only When I Sleep” begins with an interesting guitar riff.  Andrea Corr’s vocals always sound kind sultry.  The song itself is about dreaming about their romantic partner that only exists in her dream.  So is it a fantasy or just missing someone?  That is the crux of the song.  Sharon’s violin adds a wonderful layer.

 

The second track “When He’s Not Around” has the harmonies that The Corrs are known for. The song itself is about missing someone and not being able to sleep or think straight. Caroline’s drums and Jim’s guitars are more front and center in this song.  Sharon’s violin deepens the track’s emotion.

 

The third track “Dreams” is a cover of the famous Fleetwood Mac song written and sung by Stevie Nicks.  It is hard to make a track like this your own but The Corrs do it and do it well with the Celtic musical inflections.  Andrea’s vocals are cleaner that the raspier Nicks.   I love Sharon and Caroline’s backing vocals that are (to me) superior to Fleetwood Mac’s. 

 

The great tracks keep coming with “What Can I Do”.  It opens up with some great guitar work by Jim.  It is all about unrequited love.  About whether to continue pining for that person and give up and walk away.  Once again, the harmonies are top notch.

 

 

“I Never Loved You Anyway” is a great song.  The song opens with Sharon’s violin.  The song is about a lover who is jilted and who wants to hit back.  Like “I’m glad you’re gone” kind of thing.  It has some humor (“Valentino, I don’t think so”).  I love the penny whistle sound.  Overall, this is an incredibly strong song.

 

 

Next up is “So Young”.  This is another outstanding song.  Pure pop goodness!  It opens up with harmonies with Caroline’s drums providing the beat with Jim’s guitar.  Sharon primarily wrote this song about their parents who were always young at heart.  It has such an optimistic feel.

 

 

“Don’t Say You Love Me” is a straightforward ballad.  The song is about a relationship that has ended but the singer isn’t sure whether to try again.  She wants it to last but the boy hasn’t decided what he wants to do.  Andrea’s vocals are strong and emotive.

 

 

“Love Gives, Love Takes” is about the ups and downs of relationships.  Love hurts and love heals.  The joy of falling in love and then the pain of falling out of love.  This is a decent song but the strength of other songs on the album really outshines this one.   

 

 

“Hopelessly Addicted” is a great song.  The song itself is about seeing someone in a new way and being blown away by it.  The lead vocals and backing vocals are top notch.  Caroline’s drums punctuate the mood.  Sharon’s violin plays beautifully in the moment.

 

 

“Paddy McCarthy” is an instrumental that shows off their Irish folk sound.  It has a feel to it that puts a smile on your face. 

 

The next song is “Intimacy”.  This song is just an ok song for me.  It is about being in a close relationship but not an intimate one.  While I appreciate the vocals and instrumentation, it fails to move me.

 

“Queen of Hollywood” is a wonderfully sung track about the tragedy of dreams.  About a girl who wants to be a star but finds herself in prostitution.  It is a haunting tale.  Andrea’s vocals are filled with emotion.  Caroline, Sharon, and Jim’s backing vocals provide a good backdrop.

 

 

“No Good For Me” is about a misplaced love.  The singer loves someone who loves someone else.  Wanting to be held and loved while knowing that he truly loves someone else.

 

The album closer “Little Wing” is a cover of a Jimi Hendrix song (also covered famously by Cream). With a Celtic influence rather than a pseudo-psychedelic version of the original, it really transforms the song.  It provides a modern ballad take of the song.  The understated guitar by Jim provides unexpected power to the song.