The Corrs,
In Blue
(Atlantic, 2000)


OK, so there is no trace of blue in any of the Corrs' outfits on the cover. The Irish sibling quartet consisting of Andrea, Caroline, Sharon and Jim look sleek and hip beyond compare, but the only blue I see is perhaps the zipper on Jim's coat. It must be a symbolic thing. What they have to be blue about is truly beyond me, because this album showcases their talent very well. The album is full of upbeat and uplifting music to brighten your day.

As the opening notes of "Breathless" struck me, I could hear that this album was not going to disappoint me. Like many of the songs on this album, "Breathless" is a story of someone so happy and in love that they can't think about anything else. "Give Me A Reason" is a great song with a fantastic bridge and a chorus that goes for the jugular.

"Somebody for Someone" is a beautiful sounding plea for those who are looking for someone to love. This one has great, poetic lyrics ("There's a deep girl in the corner shop / Selling sugar for money in the dead of the night.") And Sharon has a wonderful violin solo. Very pretty. "Say" has that electric piano and wonderful harmony that gives it a retro feel. "All The Love In The World" is not terribly original, sort of a typical love ballad, but it's still easily listenable, especially to get the next song, "Radio." First heard on the Unplugged album, this is a funkier version which I like just as much. "Irresistible" is in the same frame of mind as "Breathless," another happy, up-tempo love song.

If there's a song that I'd skip, it would be "One Night." It's just too unoriginal and a little boring. "All In A Day" suffers a bit from the same problems, but it has a cool violin riff that I'm partial to. While "At Your Side" was a favorite of mine on Unplugged, I was disappointed by this new version. The song itself is still a great uplifting tune, and it could be a happy ending for "Somebody for Someone."

OK. Back to good stuff. Andrea's vocal talent is displayed wonderfully in "No More Cry," with a cool bridge that rocks out. Umm ... skip "Rain." Well, the lyrics are pretty good, but the music is lacking. "Give It All Up" is a cool song, with a neat horn accompaniment; fun stuff. Another song where Andrea displays her vocal range is "Hurt Before," and you can hear her beautiful Irish accent to full effect. It tells the story of a young woman who is trying to brave the world after a painful experience. And the instrumental "Rebel Heart" (I love their instrumentals, and I wish there were more of them) is a soothing song that could easily be the soundtrack for some bank commercial. Seriously! While listening to it, read this out loud: "At Scotia Bank, we care about you as much as we care about your money. We help you plan for a brighter future. Sure, you won't have money today, but at least you won't be eating cat-food in 25 years."

If there are any complaints, it's that the Corrs seem to be converting to pop-music more and more, and losing the Celtic sound that I loved so much in their first album. But the good news is that they do "pop" very well. This album has very layered sound, and the vocals are top-notch as usual. It's a great album that definitely won't leave you feeling blue.




Rambles.NET
music review by
Patrick Derksen


8 September 2000


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