The idea that Irish sibling-band The Corrs is one of the most unique bands to have emerged in the 90s would be quite the understatement. Their power-pop template sprinkled with violin-driven Celtic embellishments, and lead singer Andrea Corr’s achingly beautiful vocal delivery made for an invigorating concoction – one that made the band global superstars. They reached their absolute commercial zenith in the early 2000s with their “In Blue” album (produced by the legendary Robert John “Mutt” Lange). In 2006, soon after their Irish-themed covers album “Home” was released, the band went on what felt like an indefinite hiatus until their surprise announcement this year of a new album titled “White Light” – which is now slated for release at the end of November 2015. Over the years, The Corrs have revealed a penchant for switching producers on every album (the only exception would be David Foster – who produced the band’s first two albums). This time, they have handed over the production reins to American producer John Shanks (known for his work on several recent Bon Jovi albums and the first two post-reunion Take That albums). The first result of that collaboration surfaced this morning on BBC Radio 2 with the airing of the new album’s lead single “Bring on the night“. The return is welcome if not earthshattering.
Stylistically, “Bring on the night” is reminiscent of the mid-tempo material on the groundbreaking “In Blue” album in its departure from a more Celtic sound to a more mainstream pop-rock sound. The song does not have an introduction. Lead singer Andrea Corr dives right into the first verse with her trademark vocals and sings the following lyrics:
I read the book you read
Tasted the words you said
Our stories darkening with time
One fading afternoon
Lyrically, the song explores the rather familiar themes of heartbreak and longing – something lead singer Andrea Corr conveys convincingly. Fans of The Corrs will most likely be pleased with the song. It showcases a lot (if not all ) of the trademark elements of the Irish quartet’s sonic formula. That being said, we cannot help but hope that “Bring on the night” is not the album’s highlight. While it makes a great album track, we question its ability to generate the momentum that a lead single should – especially given that the last album by the band released 9 years ago. In an ideal world, the band should carry the song and vice versa. Here, we feel like Andrea Corr and the siblings work hard to carry a song with a rather pedestrian melody and while that warrants merit, it just might not be enough. There is a hint of a violin section by Sharon Corr. This could have been expanded upon to elaborate on the melody component of the song. It feels like somewhat of a lost opportunity.
We do not claim to have any authority on the new single’s ability to make a dent on the charts. We had expressed similar skepticism with the John Shanks produced “Patience” – the comeback single by Take That. That song ended up ushering a glorious second chapter brimming with commercial highs for Take That. We hope we are wrong.
That being said, a pop music landscape with The Corrs in it is far better than one in which they are viewed as stars of yesteryear. We welcome them back with open arms but sincerely hope that “Bring on the night” is not the best they have to offer on the new album “White Light“. Until we find out, here is a full-length clip of “Bring on the night“:
STAR RATING: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Broadcasting Worldwide
We are an American internet radio station that broadcasts worldwide. The station features an eclectic mix of current pop and rock music from both sides of the Atlantic alongside hits, forgotten gems, and rarities from the last three decades. The music of The Corrs is a regular staple on our station. Alongside music by new artists, we play plenty of newer music by bands that rose to prominence in the 80s and the 90s. Noteworthy examples include Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, Robbie Williams, Lighthouse Family, Take That, Camouflage, Spandau Ballet, Jamiroquai, Suede, Dido, Dubstar, a-ha, George Michael, INXS, Depeche Mode, Johnny Hates Jazz, Simple Minds, and Culture Club.
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I was quite impressed with the song and I feel the perfect lead single to reintroduce the band.
@Scott: Thank you so much for the comment. I guess we have mixed feelings about this song being a lead single. I don’t know if it brings out what made the band unique to begin with. The Corrs had an unusual sound. They became global stars because they sounded like no one else. It wasn’t just Andrea Corr’s voice..but it was the entire package. We believe that some other elements of that package have been hidden in this song. The most obvious one is Sharon Corr’s violin sections. Just out of curiosity, how did you discover our radio station and blog?
I had never heard of the Corrs before. (Or if I had, I certainly didn’t remember the name.) So, I went and listened to some of their songs. “Breathless” sounded a bit familiar, so I think I’ve heard that one before, but I was never blown away by it.
A few comments:
* At both AllMusic and RateYourMusic.com, their “In Blue” album is not rated that high compared with their other albums.
* Of the half dozen songs I’ve now listened to by them, I think they all sound a bit too similar.
* Their new song is no less good than most of the others I’ve heard IMO. In fact, like it better than “Breathless.”
* The sound of this band reminds me way too much of that of Wilson Phillips. As AllMusic puts it: “The Corrs are more reminiscent of vocal pop group Wilson Phillips than traditional Irish bands like the Chieftains.”
I was never a fan of Wilson Phillips (I really only liked one of their songs), and so far, nothing I’ve heard by The Corrs makes me want to listen any further. 😉
I am in love with this song. I mean, I mean i have no word to explain this song.
Well done
I love it! I like the more mainstream pop/rock sound. I’m not so big on the Celtic influence.
John Shanks is an excellent producer. One of my favorite albums is the Spirit Room by Michelle Branch. I also like his work with Sheryl Crow.
@Frannie: I consider myself a John Shanks skeptic but I really like what he has done with the album for The Corrs. I have not heard the “Spirit Room” but now thanks to you mentioning it, I will definitely go ahead and check it out!
@Natalie: The song is pleasant but I can’t say it matches up to love songs like “Remember” and “what can I do”.
@Sam: My sincere apologies for the supremely delayed acknowledgment of your comment. It is interesting that you mentioned Wilson Philips. At first, I thought that was a crazy comparison but then it made sense – but primarily from the perspective of vocal harmonies. There is a distinct similarity on that dimension between the two acts – but in terms of the overall sound of the two acts,The Corrs blended far more elements than Wilson Philips did. Incidentally, Wilson Philips played a one-off gig in NYC recently. I was tempted to go since I still like songs such as “Hold on” and “You’re in love”. Thanks so much for the comment!