There's a special energy when the Corrs play in front of an audience in Ireland and it hasn't been this obvious since their Lansdowne Road performance. They show remarkable confidence and energy in this liveVH1 recording, recorded January 25, 2002 at Ardmore Studios in Wicklow, Ireland. This was the same studio in which they recorded their previous VH1 Unplugged album.
Would You Be Happier, which was previously unreleased until last year's Best of the Corrs album, is a great start with a simple, yet profound message, and it's become one of my favorite songs. This show's new arrangement of Breathless, already one of their biggest worldwide hits, has a more rock edge and benefits from the capable backing of the Irish Film Orchestra. The song takes on a new and larger scale because of it and is the best I've heard them play it yet.
When the Stars Go Blue, with Bono of U2, is a great track. If they don't release it as a single, they'll be missing a golden opportunity! Comparing it to some of the insipid hit duets featuring Jennifer Lopez, it blows them away. Bono is also enjoyably featured in Summer Wine. Andrea Corr and Bono show a genuine chemistry and obvious professional regard for each other. Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones makes an appearance on their rendition of Jimi Hendix's Little Wing with a rousing electric guitar solo. Contrary to the Editorial Review, he DOES also play on the album's final track, the Rolling Stones Ruby Tuesday, and is credited as such on the jacket. Only this time he's playing an acoustic guitar and doesn't get the splashy solo to make it obvious. Joy of Life, Runaway, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, and Radio are songs we've heard before. They're all enthusiastically and capably delivered here, as is So Young, one of their most famous songs. All of the songs benefit from the additional presence of the orchestra. Just as on Unplugged, I think I would have preferred to hear the orchestra a bit more loudly, as the recording has the Corrs and guests clearly out in front, so the effect is more subtle than obvious. You just notice that the songs seem larger and deeper than before.
The recording is top notch, made all the more remarkable by the fact that it hit store shelves only six weeks after being recorded. It was mixed by Bob Clearmountain and mastered by Bob Ludwig, two giants in the recording industry. They're widely regarded as the best that money can buy and are booked up well in advance. To go from performance to retail so quickly using them shows remarkable planning and indicates that the Corrs are getting the best technical people available. Interestingly, the tracks have been rearranged from the VH1 TV special, but it's done so seamlessly and the editing so smooth that you'd never know if you hadn't seen it. Hopefully VH1 will release a Region 1 DVD of the show.
In short, two enthusiastic thumbs up! The Corrs have grown as a band and this recording was a real treat. Especially during the two songs with Bono, you get the feeling that something really special is happening. If you like the Corrs, you'll love this. If you don't know them, give it a try, they just might win you over too. Now if only they would do a US tour...!
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