Album Review: The Corrs – White Light
5 min read
Back after a lengthy ten years away as one of the most adored pop collectives in music – a period of time that would be enough to act as the nail in the coffin for most – The Corrs have made a surprise and welcomed return to the pop fold over these past 2 months with an appearance at BBC Radio 2’s Live in Hyde Park event in September, a flashy new single in the form of Bring On The Night and now their first full length studio album in over a decade in the shape of White Light.
The Corrs were one of the most defining acts of the nineties. Their heyday was dotted with hit singles and chart topping albums during a ten year period that saw the band shift from Irish coated ballads like Runaway, Forgiven Not Forgotten, Only When I Sleep, Love to Love You and What Can I Do and the up-tempo So Young through to more mainstream drenched mammoths including Breathless, Irresistible and Summer Sunshine before turning the wheel and heading back to their roots with closing Irish standard covers collection, Home which also served as a farewell curtsy to fans as they pursued solo careers and raised families.
While the time between releases as The Corrs may have been well spent – especially for lead singer Andrea and violinist Sharon who both released a pair of solo records and toured periodically – a reunion as a triumphant foursome seemed unlikely for many years with band members previously dismissing claims of a comeback and all seeming very quite in The Corrs camp. Thankfully for fans, the band are back with us and the standard of their brand new record certainly makes up for any lost time.
Summer sunshine (pun intended) seeps through tracks like the opening Do What I Like which utilizes EDM beats and road trip rhythms; Andrea stirring up a catchy pulse leading into a momentous chorus that you can’t help but unashamedly belt out along to while acoustic/folk ditty With Me Stay (and its EDM closing Stay version) provide the record with a pair of thumping additions with some brief Irish-scented strings injected to give the tracks some of that old Irish charm.
The opening and closing lyric “You’re my soundproof room where I let it all out. Your never there to judge me when I’m full of doubt” pretty much sums up the essence of Kiss of Life. If there is to be a Runaway within White Light, this is it! The sweeping verses, which are executed with beautiful precision and care by Andrea, sit gorgeously beside the cinematic chorus as we are lifted into ecstasy by the tracks top of the shelf production and the bands stunning instrumental and vocal delivery.
Ellis Island is a remarkable track within White Light; sentimental, harmonious and beautifully executed balladry that oozes with the bands Irish influences and showcases each band member under their own spotlight as it does the rounds throughout the song, focusing on each member at various points and uniting the girls for a gorgeous harmony fueled chorus over the top of the tracks piano foundation and subtle beat and closing with a stripped back a capella.
Harmony could have easily been taken from the bands Forgiven Not Forgotten debut as it rings with Irish appeal; tin whistles, violins and marching band drums piecing the tracks catchy melody together around Andrea’s crisp and pristine vocal. The song’s closing‘lets put it all behind us, let’s live in harmony’ captures the optimistic substance of the number while Gerry’s Reel is reminiscent of the bands signature Toss The Features instrumental. The bands instrumental talenst shine on the number with its encouraging beat, fiddle and string section causing harmounious havoc during the 3 minute jig. This one takes us back to the bands early years and is a piercing injection of nostalgia amongst the vocal tracks on White Light.
Bring on the Night and Unconditional are the scene stealers within the bands new collection. These are the big ones. The former is the lead single for the album and its doing a superb job in fronting this comeback for the Irish quartet as it boasts all of the qualities that have made The Corrs one of the biggest acts to emerge from Ireland in many decades; balancing mainstream appeal with the bands Irish influences to create a winning hit for the act to introduce themselves to new fans and satisfy those who have been holding out for new material for the past decade. The latter is a gorgeous mid-tempo ballad; Andrea singing about loving that special some regardless of any flaws and standing beside them through good times and bad. While lyrically thenumber is sentimental and vulnerable, the tempo is upbeat and helps make this one a key track on White Light and one of the bands finest moments.
White Light is everything we were hoping for when word was out that The Corrs were to make a comeback earlier this year–and then some. It is absolutely stunning release that the band should be incredibly proud to call their own. Their solid repertoire has gained a flawless new set of hits and fans have finally welcomed the return of one of the staple pop outfits in music after a hiatus that we hope won’t be repeated anytime soon.
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