The Corrs - Dreams: The Ultimate Corrs Collection

Irish musical siblings The Corrs--featuring sisters Andrea (vocals), Caroline (drums), Sharon (violin), and brother Jim (guitar/keyboard) --have sold over 30 million albums worldwide with their signature blend of traditional Celtic sounds and contemporary pop/rock. The internationally renowned group's first U.S. compilation spans 1996 --2006 and boasts five Top 10 U.K. singles including the #1 smash "Breathless"(a Billboard® Top 40 hit in the U.S. as well). The treasure-packed disc includes the hits "Summer Sunshine" and "Angel," live cuts featuring U2's Bono and the Stones' Ronnie Wood, a new mix of "Goodbye," and the recording debut of "All I Have To Do Is Dream" with French star Laurent Voulzy. Driven by The Corrs' gorgeous melodies, crystalline vocals, sublime harmonies, and Celtic passion, this new collection is the stuff DREAMS are made of. Album Description

There aren't enough words...

There aren't enough words to describe The Corrs. But here's a few: insipid, banal, bland, dull, trite, uninteresting, over-rated. I could go on but I'd be repeating myself. If it wasn't for the fact that the group is comprised of first class babes then they would have been stuck singing in Irish pubs and wedding for all their days.

Specifically, their voices have no richness which isn't helped by very trite musical arrangements that are a cross between elevator music and bubblegum. They even manage to ruin all of the song covers and avoid the high note in When The Stars Go Blue, which is the climax of the song. And, Bono; Bono was singing? Ruby Tuesday is a mess and they are so hard up for marketing this mess that they had to name-drop Ron Wood's presence. Of course, no one can tell that Ron Wood is playing because he doesn't sing and anyone could have been strumming a guitar.

Two stars instead of one because I hate other CDs more than this one and I don't want to get the 13 year olds listeners too mad.

November 6, 2007

Great Music, Okay Compilation

When the Corr siblings formed a band in 1990, few Irish acts had mainstream success. In the last fifteen years, however, the group has earned worldwide acclaim, sold over 25 million albums, and played for individuals as famous as Nelson Mandela and Pope John Paul II. Twelve years after their first record, "Forgiven, Not Forgotten," the quartet has released "Dreams: The Ultimate Corrs Collection". And while the music is, as always, fantastic, the compilation is okay at best. Yes, some of the band's biggest hits are here, from their first single, 'Runaway', to American success 'Breathless'. However, some of the track selections are a bit questionable, and the album is by no means an "ultimate collection".

Only eight of the songs here made the band's 2001 "Best Of" album, which itself is surprising. Most of the tracks are from the second half of the group's career, heavily drawing from 2004 release "Borrowed Heaven" and 2005 release "Home". And while both records were good, they did not have the success level of previous efforts "Forgiven, Not Forgotten", "Talk on Corners", or "In Blue". The songs that did manage to make it onto this album are heavily remixed, and not all of the changes are stellar. The 2006 remix of 'Goodbye' is a new take on the tune, but Tee's Radio Mix of 'Dreams' is a strange choice, as it pales in comparison to the original version that gained such success in the UK in 1998. In addition, the song 'When the Stars Go Blue', which enjoyed moderate success in the US in early 2002, has been re-recorded and remixed, resulting in a loss of its intimate gig feel.

Not only are many songs remixed, but several of the tracks aren't Corrs hits at all. 'All I Have to Do is Dream' was recorded by Andrea Corr as a duet with Laurent Voulzy for his 2006 album "La Septieme Vague". And while 'I Know My Love' is a great Corrs/Chieftains duet, it has never before been featured on a Corrs album. Other odd choices include 'Ruby Tuesday' (first performed for "VH1 Presents the Corrs Live in Dublin" in 2002) and 'Brid Og Ni Mhaille', which was not released as either a single or B-side from the "Home" album.

Is it a bad album? Absolutely not. The songs are fantastic, featuring great songwriting and brilliant harmonies. The choices of songs featured on an album called the "ultimate collection" are what has me scratching my head. Looking for a better gauge of what the Corrs have accomplished? Try a combo of "Best of the Corrs" (2001) and "Borrowed Heaven" (2004) instead. October 2, 2007

Great travelling cd

I love the Corrs and this cd is great to just pop in and drive. September 29, 2007

Beautiful Music

Everything arrived on time and in tact. The music on the CD is expressive and typically Corrs. All the favorites and some traditional. Some different versions and the CD as a whole is a joy to my ears. July 27, 2007

Everything sounds the same

This is the first CD I've had from this group, and was hoping for something that sounded Irish. Unfortunately, both myself and my wife thought all the songs were basically the same and the group did nothing for us at all. Each to his/her own, but I am not impressed at all and this will be the last CD from the Corrs. June 14, 2007

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