I felt compelled to give a quick review of this album as it has taken me by surprise after some bad press and the fact that it look set to unfairly achieve little success...

 

So the debut album by Andrea, the youngest member of the four Corrs siblings goes it alone with an album that is vast in variety as Andrea either tries to experiment with all types of music or tries to keep old fans while attempting to get new ones...Produced by Gwen Stefani's producer Nellee Hooper, it was co-produced by Gavin Friday and Bono which really shows how much effort Andrea has put into this project over the last 2 years...

 

I was worried this would get lost to my ear as I also bought Kelly Clarkson's My December on monday, the follow up to one of my all time top 5 albums Breakaway...having said that, Talk On Corners and Borrowed Heaven rank highly in my top 10 albums of all time as well so I was really spoilt for choice this week...here then is my track by track review of this album:

 

1. Hello Boys: I heard this one a while back on Andrea's Bebo profile...I can only compare it to Goldfrapp, its a very sensual and sexual electro pop track which is as far removed from The Corrs as they come...nice tune but nowhere near the best song on here: 8/10

 

2. Anybody There: A slicing piano introduction makes this song sound like something from a film soundtrack. Not the deepest lyrics I've ever heard but this is a nice mid-tempo song that brings down the mood a bit after Hello Boys...: 8/10

 

3. Shame On You (album version): The first single, which was a complete flop, there are two versions of this on the album, this version sounding more 'world music' while the single version is more dancey...I have to profess a love for the radio edit but this album version is a lot more plain: 7/10

 

4. I Do: Sounding like a children's nursery rhyme, this is a very symplistic song with childish lyrics and the song lasts little over 2 minutes...though to be fair I think it would do anybody's head in after that length of time...nice as it shows diversity but not a favourite of mine... 5/10

 

5. Ten Feet High: The first EXCELLENT song, this album seems to get better as it goes along, unlike the pattern on most albums. This is very Corrs like and with a bit of Sharon on the backing vocals, this would have slotted in easily to Forgiven Not Forgotten...sweeping strings, a grand piano melody and a very dramatic overall feel, this is great! 10/10

 

6. Champagne From A Straw: I'm struggling to think of what to compare the melody of this song to but it does remind me of something...another brilliant song, this time Andrea talks about a rich woman leading a shallow life who has her 'all over tan and tummy tuck' and 'expensive bags for her scary little dog'...this song is really good fun and a great change from the last track as it is very upbeat, summery and happy complete with trumpets in the back! 9/10

 

7. 24 Hours: Another good song which could easily be a Corrs song, this would have fit better on In Blue with a very quick and poppy tempo...This one gets in the head very quickly and though it is nowhere near the best song on here, the quality of filler is immense on this album... 8/10

 

8. This Is What It's All About: Taking the tempo right down, this is an acoustic ballad which strums along nicely but never particularly goes anywhere...Lasting for 3 and a half minutes this seems to go by rather unnoticed on such a brilliant pop album... 6.5/10

 

9. Take Me I'm Yours: Back to the electro-pop of track one here, we even get to hear Andrea singing through a vocoder on this track to make her voice sound electronic...This wouldn't be out of place on the latest Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the lyrics are a bit poor and its not an album highlight but at least its different! 7/10

 

10. Stupidest Girl In The World: The standout track on the album, the heavy drum laden production reminds me of some of the better tracks on Forgiven Not Forgotten...The lyrics tell of Andrea's struggle as she goes back to a man she shouldn't...I absolutley love the melody and bassline and about two thirds in there is a solo piano bridge which fits the song perfectly...Not radio friendly but the PERFECT album track! 10/10

 

11. Ideal World: Singing about the life of a girl like in track 6 but also reminiscent of Corrs tracks Judy and Queen of Hollywood...another acoustic ballad but the addition of strings really make this song stand out despite being so close to the end...Again, short at below 2 and a half minutes but it really suits the song which is lovely... 9/10

 

12. Shame On You (Radio Edit): Tacked on the end as a UK bonus track I believe, this is the radio/video edit of Andrea's debut single Shame On You...This version is more dance-pop and reminiscent of the Todd Terry production on Dreams...An instantly catchy song with a strong message...brilliant way to end the album! 9.5/10

 

Verdict: I wasn't expecting much from this album even though I loved every Corrs album (apart from the Irish collection Home)...However the sheer diversity evident on this album would suggest a great solo future ahead of Andrea though sales of this album would not seem to suggest that yet...The two Corrs-esque production heavy ballads, Ten Feet High and Stupidest Girl In The World are the standouts here and though the album has a couple of songs that would have been better left off (I Do for example), they do not take away from the fact that this is an astonishingly good debut from Andrea!!!

 

Overall: 9/10

Great review. :D

I absolutely agree that Ten Feet High and Stupidest Girl In The World are the highlights, though I'd also add Shame On You to that. Anybody There is quite an interesting listen too.

 

It is nice that she's tried to vary things a bit. As much as I love The Corrs, that's not something they've always done.

 

The only two songs I'm not keen on are I Do (agree with you that it's too simple and nursery-rhyme like, although it does serve a purpose in adding yet more variety I guess), and Hello Boys (it does want to sound like Goldfrapp, but Andrea just isn't convincing as a wannabe-$l*t).

 

Though the album is great and everything in general, there is a lack of single material. After Shame On You, the only one I could see being a potential radio hit is Take Me I'm Yours.

 

 

I have to say though, I haven't really noticed much bad press. If anything the reviews I've seen of this, whilst not mind-blowing, have still been more positive than most reviews The Corrs got in the past few years.

Edited June 29, 200718 yr by Shoat

I absolutely agree that Ten Feet High and Stupidest Girl In The World are the highlights, though I'd also add Shame On You to that. Anybody There is quite an interesting listen too.

 

It is nice that she's tried to vary things a bit. As much as I love The Corrs, that's not something they've always done.

 

The only two songs I'm not keen on are I Do (agree with you that it's too simple and nursery-rhyme like, although it does serve a purpose in adding yet more variety I guess), and Hello Boys (it does want to sound like Goldfrapp, but Andrea just isn't convincing as a wannabe-$l*t).

 

Though the album is great and everything in general, there is a lack of single material. After Shame On You, the only one I could see being a potential radio hit is Take Me I'm Yours.

I have to say though, I haven't really noticed much bad press. If anything the reviews I've seen of this, whilst not mind-blowing, have still been more positive than most reviews The Corrs got in the past few years.

 

I'm glad its so good, I thought Hello Boys was good when I first heard it but its nice to see that most of the album eclipses it as I was a bit worried that it would be a full electro-pop album

Great review. :D

 

Cheers Kelly B)

I'm glad its so good, I thought Hello Boys was good when I first heard it but its nice to see that most of the album eclipses it as I was a bit worried that it would be a full electro-pop album

I did like Hello Boys at first aswell, but I think that was more to do with the fact I was happy she'd done something different. Now having listened to the full album, Hello Boys just sounds a bit too cheesy :(

Amazing - Japanese bonus track

 

:wub:

I did like Hello Boys at first aswell, but I think that was more to do with the fact I was happy she'd done something different. Now having listened to the full album, Hello Boys just sounds a bit too cheesy :(

 

I agree, it does stick out a bit from the rest of the album, its not near the quality of the rest of the album

Amazing - Japanese bonus track

 

:wub:

 

Thanks for posting Sean, Japan/Australia always seem to get a bonus track :lol: Miracle On Borrowed Heaven, Rainy Day on Forgiven Not Forgotten

Thanks for the great & thorough review! :D

 

Yeah, most of the reviews of the album are actually [quite] positive, most negativity is about the production (not the lyrics or Andrea's voice).. :)