Home

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine The title of the Corrs' fifth full-length studio album, Home, alludes to the fact that the family quartet is returning to its Celtic roots after spending several years pursuing crossover pop success. Not that the group has abandoned the perks of its international fame -- this time around, they've gotten superstar producer Mitchell Froom to helm the recording -- nor has the group ever been a strictly traditional Celtic group; even on their debut album they worked with producer David Foster, best known for his adult contemporary hits for Celine Dion and Whitney Houston, which isn't exactly traditional. In fact, Froom helps guide the Corrs to make their most traditional Celtic album ever, while retaining the pleasingly polished production of their crossover pop albums. Home also has a shade of the artiness that has marked Froom's past productions -- he doesn't simply let the music breathe, he has it paint soundscapes -- without getting overwhelmed with trickery. He lets the Corrs takes center stage and they've never sounded better than they do here, due both to the recording and the excellent song selection. The quartet relies heavily on a songbook of their late mother, but among these traditional songs they weave in such contemporary classics as Anna McGarrigle's "Heart Like a Wheel" and Richard Thompson's "Dimming of the Day," while adding Phil Lynott's "Old Town" for a welcome, lighthearted change of pace. It all adds up to a rich, resonant album that's the Corrs' best to date.