To coincide with the summer release of their brand new solo album, Andrea Corr has announced four UK tour dates starting on 29th May. Andrea Corr’s new album ‘Lifelines’ is a huge artistic step forward for the multi platinum selling Irish singer.
To some she’s an international stadium filling pop singer. To others she’s a global performer drawn from a distinctly Irish tradition. Yet with ‘Lifelines’, her brand new solo release, Andrea Corr asserts herself first and foremost as an informed and passionate recording artist. Singing a diverse and less obvious range of cover versions, Andrea sings from the inside out with quiet intelligence and heartfelt emotion, switching effortlessly and honestly between genres and musical styles.
‘Lifelines’ is Andrea - vulnerable, raw, authentic singing a carefully chosen selection of songs that resonate with her personally and passionately. The lead singer of The Corrs might not be expected to cover the Velvet Underground, Ron Sexmith or the Blue Nile, but this is an album that challenges artistic preconceptions by throwing up several unapologetic musical curveballs. The primary focus throughout the recording process was on Andrea’s voice and ‘Lifelines’ is Andrea at her most diverse, pushing her vocals and extending her range far beyond her past recordings.
She says: “This was the nicest working experience I have ever had. We did this quietly. It was a truly authentic experience. I was doing it behind closed doors. I stayed in the moment while we were doing it. When you sing other people’s songs, something about that really allows you to be a singer and just a singer. All I had to do was interpret. There is a huge freedom in that.”
The album benefits too from being part of a collaborative process, helped by the presence of Brian Eno and John Reynolds. As with many successful artistic collaborations, this album began life through a casual connection. During the recording of a tribute to the late Irish folk legend Ronnie Drew, a mutual friend introduced Andrea to renowned producer John Reynolds. Having worked previously with the likes of U2, Sinead O’Connor, Damien Dempsey and others, John long admired Andrea’s musical abilities. He spoke to her about the uniqueness of her voice, how it sounded, the warmth it sparked and the intimacy it prompted. John and Andrea began to talk about songs and working together.
Prior to this, Andrea’s life was going in other directions since taking time out from recording and touring with The Corrs in 2005. Her acting career was given time to blossom with critically received stage and screen roles. The Irish Times called her performance of Jane Eyre at the Gate Theatre in Dublin “fierce and earnest”. Andrea appeared at the Old Vic in Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, with The Daily Telegraph describing her performance as a “notable stage debut” while the Times announcing she acted her “woolly socks off.” Variety magazine described her performance as “strong” and “appropriately radiant”.
Yet, from the age of 15, Andrea’s and greatest artistic love has been music. For a decade and a half, she was part of the biggest family folk rock band in the world, reaching multi platinum status in several countries and selling over 60 million records.
It took the idea of an album of great songs by some of the respected recording artists in the business to reignite Andrea’s passion for singing. This is not an ad-hoc covers album. It is one curated with passion and musical pedigree, with each song having a strong personal resonance for Andrea.
After meeting with John, almost organically a songbook evolved, working on ideas with the likes of Brian Eno (who worked as a co-producer on the album) and Gavin Friday. The focus of this album is firmly on Andrea’s voice - stripped back, laid bare and authentic. Some of the songs on the album chose themselves, like the Roy Orbison classic Blue Bayou, which has a particular personal resonance for Andrea.
Covers which also feature include the John Lennon song No.9 Dream and Kirsty McColl’s They Don’t Know. The first song Andrea recorded for the album was Daniel Johnston’s Some Things Last a Long time, and also included is Blue Nile classic Tinseltown in the Rain.
The album was made behind the glare of the media spotlight, free from commercial deadlines and industry pressure. This is undoubtedly Andrea’s most considered and personal recording to date. It is a collection of songs she feels passionately about, naturally sung in the way she wants to sing them.
Andrea continues: “When I was young I used to listen to music all the time - first thing in the morning, before school and as soon as I got home. Music is one of the only places where you can travel in your mind, truly forget yourself and become someone else. Music can make a moment eternal. It allows you to revisit what you felt just by putting on that song again. Suddenly, you're right back there....falling in love, heartbroken, lost, found and lost again. Lifelines.”
To see Andrea Corr live:
Sunday 29 May 2011 - Birmingham Glee Club
Monday 30 May 2011 - Glasgow Oran Mor
Wednesday 1 June 2011 - Salford Lowry Quays Theatre
Thursday 2 June 2011 - London Union Chapel
Tickets are £22.50 (£25 London)
On sale Friday 18 March 2011 at 9:30am
To coincide with the summer release of their brand new solo album, Andrea Corr has announced four UK tour dates starting on 29th May. Andrea Corr’s new album ‘Lifelines’ is a huge artistic step forward for the multi platinum selling Irish singer.
To some she’s an international stadium filling pop singer. To others she’s a global performer drawn from a distinctly Irish tradition. Yet with ‘Lifelines’, her brand new solo release, Andrea Corr asserts herself first and foremost as an informed and passionate recording artist. Singing a diverse and less obvious range of cover versions, Andrea sings from the inside out with quiet intelligence and heartfelt emotion, switching effortlessly and honestly between genres and musical styles.
‘Lifelines’ is Andrea - vulnerable, raw, authentic singing a carefully chosen selection of songs that resonate with her personally and passionately. The lead singer of The Corrs might not be expected to cover the Velvet Underground, Ron Sexmith or the Blue Nile, but this is an album that challenges artistic preconceptions by throwing up several unapologetic musical curveballs. The primary focus throughout the recording process was on Andrea’s voice and ‘Lifelines’ is Andrea at her most diverse, pushing her vocals and extending her range far beyond her past recordings.
She says: “This was the nicest working experience I have ever had. We did this quietly. It was a truly authentic experience. I was doing it behind closed doors. I stayed in the moment while we were doing it. When you sing other people’s songs, something about that really allows you to be a singer and just a singer. All I had to do was interpret. There is a huge freedom in that.”
The album benefits too from being part of a collaborative process, helped by the presence of Brian Eno and John Reynolds. As with many successful artistic collaborations, this album began life through a casual connection. During the recording of a tribute to the late Irish folk legend Ronnie Drew, a mutual friend introduced Andrea to renowned producer John Reynolds. Having worked previously with the likes of U2, Sinead O’Connor, Damien Dempsey and others, John long admired Andrea’s musical abilities. He spoke to her about the uniqueness of her voice, how it sounded, the warmth it sparked and the intimacy it prompted. John and Andrea began to talk about songs and working together.
Prior to this, Andrea’s life was going in other directions since taking time out from recording and touring with The Corrs in 2005. Her acting career was given time to blossom with critically received stage and screen roles. The Irish Times called her performance of Jane Eyre at the Gate Theatre in Dublin “fierce and earnest”. Andrea appeared at the Old Vic in Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, with The Daily Telegraph describing her performance as a “notable stage debut” while the Times announcing she acted her “woolly socks off.” Variety magazine described her performance as “strong” and “appropriately radiant”.
Yet, from the age of 15, Andrea’s and greatest artistic love has been music. For a decade and a half, she was part of the biggest family folk rock band in the world, reaching multi platinum status in several countries and selling over 60 million records.
It took the idea of an album of great songs by some of the respected recording artists in the business to reignite Andrea’s passion for singing. This is not an ad-hoc covers album. It is one curated with passion and musical pedigree, with each song having a strong personal resonance for Andrea.
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