The Coral Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
It's hard to remember now in retrospect, but in the summer of 2002, the Coral were going to be the saviors of the British indie music scene: their debut album was hyped to the skies, and their terrific lead single "Dreaming of You" was rightly praised as probably the best single to come out of Liverpool since "There She Goes" by the La's. But with the ascension of Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, and the whole neo-Brit-pop scene, the Coral's amalgam of '60s freakbeat and '80s post-punk didn't fit in the zeitgeist of the time, and so even though their albums have remained consistently fine, they've generally been ignored by most folks outside of a devoted cult. Roots & Echoes, though it's easily the Coral's best album since 2003's Magic and Medicine, isn't going to change that. As the exceedingly old-fashioned cover art suggests, Roots & Echoes takes as its starting point the era immediately preceding the psychedelic explosion, circa 1966, when folk-rock and sunshine pop were melding into a new sound, AM radio-friendly but moving outside of the strict confines of the format. Echoes of cult faves like the Beau Brummels, the Cyrkle, and the first side of Love's Da Capo flitter through these songs, which are filled with ringing guitars and colored with strings, flutes, bongos, and other ear-candy touches. James Skelly's sweet-toned vocals are a perfect accompaniment to the melodic sweep of the songs, but if there's a fault to be found, it's that there's no single song here as immediately arresting as prior Coral gems like "Dreaming of You" or "In the Morning." The semi-orchestral closer "Music at Night" comes very close, however, sounding like a great lost Lee Hazlewood production for some un-remembered Reprise Records act. The Coral may not be the Next Big Thing anymore, but they're still making better records than many of the bands that have taken over that title in the intervening five years. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
'The Invisible Invasion'
Release Date 5/23/2005
Tracks 14
Label Deltasonic
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What The Critics Say
Things are pretty much as you would expect them to be on the Coral's fourth album as all the usual pieces are in place: vocalist James Skelly still channels the voice of Ian McCullough, the guitars of Skelly and Bill Ryder-Jones still sparkle and shine, and the band is still inventive and interesting. What is different about The Invisible Invasion is the stripped-down and focused sound courtesy of producers Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley (of Portishead). Thankfully no elements of trip-hop show up; instead, they give the songs some rhythmic focus by getting a tight and live drum sound and scale back the often overly ornate arrangements of the first two albums to mostly just guitars, bass, and drums. If the batch of songs the band came up with were at all dull, this approach might have been deadly (as it proved on the somewhat forgettable Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker). Luckily the songs here are among the best they have written and are quite varied as well, ranging from the bouncily acoustic "So Long Ago" to the moody (with a great chorus) "Cripples Crown," the insistent "The Operator" to the musically lovely, lyrically melancholy "In the Morning." Where the group once seemed intent on cramming every song with everything they could fit, the new focus allows the songs to breathe more, at times even reaching levels of emotional depth that didn't seem in the cards before. "Far from the Crowd" with its quietly galloping rhythms and beautiful vocal harmonies is one example; the achingly sad "Late Afternoon" (which is one of the few songs to prominently feature keyboards) is another. More depth, better production, stellar songs performed with high levels of vigor and commitment -- it adds up to the group's best album to date. Despite a work rate that might burn out a lesser group, the Coral show no signs of going away anytime soon and if they can keep making records this good, lovers of tuneful and intelligent pop music should be very glad. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
'Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker'
Release Date 1/26/2004
Tracks 11
Label Columbia
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What The Critics Say
Released less than half a year after Magic and Medicine, Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker is another eclectic and accomplished patchwork of tantalizing neo-psychedelia from the prolific lads the Coral. For this go-around, they spent a week recording a jammy bunch of tunes and carousing through a myriad of musical inspirations with studio wiz Ian Broudie manning the knobs. While such a scenario seems like it might lead to a bunch of demo-quality throwaways, these 11 songs are mostly potent and exhilarating. The mood and mannerisms of Magic and Medicine again rule the day, which means another batch of timeless songs brimming with tambourines, vintage keyboards, singsong melodies, and rousing rock passages. If the album has a more experimental tone, it's because some of the songs seem to jump forward a number of decades in musical influence. Opener "Precious Eyes" has the undeniable feel of a Super Furry Animals song, with its wobbly guitars, cha-ching drums, and singalong chorus. "I Forgot My Name" owes a debt to the Fall, as shouty megaphone vocals and sonic distortion make for invigorating festivities. "Song of the Corn" blends old-school psychedelic flourishes with new-school Beta Band vibes. It's this mixing of old and new dynamics that makes Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker such a compelling listen. Coming from a band so enamored with and indebted to the 1960s, this is at least a small step into a more accessible sonic pool. This album was added to the U.S. release of Magic and Medicine as a bonus disc, which made for a stunning bargain. Also quite stunning is the quality that goes hand in hand with the quantity of the band's output. With three albums in under three years, the Coral gave a slap to the face of their more creatively passive peers. In an era when so many bands seemed to dread the studio and wait eons between full-length albums, the Coral stormed the studio, stuck to their creative muses, and released an impeccable trio of infectious albums. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Music Guide
'Magic and Medicine'
Release Date 7/28/2003
Tracks 12
Label Sony/Epic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Mixing equal bits Merseybeat melody, ragged "Nuggets" energy, and pure rock nostalgia, the Coral create one of the 21st century's finest odes to 1960s and 1970s garage rock. Not since the La's has a band more convincingly aped an era, and like that album, there's not a cringe-worthy moment in sight. Everything's in its right place, one might say. If the lads were accused of being too bombastic and experimental on their debut, here they reign in their influences and just stick with the program of creating rocking tunes. So subtle are the songwriting, playing, and production, one almost imagines these 12 songs are lost sonic treats from the Animals, Love, or some long-lost band. While a number of songs stick out as catchy, melodic, highlights, particularly the U.K. singles "Don't Think You're the First" and "Pass It On," a majority of the songs work as growers. While the band has abandoned the rousing loony attitude of its debut, and filtered out any ska influence, jazz, blues, and Spanish guitar motifs keep things varied. Beyond the singles, every track works its own fine magic, but the spooky, chugging "Bill McCai," and the atmospheric ballad "Careless Hands," are particularly noteworthy. The album loses its bearings somewhat after "Pass It On," not because the final two songs are weak, but because they stray from the even tone of the previous ten songs. Remarkably authentic in recovering the vibes of early British rock, Magic and Medicine is a mature, solid throwback. Whether or not the Coral travel these same musical avenues in the future, for now they've definitely created an album that's a world unto itself, and one that's well worth repeat visits. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Coral's jocular self-titled debut kicked up quite a flurry of excitement when it washed ashore in the summer of 2002. Many reviewers gave a hearty cry of "Avast Ye Maties" when they discovered the band was from the picturesque seaside village of Hoylake, a deep-water anchorage in the borough of Wirral. Not since the Beatles, or perhaps even Echo & the Bunnymen, has a young band from England's blustery western coast caused this much commotion. Other critics have focused on their ages; at 21, lead singer/guitarist James Skelly was the oldest when this album was recorded, but the rest of these landlubbers were considerably younger, averaging somewhere closer to 19. The fantastic voyage that is The Coral, however, is the real discovery. The album begins with a two-minute psych-rock sea shanty, "Spanish Main," which bursts forth with a frothy and joyous refrain that sounds inspired by Treasure Island or Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean, perhaps. Along the way, the boys pick their way through somewhat-discarded flotsam and jetsam genres (mostly from the '60s), including 1964-era Merseybeat, horn-driven ska, fuzzed-out acid rock, and Brit-pop psychedelia. The aforementioned critics have fallen all over themselves trying to distill the Coral's various influences, name-checking a wide range of West Coast bands -- the Doors, Love, the Beach Boys, the Mothers, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and even the Banana Splits -- and even tossing in a handful of Londoners, like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd and the Action. Others have opted to categorize the Coral as sounding closer, at least in spirit, to the Beta Band, Shack, or -- a personal favorite -- "a scouse Primal Scream on a skiffle tip" (former Shack drummer Alan Wills, by the way, is their manager and manages their label, Deltasonic, as well). "Shadows Fall" is where this adventurous tale really finds its sea legs; the Top 30 U.K. single features an eccentric salmagundi of styles and sounds, including barbershop quartet vocals, Madness-style pop-ska, Russian Cossack folk, and a subtle Morricone-esque harmonica. The result is a bit jarring, but there's a fervent originality at work here, despite all of the referencing of the halcyon past. "Dreaming of You" is probably an even better example of what the Coral have to offer, with strong lead vocals and suitably cheeseball organ. "Simon Diamond" is effervescent 1967-style British psych-pop (Nirvana U.K. or Kaleidoscope U.K., take your pick), while the rambunctious "Skeleton Key" blends Zappa-esque guitars, serpentine Middle Eastern melodies, and flavorful horns. In addition to a massive heaping of critical praise, the Coral also managed to connect with an audience who plunked down enough gold doubloons to help this album land in the U.K.'s Top Ten charts. The Coral was subsequently nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. ~ Bryan Thomas, All Music Guide
