Can they possibly get any better?
The Coral emerge from a prolonged period of writing, brandishing a newfound maturity to their sound and the same old flare. "Roots And Echoes" marks a bold, meaningful and admirable regeneration of The Coral. With an ample dose of marvellous vocals and masterful instrumentation, the British seven-piece, release yet another album drenched in musical splendour. Their most adventurous album to-date, it presents a band open to trying new things, a band that is daring to be different, physically and sonically.
The album opens to the fitting note of "Who's Gonna Find Me", the band's latest single. It comes as a breath of fresh air, with a sound as if to suggest that it was plucked from the 90's Brit-pop era. It sets a high standard for the rest of the album to live up to.
The Coral's bid for Godlike Genius doesn't quite end there. "Remember Me" is a flirtatious pass at the Rolling Stones while sampling a Santana-esque guitar riff. If any one song summed up the brilliance of The Coral, this would be it. A calypso Bossa Nova beat, subtle drumming, funky sweeping guitars and a smoky vocal superiority collectively make this track incredible.
"Put The Sun Back" is a pleasant and mild rock-ballad, exposing a very different side to the band but that is quickly brushed aside by "Jacqueline", a brisk and bubbly pop-rock song re-acquainting us with the pop-rock splendour and bliss that The Coral are so well renowned for. "Fireflies" is a dreamy flowing track; crisp instrumentation and chocolaty textured vocals. "In The Rain" drags us into a galloping rock tune with graceful guitars. "Not So Lonely" is a sorrowful acoustic track, with harmonious acoustic guitars and bongo's, divulging yet another side to this spell-bounding band.
"Cobwebs" is a blast from the past, a classic-style track. This effervescent chic is spilled into "Rebecca You", another great rock-ballad showing yet more promising substance to The Coral. "She's Got A Reason", sounds like "Jenny Don't Be Hasty" tossed into the 70's and ten times greater. Don't forget the addition of a synth; just for good measure of coarse.
The album ends on a real special tone. "Music At Night" is a mysterious, dreamy tune. A soothing vocal texture, harmonious backing singers, weird electric sounds and fantastical guitars make up what is a truly amazing track, and brings to a close what was a truly brilliant album.
So, what's so great about The Coral? Well, firstly, at their own peril, they have put heart, soul and body into this album; they've pulled out all the stops to create a truly amazing LP. Trust me, collections like this are few and far between. Secondly they have had four "Top Five" albums in a row, they've got to be doing something right and thirdly they possess a spark of innovation and originality that is practically unheard of in the current scene.