The loping groove
that opens “She
Sings the Mourning”, the first track on the Coral’s
third album The Invisible Invasion, is a welcome
return indeed. Gone is the moping attempt at pop perfection
found on sophomore effort Magic & Medicine;
back is the fun found on their self-titled debut.
That’s the thing that most sticks out about The
Invisible Invasion – it sounds like the Coral
are enjoying what they’re doing again, and it makes
all the difference in the world. The strong songwriting
found on their second effort is in evidence again,
but its weightier feel is levied by the lighter
touch the band have given the songs this time around.
So songs like “Cripples Crown”, “So Long Ago”,
and “In the Morning” have that pick-up-and-play enjoyment
factor to them, where the Coral make everything sound
utterly effortless. The only time that doesn’t really
occur on The Invisible Invasion is when frontman
James Skelly strains for the higher notes he occasionally
tries to hit – he’s far better delivering his lyrics
at that mid-tempo range he’s more familiar with.
Portishead men Geoff Barrows and Adrian Utley add
interesting touches to the likes of “A Warning to
the Curious”, making it sound like it was recorded
underwater, but for the most part their presence
goes unnoticed, with the likes of “Come Home” sounding
so effortless. That’s perfectly fine; the most important
thing about The Invisible Invasion is that
it repositions the Coral at the head of the burgeoning
jug-band pack.
