What The Coral They have always been fascinated by retro, vintage sounds indebted to the sixties, it is an obvious statement. In fact, those from Merseyside have placed this type of preferences in each of their albums, usually interspersed with somewhat more current indie-pop, precisely with the more than possible intention of restoring their sound to the right extent and even looking valid. A technique that, over two decades of experience, has helped them create notable albums with a mystical essence and an appearance as appealing as their 2002 debut, “Magic And Medicine” (Deltasonic, 03), “Roots & Echoes” (Deltasonic, 07), “Butterfly House” (Deltasonic, 10) or the most recent “Coral Island” (Run On, 21).
Now, the quintet dispenses with those updates to proudly bring to light all those wicks that have protected them over the years and at all times. The group enhances its past appearance with less concealment than ever, after betting on echoes of Love, Syd Barrett, Townes Van Zandt, The Byrds, Neil Young or The Band that resonate more faithfully than ever with respect to the originals. “Sea Of Mirrors” It is a compendium of psych-folk-rock with a punctual country flavor, woven with the group’s usual good taste, and showing special care in the aspect of the melodies that naturally illuminate each of the thirteen cuts included here.
Although equipped with a constant pulse that sometimes slightly slows down development, the truth is that the new work of The Coral It has a generous series of well-placed arrangements and, as a whole, it has a magnificent appearance that, as could not be otherwise given its very essence, is flattering for the compositions themselves. Some inspired and elegant songs, among which the singles stand out “Faraway Worlds” y “That’s Where She Belongs”the “cowgirl” “Wild Bird” which has logical continuation in “North Wind”, “Cycles Of The Seasons”, the catchy piece that gives the reference its title, a “The Way You Are” debtor of The Zombies u “Oceans Apart” as an appropriate closing.
An album that, as an additional attraction, features the collaborations of guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones – who at the time was a founding member of the combo – and, above all, that of Sean O’Hagan from the never-enough-rated The High Llamas, who He brings the same distinguished imprint with which he has infused his group since the nineties. Waiting to receive “Holy Joe’s Coral Island Medicine Show” (Run On, 23), the imminent second album that the British plan to launch this season, it is worth accepting “Sea Of Mirrors” as a new notch in the already extensive catalog owned by The Coral. Surely, the most classic profile left by the formation in its revolver to date.