July 29, 2002 by A.S. Van Dorston

I haven’t heard a heavily 60s-influenced album as fun as The Coral since The Dukes Of Stratosphere’s 1985 album 25 O’ Clock. Unlike XTC’s alter-ego, however, The Coral are not an established group of geezers taking a break from their “serious” albums. Instead, they’re a bunch of 19-21 year-olds who are desperately serious. Their honest-to-goodness rock ‘n’ roll spirit is utterly convincing when most bands would only come across as genre tourists. The Coral’s secret weapon is frontman James Skelly, one of the better new voices in rock, whose powerful pipes recall The Animals’ Eric Burdon, The Original Sins’ J.T. and The La’s Lee Mayers.

Coming from the seaside village of Hoylake, it’s appropriate that they start off with the sea shanty “Spanish Main,” — “We’ve set sail again!/We’re heading for the Spanish Main!” — setting out to pillage and cherrypick the best aspects of music that peaked twenty years before they were born. “Shadows Fall” is a reggae waltz that recalls Lee Perry’s obsession with spaghetti westerns, while “Dreaming Of You” is a flawless moment of teenage lust Merseybeat. “Simon Diamond” is another highlight, a psychedelic story rich with bizarre imagery, swooping harmonies and odd time signatures. “Skeleton Key” continues the mariner imagery, re-imagining Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band circa 1967 as coked-up pirates. “Wild Fire” is only slightly less crazed, adding a tinge of melancholy to The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. “Waiting For The Heartaches” grows with repeated listens — here Skelly sounding like Ian McCulloch as a mod soulman. The closest thing to a misstep is “Bad Man,” which oddly sounds like David Lee Roth. Nevertheless, it’s all great fun. Pillaging the Nuggets collections is not the most original idea, yet somehow, miraculously, The Coral make it all sound fresh and exciting again. Best stop wondering why or how, and just enjoy for now. | 20th Anniversary Double Album Edition, Out March 4, 2022