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Amazon.co.uk Review
Roots & Echoes marks something of a change of scenery for The Coral. Not so long ago, it was all lepers, sea shanties, and lonely suicides round their ends, but this-–the follow-up to 2005’s The Invisible Invasion--tells quite a different tale. Recorded at Oasis’ home studio in Buckinghamshire at the personal request of the Brothers Gallagher, this record captures the band casting out much of the bad vibes and concentrating on making a warm, vintage-sounding record with classic appeal. Of course, they can’t help throwing in the odd spot of heart-in-mouth high tragedy-–"Remember Me", a fraught tale of a very one-sided love affair, concludes with a howl of guitar and a final spasm of drums as vocalist James Skelly discovers the girl he carries a torch for has a ring on her finger. Elsewhere, though, there’s beautifully recorded excursions into classic soul ("Put The Sun Back"), acoustic-tinged bossa nova ("Not So Lonely"), and Doors-like organ jams ("She’s Got a Reason") which prove, as if there were any doubt, that this band have chops beyond the ability to bash out a ragged sea shanty or two. It is, in short, the sound of a more mature Coral, and while there are surely some fans who’ll choose now to jump ship, disappointed at the lack of piratical adventure, all in all it’ll be their loss. –-Louis Pattison
Review
All things considered, it's astonishing how the Coral have established themselves as one of Britain's biggest guitar acts. After all, this is a band in thrall to the late sixties psychedelia of Arthur Lee and prone to breaking into sea shanties at any moment. Yet having had the second most played song on radio in 2005 with 'In The Morning', they've clearly found a niche between patrons Oasis and Arctic Monkeys with their modern take on Merseybeat.
Their fourth album proper finds The Coral in confident and assured mode. Lead single 'Who's Gonna Find Me' shimmers with twanging guitars, whilst 'Jacqueline' is a retro pop peach. Moments like this and James Skelly's Roy Orbison-ish croon on 'Not So Lonely' make listening to Roots and Echoes like being in some sort of time warp - think 1967, not 2007.
Yet, for all its melody and retro stylings, there's something disappointingly safe about Roots and Echoes. Gone are the sea shanties which made their debut so compelling and the joyous excursions into dub that peppered 2005's Invisible Invasion. Sacrificing their urge to experiment may have produced a tighter, more accessible Coral, but it also shows up their more average side. When Roots and Echoes is good it's very good, but when it's average, it just sounds like!well, Cast.
Roots and Echoes is an accomplished effort from a band clearly comfortable with their place in the mainstream. Just sometimes, though, you wish The Coral hadn't left their playful side at the studio door. --Rowan Collinson
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is the album I've been waiting for from The Coral. There have been some outstanding tracks before - most notably 'Dreaming of You', 'Goodbye', 'Pass it On' and 'In the Morning' - perhaps the biggest hint of what they were capable of came with the entire second album 'Magic and Medicine'. Anyway, they've finally delivered here. This is an absolute classic.
The same influences are on display here as before: Merseybeat, The Doors, Love, Them - this time around there is more than a passing nod to the Walker Brothers. But it's so much more than just a pastiche of their heroes. What they've done this time is to really focus on crafting a consistent collection of songs. And the result sounds really polished and timeless. The artwork gives it away really, harking back to the days when bands really worked on delivering albums rather than a couple of singles and a load of disposable tracks.
I'm sick of hearing about how many great bands there are around at the moment because there really aren't. It's a crime The Coral get overlooked in favour of pretty bland output from the likes of Razorlight or The Killers. But I have a feeling I know which band is going to stand the test of time, especially on the evidence of 'Roots and Echoes'. I can't recommend it highly enough. Check out 'Rebecca You', it's the best song I've heard since, well, since 'In the Morning'...
The same influences are on display here as before: Merseybeat, The Doors, Love, Them - this time around there is more than a passing nod to the Walker Brothers. But it's so much more than just a pastiche of their heroes. What they've done this time is to really focus on crafting a consistent collection of songs. And the result sounds really polished and timeless. The artwork gives it away really, harking back to the days when bands really worked on delivering albums rather than a couple of singles and a load of disposable tracks.
I'm sick of hearing about how many great bands there are around at the moment because there really aren't. It's a crime The Coral get overlooked in favour of pretty bland output from the likes of Razorlight or The Killers. But I have a feeling I know which band is going to stand the test of time, especially on the evidence of 'Roots and Echoes'. I can't recommend it highly enough. Check out 'Rebecca You', it's the best song I've heard since, well, since 'In the Morning'...
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Coral are a band who seem to deny the existence of any decade of music beyond the 1960s, which - depending on your point of view is either a great or frustrating thing - and their last album 'The Invisible Invasion', as decent as it was, had left me growing slightly tired of their sound. This album, however, restores all faith in their ability as songwriters and musicians - it's a fantastic listen, full of vintage, top-class songs seeping with craftsmanship and quality.
On 'Roots & Echoes', The Coral have controlled their excesses and tendency to throw in the odd sea-shanty or two and, instead, produced an album with shades of late 60's psych-pop reminiscent of The Zombies. In fact, has this album been released in 1968/1969, it would probably be talked about as a classic but, instead, it is compared alongside it's influences and the obvious charges of unoriginality and being derivative are, whilst perhaps valid, slightly frustrating given the fact that this really is brand new, well-written, fantastic music.
If anyone doubts the songwriting ability of The Coral, they should check out the dreamy 'Rebecca You', the catchy 'Who's Gonna Find Me' or the beautifully touching 'Not So Lonely'. In fact, this could quite easily lay claim to being The Coral's best album. It's certainly on a par with my previous favourite, 'Magic & Medicine' and the two albums certainly share similarities in terms of direction and consistency. There are no weak songs here, just track after track of soaring melodies performed with passion, pure love for music and the very aurally-pleasing acoustic, late 60s sound, with touches of organ, strings and wonder.
On 'Roots & Echoes', The Coral have controlled their excesses and tendency to throw in the odd sea-shanty or two and, instead, produced an album with shades of late 60's psych-pop reminiscent of The Zombies. In fact, has this album been released in 1968/1969, it would probably be talked about as a classic but, instead, it is compared alongside it's influences and the obvious charges of unoriginality and being derivative are, whilst perhaps valid, slightly frustrating given the fact that this really is brand new, well-written, fantastic music.
If anyone doubts the songwriting ability of The Coral, they should check out the dreamy 'Rebecca You', the catchy 'Who's Gonna Find Me' or the beautifully touching 'Not So Lonely'. In fact, this could quite easily lay claim to being The Coral's best album. It's certainly on a par with my previous favourite, 'Magic & Medicine' and the two albums certainly share similarities in terms of direction and consistency. There are no weak songs here, just track after track of soaring melodies performed with passion, pure love for music and the very aurally-pleasing acoustic, late 60s sound, with touches of organ, strings and wonder.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The Coral are one of the best bands out there today and this new one shows why. They always show you a new side to themselves. Don't listen to anyone who says this isn't as good as their previous albums because there's less chaos & upbeat songs. This has its own timeless sound, and displays classic songs that still sound fresh and have the lovely bizarre feel for which we love these gents. 4.5/5
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The best album I've heard in years
The Coral have really found their sound on this album. By far the finest piece of work they have produced to date. A classic.
Published on 18 July 2008 by Tony
A bit too lightweight
The Coral's fourth full length album starts very well with the fantastic light psychedelia of lead single Who's Gonna Find Me. Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2008 by Greg Farefield-Rose
An astounding album
Not being a huge Coral fan, I was blown away by 'Who's gonna find me' which (I think) they performed on the Friday Night Project. Read more
Published on 30 Dec 2007 by Robert James
Worth the wait
I've waited two years for another release from The Coral and it was well worth it. Not a bad track on the album - this band really do write & perform proper songs and this is... Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2007 by John F. Doyle
Very Good For Your Ears and Heart
This is a fantastic album. There's just not a bad song on it, and, contrary to an earlier reviewer, I find that the more I listen to it the more depth I find and the more I love... Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2007 by Pete
What it says on the Tin
With The Coral, more than any other band, you know exactly what you are going to get with every album and they never disappoint. Read more
Published on 17 Sep 2007 by Steve Horsfall - Author / Writer
roots & echoes - The Coral
Although this album may be a head in the right direction as far as some fans are concerned, I find that much of it deteriorates into blandness despite repeated plays. Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2007 by Mr. Peter M. Bond
There's a place where the music plays
I'm not bothered about whether this album is 'safe' or not, let's just enjoy some damn good music. The Coral have yet again produced an album of high quality, not only in terms of... Read more
Published on 18 Aug 2007 by D. Smith
I knew they had a masterpiece in them...
...and this is it!
The Coral have always been influenced by Love, and it is even more in evidence here, especially with the superb Forever Changes-style rumbling... Read more
The Coral have always been influenced by Love, and it is even more in evidence here, especially with the superb Forever Changes-style rumbling... Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2007 by Richard
Q: Who's Gonna Find This?
A: Hopefully everyone who likes listening to above average talent as this record proves to be.
The Coral seemed to disappear into the wilderness after the single release... Read more
The Coral seemed to disappear into the wilderness after the single release... Read more
Published on 7 Aug 2007 by Chris Gower
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