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THE REVIEW
"Magic And Medicine" is the second album by the Coral, a group of six young men who, having nothing better to do in their cold UK town, have decided to pick up instruments and become one of the most praised bands by critics and audiences alike over the past two years.
Upon first listen, the album presents some key characteristics that signal a new musical maturity, setting it apart from its predecessor ("The Coral").
First of all, there are no longer songs with rhythm changes every minute, resulting in an album that is less angry than the previous one but more unified and introspective. As usual, it's hard to "trap" the Coral's songs into a single genre: the single "Pass It On" is a ballad that mixes blues, country, and pop; the formula repeats itself with Liezah (certainly the most beautiful love song in the past year and a half), achieving disarming results given the ease with which the melodies flow while still leaving something for the listener.
The song that opens the album, titled "In The Forest," is undoubtedly one of the best tracks the band has written so far: for the first time, the Coral offer us truly dark atmospheres, making the most of keyboard talent Nick Power.
Clearly, the more classic rock 'n' roll isn't missing, the kind inspired by the 70's that is making Kings Of Leon famous: "Talkin' Gypsy Market Blues" is the main example (a fast song, with rhythms that are just right and raw guitars without too many effects).
Perhaps the only small flaw of the album is that it doesn't have a truly mean song, or at least one that's a bit more aggressive than the others, which are all quite gentle.
If last year it was guitarist Bill Ryder Jones who surprised everyone with his talent (only 19 years old but plays as if he hadn't done anything else since birth), this year it is James Skelly showing signs of remarkable artistic growth: his voice is cleaner, more suited to the band's sound, which after this album has become truly unmistakable.
In short, the guys are growing well musically, and if they continue at this pace, soon it'll be Coldplay opening their concerts and not vice versa.
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Summary by Bot
Magic And Medicine is a sign of The Coral's musical growth, featuring more unified and introspective songs compared to their debut. The album mixes blues, country, pop, and 70s-inspired rock with a variety of moods and strong melodies. Vocalist James Skelly shines with a cleaner voice, complementing the band's evolving sound. While the album lacks aggressive tracks, its gentleness and artistic depth mark a promising future for the band.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
The Coral
The Coral are an English indie rock band from Hoylake, Merseyside, known for '60s-leaning psychedelic/beat pop filtered through eclectic influences.13 Reviews
Other reviews
By Socrates
Listening to "Magic & Medicine" is a bit like retracing paths you think you know by heart, only to suddenly find yourself in new places.
The medicine of the Coral may not be miraculous, but it certainly represents an excellent restorative for pop music.
By gluca1985
Magic and medicine, sacred and profane, a universe teetering between a past never entirely forgotten and a sometimes foggy future.
'Eskimo Lament' is a ballad, punctuated by a few piano notes, that suddenly turns into a post-binge saloon march.
