With The Invisible Invasion, The Coral release their fourth studio album since 2002. These six lads from the western, seaside town of Holylake, England return with their signature neo-psychedelic, Brit-pop wholesome goodness. From Echo and the Bunnymen, the Moody Blues and Syd Barrett era to Pink Floyd, the Doors, Strawberry Alarm Clock, and even Madness at times, The Coral have been compared to countless acts from both sides of the Atlantic. But the common thread – being that 60’s and 70’s, fuzzy, garage rock sound – is that they’ve modernized it and made their own.
When I first flipped through the liner notes I was pleasantly shocked to find out that the great Geoff Barrow had manned the knobs for this record. Obviously I wasn’t expecting his depressing, yet angelic beats, or slit your wrists style of production to replace the British invasion sound of The Coral, but I was a little saddened his style didn’t come through more. Sure, the creepy guitar loops in “Cripples Crown,” and the sad, collective vocals of “Far from the Crowd,” have a definite dark feel of Barrow’s personal style, but the production feels rooted more in the cohesion and style The Coral have perfected. I think it was more about letting the band be themselves on the record, not forcing something upon them, but letting them further fine tune their mark.
Maybe my sub-conscious is thirsting for a new Portishead record to cloud my thoughts, but those dissipated as I enjoyed the record the band, not the producer, made…especially, “In The Morning,” which made me want to take off my pants and dance.
