written by Chris Familton

For the last fourteen years The Coral have consistently released strong albums high on mature musicality without descending into wankery. The key has been the songwriting which has continued to be rife with mystery, romance and a keen eye for imagery. Last year they lost founding guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones, an event that has knee-capped many a band. Instead of drafting in a newbie they decided to continue as a 5-piece and, with their new album Butterfly House, have justified the move.

Mani (Stone Roses, Primal Scream) recently called Butterfly House the best album since The Stone Roses and with John Leckie (The Stone Roses, Radiohead) producing, Guy Massey (The Beatles, Manic Street Preachers, Radiohead) mixing and contributions from Ian Broudie (The Lightening Seeds) and Sean O’Hagan (High Llamas, Microdisney) the band have clearly invested in the best people around them – and it pays off. The sound of the album is rich and detailed with layers of guitars, glockenspiel, keyboards and tumbling harmonies. There is a classicism of the pop variety running through all the songs.

The Coral have always tinted their songs with a strong wash of 60s psychedelia, particularly of the US west coast variety. Here they also add some English folk-isms of a sensitive nature on songs like Falling All Around You with it’s acoustic guitars and piano. Those 60s influences though are still overt with Two Faces sounding like an outtake of The Byrds and Sandhills operating in similar retro smooth territory to The Magic Numbers.

Subtle variation is another strength of Butterfly House. Though the band looks back they also send a tip of the hat to contemporaries Radiohead and from the early 90s – Inspiral Carpets – on She’s Comin’ Around with its swirling organ and backbeat.

If there is any criticism that can be levelled at The Coral it is the depth of the subject matter of their songs. Too often there are shallow references to mystery girls and nostalgic memories of places now changed (North Parade). These limitations are minor in the bigger scheme of The Coral as it is their constantly inventive songwriting and playing that makes the music so inviting.

If you have been a keen follower of the best of English music over the last few decades then you will find much to love with The Coral. If of course you are already a fan then it will be music to your ears to hear that this is one of the strongest and mature of the band’s albums. It is overflowing with rich warmth, a perfect balance of light and dark among the equal doses of psychedelic haze and bright moments of pop clarity. Measured against much of the current vogue of USA indie pop The Coral are light years ahead on the creative continuum.

this review first appeared on FasterLouder