The Coral - London E3 Cargo - 21/11/01
3/5
By: Toby L
To say that 2001 has been a diverse and exciting year for alternative music would be a true comment. But, where do The Coral fit into it all?
Their unique blend of folk-tinged acoustic strummers and early 80's-alike ska-pop as indicated on new EP, 'The Oldest Path', as well as first release, 'Shadows Fall', leaves you thinking that this group are rather mad, but - after seeing them live - you soon realise that they're actually... Yes, completely insane.
Aged between 18 and 21, they've clearly got time on their side, as they also have ability: a rare attribute for an act so young. However, despite this, they've hardly been experienced in repeating the London pub-circuit for the last few months, following them becoming the latest in a long line of 'it' bands to emerge this year. As a result, press coverage has been plentiful enough for the northern act to hold back until tonight - a packed-to-the-rafters showcase set to the audience of the Capital.
The show opens as it means to go on - with furious bursts of spangly energy, tight rhythmic melodies and riffs, exquisitely combined in the same form of weird inventiveness as possessed by Gorky's Zygotic Mynci plus similar brand of distinct presence as bandied around by The Strokes. Aside from this, the quirky keyboards and synths, as well as up-and-down bass lines, prompt recalls to the frantic styles of Madness and The Specials.
Reviewing the members' personal performances is even a relevant issue to raise, what with the solid sound all six bandmates are able to collide together, yet it's ring-leader and frontman James Skelly - complete with Scouser accent and cocky pre-song commentary (for example, 'We hope you like it - we do!') - who particularly draws eyes. It could be his rather consistent and fleshy vocals, or - more likely - disturbing dance-moves as he wobbles from side-to-side that ensure a sight to behold.
Still, for all the eccentricity and genuine panache locked within their live-set, as they walk off stage to a considerable response, you can't help wishing for slightly more than the three-minute chuggy set of compositions they currently have on offer.
However, it's still early days for them in their rise to cult-status, and - to answer the question asked at the beginning of the article as to how The Coral fit into the music-scene of now - well, it's obvious they don't, but it's worth blessing them for breaking the mould and trying something refreshingly different. Let's wait until that debut album before we fully decide on this one.
Artists in this article: The Coral
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