Roots & Echoes
by The Coral

Album details

US: IMPORT ONLY
UK: 6 August 2007 on Deltasonic

Craig Silvey (Magic Numbers) produced the fourth album for the 60s-influenced Liverpool band fronted by James Skelly.

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The critical consensus

More than one critic missed the old, unconventional Coral–the one that wasn’t afraid to drop a sea shanty or two on its debut album. Drowned In Sound, for example, complains that "a lot of The Coral’s trademark eccentricities find themselves watered down and flushed out into over-sentimental ballad territory." Similarly, according to BBC Collective, "Roots And Echoes is an album of songs with all the warmth and familiarity of old leather - and as strangely unexciting as that sounds." The Guardian, likewise, hears "music too well-mannered to have much character," while for MusicOMH, a few "ace moments" don’t save an album that plays it too safe. Pitchfork laments, "Sadly, Roots & Echoes’ air of studious refinement sullies even its more cerebral material with schmaltzy gestures." And although Gigwise likes the record, they feel that, "Too often the band go for the straightforward instead of throwing caution to the wind." Dotmusic calls the album "consistently fine," but adds, "from a band whose initial forays promised so much ‘fine’ doesn’t quite cut it." And This Is Fake DIY simply concludes that the album is "bloody boring."

Hot Press, on the other hand, finds the new album a step up for the band: "Melody takes precedence on Roots And Echoes, and this makes it stronger and tighter than The Coral’s previous releases." Similarly, the Observer calls Roots not safe but focused: "It sounds like the work of a band harnessing their strengths, intent on packing a heavyweight punch after losing focus on 2005’s misfiring The Invisible Invasion." Q says that "the musicianship is superlative," while the album as a whole is "the sound of a band fully deserving of star billing." And The Independent declares, "The Coral continue to shame the meagre ambitions of most of their contemporaries with the engaging Roots & Echoes."

For all its melody and retro stylings, there’s something disappointingly safe about Roots and Echoes.

- Rowan Collinson, BBC

Review roundup

Tracklisting and media

1. Who’s Gonna Find Me
   
   
2. Remember Me
3. Put The Sun Back
4. Jacqueline
5. Fireflies
6. In The Rain
7. Not So Lonely
8. Cobwebs
9. Rebecca You
10. She’s Got A Reason
11. Music At Night

Also on the web

• Official Artist Site