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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
The Invisible Invasion

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 21 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 13 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Sony / Deltasonic
Release Date: 30 August 2005
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Rock
Summary
Portishead's Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley produced this fourth LP for the UK retro-rockers.
Also By This Artist: Magic & Medicine Nightfreak And The Sons Of Becker [EP] Roots & Echoes The Coral
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
musicOMH.com
What really makes The Invisible Invasion excellent, better even than that oft-feted debut, is what they achieve when they go a little bit crazy.
Read Full Review >Trouser Press
This is The Coral at its best: tight and stimulating, earthy and radiant.
Read Full Review >Filter
Feels exactly like a dance-less, British-not-Scottish Franz Ferdinand who have been deeply infused with Sgt. Peppers' '60s pop whimsy. [#16, p.90]
Blender
Strange and compelling. [Sep 2005, p.132]
Mojo
Recasting love songs as ghost stories, and with no recycled early '80s moves, The Coral's self-created world seems reinvigorated. [Jun 2005, p.96]
Drowned In Sound
'The Invisible Invasion', like both it's predecessors, takes one or two listens to really get into, but once there has an engaging appeal about it that makes it possibly The Coral's most obvious "singles" album to date.
Read Full Review >Magnet
This Invasion manages to be not only a perversely unique look at the Doors' cabaret rock but also makes for a catchier Coral. [#69, p.91]
ShakingThrough.net
The Invisible Invasion is far from a masterpiece... but it encouragingly signals a definite progression in the Coral’s thematic and arrangement skills.
Read Full Review >Uncut
They sizzle with verve and invention. [Jun 2005, p.98]
New Musical Express
Freed of the need to sound how people expect them to, the seven piece get the chance to show that they can turn in proper, craft-standard pop when they need to.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
They better themselves by refusing to try so damn hard. [8 Sep 2005, p.114]
Dot Music
The overall impression is of an album that you’d never be ashamed to own but wouldn’t necessarily feel the need to play all that often, either.
Read Full Review >Under The Radar
Repeated listens will help get you past the initial disappointment of a less experimental Coral album. [#10, p.105]
Splendid
Outstanding production, clever lyrics and catchy melodies should add up to the sort of record capable of making a serious splash. Unfortunately, Invisible Invasion demonstrates an unwavering adherence to established musical traditions.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
The Coral have reverted to a subdued and almost jaded sound-- Invisible Invasion reveals way too many wrinkles and stretch marks for a band barely into their twenties.
Read Full Review >Billboard
The Coral's trade has made them less rumbling and more meandering, more coherent but less mysterious.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
The Invisible Invasion isn't necessarily a bad record, it's just nearly critic-proof, providing all of the evidence for whether or not any given listener will like it entirely by its many points of direct comparison.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
The least adventurous and most disappointing Coral album to date. [Jun 2005, p.106]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 13 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Simon gave it a9:
A pleasant surprise from The Coral. You always get that one album in a year that takes you by surprise and for me it's "The Invisible Invasion". This album combines the bright elements of The Coral's previous work where psychedelic folk clamor was at the forefront of their soundscape. Although still there, an accessible sound shapes up alongside the band’s previous noise traits and equally reaps the rewards. Definitely in my top 10 albums of 2005.
Ace Kabob gave it a0:
The Coral are the biggest bunch of wankers recording "music" today - amateurish 60s mimics wholly lacking originality. Such a shame a zero is as low a score as I can rate the album.
ricardo l gave it a10:
beautiful
Oliver P gave it an8:
A great album, the best since their debut. Many of the songs are much more accessible than most of their other stuff. Arabian Sand is superbly wacky and In The Morning and Something Inside of Me are two of their best yet
Mike T gave it a10:
A fantastic improvement on their last effort, which was a little patchy. This is as infectious as pop music gets!
mike p gave it a10:
A cool trip, without traveling or taking drugs. "A Warning To The Curious" is an excellent song. The eleven other songs are great singles and cd tracks. If you like the retro sound mixed lightly with todays sound, then " Invisible Invasion" is a must have.
exodus gave it a7:
A good album, maybe even a very good one, but only if you forget about their amazing debut - full of jaunty, thrilling melodies and a huge load of energy. "Just" a nice album...
