- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Might be one of the most original albums you'll ever hear.
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The funniest, most refreshing British debut in years.
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MojoFantastic! [Aug 2002, p.112]
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SpinRich in minor-key melancholia, twangy reverb, and retro keyboards. [Apr 2003, p.108]
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Part Banana Splits, part The Wicker Man, part genius, The Coral may just have produced the most intriguing, tuneful, humorous and enjoyable debut album of the year, and then some.
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The result is a bit jarring, but there's a fervent originality at work here, despite all of the referencing of the halcyon past.
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Q MagazineIt's clever, zesty and kaleidoscopic and sometimes... quite brilliant. [Aug 2002, p.121]
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Had the band not approached it with such skill and obvious joy, it might run the risk of sounding indulgent, but The Coral sounds happy to let its old 45s melt together in a glorious puddle.
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Alternative PressThe Coral blow through genres like Top 40 radio does flavors of the week. [Apr 2003, p.74]
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A more disparate and yet strangely coherent collection of moods and styles you will not hear this year outside a supremely eclectic compilation.
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There are hints of everyone from Pink Floyd to the Animals here, but somehow the Coral feels remarkably now.
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Entertainment WeeklyA record that's as hard to ignore as it is to pin down. [14 Mar 2003, p.66]
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UncutAn eclectic, often crazed debut album.... They have all the hallmarks of an excellent, innovative band that won't be undone by their own hype. [Sep 2002, p.105]
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Jaunty, rambunctious, and youthful.
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There's definitely a lot to like throughout this disc; the band has boatloads of talent, and the eclectic spread gels much better than you'd expect.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 25 out of 29
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Mixed: 2 out of 29
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Negative: 2 out of 29
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Apr 10, 2013
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SteveHFeb 20, 2008A great album that gets even better with repeat listening
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SophieMOct 18, 2007I like it a lot.