Distance Inbetween by The Coral Out

THE Coral’s lilting Americana-style of spooky rock is given full reign in this latest album.

Connector’s solid rock sound launches the CD, swiftly followed by White Bird, my personal favourite on the album, with its rolling guitar shot through with silver threads of rhythm, mirroring the freedom of a bird in flight.

Chasing The Tail Of A Dream has an intricate guitar solo and lyrics that are pure poetry set to rock music.

The title track is powerful and unsettling with a dark, sad guitar wail, while Million Eyes brings us back to the more surreal beauty of the open road, the idea of simply passing through life.

Miss Fortune is the sunshine song – every self respecting Americana band has at least one upbeat “frolic by the shore” sound, and Beyond The Sun is a song of faith, mesmerising beats and not a little bit ghostly.

This whole album is grounded in the rock of The Doors or The Byrds yet has a modern cleaner edge, more bite than the old school West Coast sound, probably because these guys are actually based in Merseybeat territory.

She Runs The River has a mystical, rain-drenched harmony while Holy Revelation has a pop rock vein, a song of hope and looking forward. The gritty rock of Fear Machine is ostensibly a love story, merging into End Credits - the finale with its black and white movie soundtrack breaching the distance in between.