If the Coral had any grasp on meta, the title Invisible Invasion could refer to the band's coldly received U.S. arrival in 2003. That said I'm assuming the title comes from some mystical British sailing tale, like everything else the Coral do. With their spastic, psychedelic debut garnering them Best New Band tags from the praise-happy NME, and the Strokes, Hives, and White Stripes collectively buttering up America's 60s rock palette, big things seemed to await the Coral in the States. Unfortunately, they were sent back to the UK with their tails between their legs.
On their third album 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. About the only surviving aspect of their vigorous debut is a laundry list of psychedelic and 60s influences. "Cripples Crown" plods along with frontman James Skelly sounding like a disturbingly sober, and bored, Jim Morrison. With its rigid chord progression and reverb-drenched harmonies, "A Warning to the Curious" borrows heavily from the more crestfallen Zombies numbers while folk-pop ditty "Leaving Today" strives for Byrds-style wholesomeness.
Some songs have a pulse of their own, though, such as organ-driven stomper "The Operator" and the trippy, mysterious "She Sings the Mourning". However, any élan exuded by the openings of these tracks quickly succumbs to Skelly's haggard vocals, which are still stuck on the drowsy Magic & Medicine setting. Even when the band gives him a kick in the pants, like on pounding rocker "Something Inside of Me", Skelly's croon is barely beyond speaking level, further proof, sadly, that the Coral's enthusiasm peaked with their excellent 2001 single "Dreaming of You".
Perhaps this band's saving grace is their immaculate duplication of 60s pop-- the entire album seems predicated on the first minute of "Light my Fire". Perhaps if the Coral start aspiring for a 60s sound more intricate than the Austin Powers soundtracks they'll carve their own niche in the mercurial retro scene. Until then, these ancient mariners are being kept afloat by British press hype.
