THE CORAL - Magic and Medicine (2003)

There is a man looking at the sunset on a cloudy winter day, you can notice some bitter and some comfort in his eyes, Liezah has gone and he only remembers that secret kiss and a melody in the forest, Looks out the window and thinks in vain If I could only be that boy again.

Like slides of a heartbreak – history, the songs from the LP “Magic and Medicine” (2003) of the Hoylake band The Coral, flows one to one with melancholic and nostalgic sounds. A gentle vocal work, acoustic guitar, reverb electric guitars, harmonica, Mersey beat drums and mystery keyboards. A lot of the sound makes references to 1967-68 periods which you can recognize.

The Lp opens with “In The Forest” a kind of mystery song talking about a romance that never was and the feeling of longing for something and never have the opportunity to get it. “My only crime was to want too much / I could look but I could not touch” said the lyrics with an unfinished phrase in the chorus “You'll never know how much I......you”, maybe a lot of pain to sing “I love you”.

The next song is one of the singles of the Lp with a video that rotate on MTV: “Don't Think You're The First”, with a faster tempo (in comparison with the other songs) it’s not a danceable song, nice flute arrangements give some colours to the song. Melancholic lyrics talks about leaves the sadness and notice there is always one person besides you that loves you, and all we have problems, as Mick Jagger sings in Mixed Emotion (you’re not the only one with mixed emotions).

Third song is “Liezah”, maybe the name of the girl who inspired all this songs. Like a folk song with correct plucking of acoustic guitar it’s a gentle tune talking about a girl that all men wants, but all need to resign themselves to be just only one page in his diary book “She leaves their silver but keeps their gold”.

Next song is “Talkin' Gypsy Market Blues”, the rockiest songs of the LP, it’s no precisely blues, but it’s rock and roll, tells the history of a wandering boy representing in a pairs of gypsy boots. Nice drums fill gives to the song more style.

Then appears “Secret Kiss”, the best song of the LP, it’s a single too. With an hypnotic tempo and remarkable mystery keyboards sounds, the melancholic arrangement are the indicate to give you the feeling of a secret kiss as a little treasure that give you some comfort in your boring winter days. As Cobain sings “I miss the comfort to being sad”.

“Milkwood Blues”, also isn’t blues, although the lyrics talks about “Black Crow nights n' chimney tops and one too many sad songs”. With some jazz like changes of tempo and some in voice effects, it’s the most alternative rock style song of the Lp, but try to looks interested with more complex arrangements not always give you a good song.

“Bill McCai” it’s a rock tune about the saddest history of a man that pass his life trying to be a boy again, with hope, innocence and a whole life to live. Nostalgic more than melancholic it’s the feeling of this song that continues gives you the idea that all the days are clouds in the sky.

Although “Eskimo Lament” started with a beautiful a saddest intro with guitar and piano suddenly changes to a happiest tune, but the lyrics continues the frame feeling all of the Lp “But all my truths are lied All my secrets have been told”.

Like a bolero, “Careless Hands” says please don’t love him, he doesn’t care about you, but never said “’Cause I do”. Again unfinished lyrics about an unfinished love history, songs writing with the nostalgic melancholy of knowing that it’s too late. With a good tempo, acoustic guitars and nicest electric guitar fill it’s a one of the best song of the LP.

“Pass It On” It’s the other single (but here in Chile only sounds Secret Kiss and Don’t Thing You’re the First), it’s a happy and gentle rock song, happy in the context of course, “When it's done, and all this has gone, just find a feeling, pass it on” a little hope you can find.

I don’t know it’s “All Of Our Love” is a song just for fill the LP, eleven songs it’s enough for a good LP, but it’s ok, with the voice as an second layer of sounds it’s like a intermission more than song like the others, the problem is that the next song (the last) it’s not a smash hit.

“Confessions Of A.D.D.D.” closest the Lp with more energy than the rest of the songs, with lyrics focus on social criticism didn’t loose the melancholic sounds that characterized all the LP. A good song with trumpet arrangements but not qualify as a single (as I said before).