News
30 July 2008 The Singles Collection
plus bonus CD featuring previously unreleased music, demos and live tracks
"THE CORAL ARE SO FAR AHEAD OF THEIR TIME AND THEIR PEERS IT'S A JOKE. THE BEST BAND OF THEIR GENERATION BY A VERY LONG MILE.” (Noel Gallagher)
In July 2002, NME heralded ‘the funniest, most refreshing British debut in years’ in their review of The Coral’s eponymous debut album, a record that would go on to pierce the UK Top 5 and earn the band their first platinum album. In 2007, the same title announced that The Coral had ‘become the classic band they’ve sometimes promised to be’ in their review of current studio album, ‘Roots and Echoes’. Six years and four studio albums into their career it speaks volumes that the band that really restarted the British guitar sound in the early noughties continue to gain praise from all quarters.
The heart of The Coral has always been the tension between the classic songwriting that runs through their veins and produced such singles as ‘Pass It On’, ‘Jacqueline’, ‘Dreaming Of You’ and ‘Bill McCai’ and the experimentalism that was first spotted on debut EP ‘Shadows Fall’ and led through to ‘Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker’ – a mini album recorded in one session over ten days, to the sea shanty of ‘Remember Me’ on ‘Roots and Echoes’. The Coral are a rarity in music, a band that make tunes that appeal to everyman whilst producing those tunes in such a way and with such understanding of their medium that critics are minded to say ‘James Skelly is one of the finest writers, and voices, in British music today’ (Q).
A band that over four studio albums and one unscripted B sides and rarities compilation have notched up five Top Ten albums (including a Number One for second album ‘Magic and Medicine’), numerous hit singles, fans from Noel Gallagher to Alex Turner and are still all in their twenties now release a Singles Collection that, should it be needed, once again demonstrates the strength of their songwriting and their ability to make the simple sound divine and the complex understandable. The twelve tracks on ‘The Singles Collection’ should be seen as a catch up for those unfortunate enough to not have a Coral album in their home and a perfect dozen of great modern pop songwriting at its best for the rest of us.
The album will be preceded by a brand new track, ‘Being Somebody Else’ on September 8th, available in limited quantities on 7” and through digital download. CD2 will feature six previously unreleased tracks alongside demo versions of classic singles such as ‘Shadows Fall’, ‘Dreaming Of You’ and ‘Calendars & Clocks’. Plus amazing covers including ‘Everybody’s Talking’ and ‘Reward’.
Track listing overleaf …
CD1:
Dreaming Of You ~ In The Morning ~ Pass It On ~ Don’t Think You’re The First ~ Jacqueline ~ Secret Kiss ~ Goodbye ~ Shadows Fall ~ Liezah ~ Who’s Gonna Find Me ~ Bill McCai ~ Put The Sun Back ~
Something Inside Of Me ~ Being Somebody Else
CD2:
When All The Birds Have Flown outtake from Roots and Echoes – previously unreleased
The Golden Bough new track from recent studio session
Michael’s Song new track
Cry of the City new track recorded in practice room
Everybody’s Talking At me live from Isle of Man
Far From the Crowd live from Elevator
She’s Got A Reason live from elevator
Return Her To Me outtake from Magic and Medicine previously unreleased
Monkey To The Moon outtake from The Invisible Invasion previously unreleased
It Was Nothing ‘Help’ charity album recording
Cabwebs 8 track demo
Simon Diamond original version
Shadows Fall 4 track instrumental demo
Calendars and Clocks demo
Seagulls previously unreleased track, Lee on vocals recorded in Ian’s bedroom
Dreaming of You demo
It’s In Your Hands early demo from before The Coral were signed. Recorded 1999
Reward live version, supporting Echo and the Bunnymen in Liverpool
Bye Bye Love live from Isle of Man
