Produced by Ian Broudie and the band, Hoylake's finest follow their Mercury-nominated debut exactly a year on. Less frenetic than their heroically unhinged first album, 'Magic And Medicine' at last finds the Coral settling into something approaching a style, albeit one that embraces everything from country rock to bossa nova, Tamla Motown ('Bill McCai'), folk, blues rock ('Gypsy Market Blues'), psychedelia and bluegrass ('Leizah'). Other standout tracks include the moody'Careless Hands', the elegant, organ-driven 'In The Forest' ('This is the place where you lose your mind') and the Doors-like 'Confession'. Includes the singles 'Don't Think You're The First' and 'Pass It On'. <p> <i>'...a quite dazzling album...nothing more than brilliance' - 8/10 NME <p> 'In short, Magic And Medicine is everything a follow-up should be: refined, progressive and as inspired as its predecessor' - ****Q <p> '...one of the year's most engaging albums...Magic And Medicine is a hugely appealing work - much more accomplished than anything on the Mercury Prize's poisoned-chalice shortlist' - ***** The Independent (UK)</I>
