UK band brings musical variety

If the latest VH1 reality show and rumors of a fourth Indiana Jones movie are any proof, everything '80s is new again. The Coral are not blind to this trend. Though it's not retro music per se, this British rock band's fourth album, The Invisible Invasion, makes it very clear that these guys know who the Smiths are. Even more apparent, a single listen gives the impression that they've been wearing out their Church records, too.

Because of this, the Coral could be put in the same category as the Killers, who also fuse modern pop-rock with a dark, synthesized '80s sensibility. However, while every track on the Killers' Hot Fuss sounded alike, the Coral favor variety. The quality of Invasion is inconsistent, with filler tracks outnumbering the standouts. Still, a few moments of glory might be enough to redeem this album.

"She Sings the Mourning" gets things off to a lively start. There's a steady light beat of drums and guitar. Like much of Invasion, it's foot-tapping, hip-swinging fun. However, Invasion's lyrics, though they try for depth, usually miss the mark and end up sounding cheesy.

There is the occasional decent verse, such as in the standout tracks "A Warning to the Curious" and "It's better not to be in love/ Than to be in between." Later, in a rare twist for modern music, everything fades and gives way to a drumbeat reminiscent of a Napoleonic battle. This song is immediately followed by "In the Morning," which sounds like a '60s television sit-com theme.

Invasion's other standout track, "Come Home," is just as chill as the rest of the album but then it breaks out into an anthem of a chorus. It sounds like the aural equivalent of flying (and possibly Mansun's "Wide Open Space").

"So Long Ago" is a song that bears the stamp of another band's influence. With its mopey vocals and rockabilly instrumental, it could almost pass as a long lost B-side by the Smiths. The guitar playing is competent and at times impressive, though the vocals aren't nearly as good as Morrissey's.

The Coral can also be less mopey than Morrissey. With lyrics evocative of an adventure novel, "Arabian Sand" is the most fun song on the album. The imagery focuses on an armed villain pursuing our hero in the foreign desert. It is simplistic and shallow. For once the Coral don't try to be anything more, and it works.

Overall, this album is fair. The Coral's main flaw is pretension, especially as it shapes their lyrics. They want to be like the Smiths, but sometimes that excessive effort backfires and makes the Backstreet Boys look profound. The instrumentals are more passionate and competent than the vocals, which sometimes sound half-asleep. There are identifiable musical references, but the Coral manage to achieve a unique sound.

By the way, a technical note: this cd is content-protected. It's difficult to play on a computer, though it works fine on old-fashioned CD players. Apparently, signing a band that listens to the Church isn't the only way that Columbia wants to party like it's 1989.