In short: The four Dublin lads have returned to bring us a new take on their music with their third studio album Closer to You. The album itself has merged the sounds of their former albums Heroes and Ghosts, and Tony Was an Ex-Con, giving them a new identity.

But, with the familiarity of front man Danny O’Reilly’s voice, fans will not be disappointed. The Terenure quartet seem to have done it again, with the first released track Addicted to Progress setting the standard, soaring up the Irish charts.

The album has an even mix of electro-pop, funk, and (of course) the slow tempo numbers, which are sure to excite fans, and newcomers to The Coronas, alike. The Coronas have been known to list musicians like Lionel Ritchie as their inspiration.

Although the lyrics of some tracks use typical clichés, and would remind you of a gushing Lionel track, The Coronas' music has certainly evolved entirely.

It would be easy to confuse this album with one of a rock/punk band, with the introduction of a lot of synth, and a fresh sound that creates a new age feel to the album. Throw in some bluegrass and that’s the album summed up!

The fifth track Blind Lead the Blind is a perfect example; the lovesick lyrics are matched with an electro-pop sound that reminds me of classic hits from The Stranglers and The Smiths.

Best track: Closer to You is one of the best tracks on the album. It’s so good they named the album after it! I am in fear that it will be released as a single and over-played on Irish radio. I suppose that’s a good thing for the success of the album, so I’ll get over it for the sake of The Coronas' future.

Worst track: It is extremely hard to pick a track that stands out as the worst, Different Ending gets somewhat lost in the album. This typical slow song on the album goes unnoticed in and amongst the previous and proceeding pop hits. It’s not bad, it’s simply misunderstood!

Verdict: This album has done it, and is sure to tick every box on its way to the top. Its mix of pop, electro and indie rock appeal to a larger than usual audience, which can only bring a bigger fan base and therefore more gigs for us (yay!).

It seems it's onwards and upwards for The Coronas have just about sold out a 5-day successive run in Dublin’s Olympia Theatre this December, which come before their annual tour of Ireland. They plan on putting young Irish bands on the map, and here’s hoping Closer to You does just that.

Hon the lads!

Click here forThe Coronas' website, and details of upcoming gigs!


Orlagh Murphy