Distance Inbetween

The catalyst for the album and the band's return from hiatus was in 2014 when lead singer and main songwriter James Skelly came up with "Chasing the Tail of a Dream," intending to record it with The Intenders, the backing band for his 2013 debut solo album, Love Undercover which also included The Coral members Ian Skelly, Paul Duffy and Nick Power. When jamming together on the song didn't feel right, Skelly felt it might be more suited to The Coral. Meanwhile, while planning to finally release The Curse of Love, a long-shelved album that they had recorded in between 2005's The Invisible Invasion and 2007's Roots & Echoes, the suggestion came for the band to try making music together again.{{Cite web |url=http://www.clashmusic.com/features/the-tail-of-a-dream-the-coral-interviewed# |title=The Tail of a Dream: The Coral Interviewed | Features | Clash Magazine |access-date=2017-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204005649/http://www.clashmusic.com/features/the-tail-of-a-dream-the-coral-interviewed# |archive-date=2017-02-04 |url-status=dead }}

Initial songwriting sessions for the album were conducted as a four-piece due to Southall opting out in favor of working on his in-progress solo album,{{cite web|url=http://www.getintothis.co.uk/2015/11/the-coral-the-new-album-sounds-like-weve-gone-through-event-horizon/|title=Interview: The Coral - 'the new album sounds like we've gone through Event Horizon' |website=Getintothis.co.uk|date=27 November 2015|accessdate=5 October 2018}} prompting the music to become more rhythm-oriented due to James Skelly being the sole guitarist at the time.{{cite web|url=http://www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/interviews/interview-the-corals-james-skelly/30096|title=Interview: The Coral's James Skelly - Songwriting Magazine|website=Songwritingmagazine.co.uk|date=29 February 2016 |accessdate=5 October 2018}} After coming up with four new songs, the band brought in Molloy, former guitarist of The Zutons who had recently collaborated with Ian Skelly as Serpent Power.

The band recorded the album at Liverpool's Parr Street Studios with co-producer Richard Turvey in 2015.{{cite news|title=The Coral return with new album and headline Liverpool Sound City|author=Guy, Peter|newspaper=Liverpool Echo|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/coral-return-new-album-headline-10489346|date=November 23, 2015|accessdate=December 26, 2015}} The band took a disciplined approach to recording, in which they would arrive at the studio in the morning, work until 10 pm and then go home. Most of the album was recorded live, with overdubs kept to a minimum and the first take (of usually three) often being the chosen one. In total, recording took approximately three weeks, followed a lengthier process of piecing the tracks together.

Regarding the album's direction, the band wanted the sound to be minimal, direct and groove-based, with musical touchstones including Cypress Hill, Kool Keith, Portishead and Can.{{cite web|url=http://www.m-magazine.co.uk/features/interviews/interview-coral-2/|title=Interview: The Coral - M Magazine|date=28 June 2016|website=M-magazinec.ouk|accessdate=5 October 2018}} The album was also influenced by what Power referred to as "stuff that's happened," including the death of Alan Wills, the band's mentor and founder of Deltasonic Records, in a cycling accident. The band subsequently dedicated the album in memory of Wills.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/03/the-coral-return-success-was-like-a-runaway-train-chaotic-with-no-control|title=The Coral return: 'Success was like a runaway train – chaotic with no control'|first=Dave|last=Simpson|date=3 March 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|accessdate=5 October 2018}}

The first single from the album, "Chasing the Tail of a Dream", was released as a free download from the band's website on 26 December 2015.{{cite web|title=The Coral Release First Track From Hotly Anticipated New Album|author=Christie, Niall|publisher=Never Enough Notes|url=http://www.neverenoughnotes.co.uk/2015/12/the-coral-release-first-track-from-hotly-anticipated-new-album/|date=29 December 2015|accessdate=2 January 2016|archive-date=27 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127214427/http://www.neverenoughnotes.co.uk/2015/12/the-coral-release-first-track-from-hotly-anticipated-new-album/|url-status=dead}} A signed and numbered 7-inch vinyl with the new song "Unforgiven" as the B-side was additionally released.{{cite web|title=The Coral launch 'Chasing the Tail of a Dream' video - watch|author=Hendicott, James|publisher=NME|date=26 December 2015|accessdate=2 January 2016|url=https://www.nme.com/news/the-coral/90509}} The second single from the album, "Miss Fortune", was released on 20 January 2016, alongside a video produced by the band.{{cite news|title=The Coral release video to first single in six years|author=Trefor, Cai|work=Gigwise|date=20 January 2016|accessdate=22 January 2016|url=http://www.gigwise.com/news/105072/the-coral-new-single-miss-fortune-ahead-of-album-and-tour---tickets}}

{{Album ratings

| ADM = 7.7/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/7838/The-Coral-Distance-Inbetween.aspx|title=Distance Inbetween by The Coral reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=17 November 2022}}

| MC = 81/100{{cite web|title=Distance Inbetween by The Coral|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/distance-inbetween/the-coral/critic-reviews|website=Metacritic|accessdate=October 1, 2016}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/distance-inbetween-mw0002902032 |title=Distance Inbetween - The Coral |website=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |last=Sendra |first=Tim |accessdate=April 20, 2021}}

| rev2 = Clash

| rev2Score = 7/10{{Cite web |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/the-coral-distance-inbetween |title=The Coral - Distance Inbetween |work=Clash |date=March 7, 2016 |last=James |first=Gareth |accessdate=October 27, 2019}}

| rev3 = Classic Rock

| rev3Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/the-coral-distance-inbetween-1 |title=The Coral: Distance Inbetween |work=Classic Rock |publisher=Future plc |date=April 15, 2016 |last=Beaumont |first=Mark |accessdate=October 27, 2019}}

| rev4 = Drowned in Sound

| rev4Score = 7/10{{Cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19295/reviews/4149848 |title=Album Review: The Coral - Distance Inbetween |work=Drowned in Sound |date=March 2, 2016 |last=Trefor |first=Cai |accessdate=October 27, 2019 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027003809/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19295/reviews/4149848 |url-status=dead }}

| rev5 = The Guardian

| rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/03/the-coral-distance-inbetween-review-purposeful-return |title=The Coral: Distance Inbetween review – indie veterans make a purposeful return |work=The Guardian |date=March 3, 2016 |last=Hann |first=Michael |accessdate=October 27, 2019}}

| rev6 = The Line of Best Fit

| rev6Score = 6.5/10{{Cite web |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/the-coral-distance-inbetween |title=Distance Inbetween by The Coral |work=The Line of Best Fit |date=February 29, 2016 |last=Nash |first=Ed |accessdate=October 27, 2019}}

| rev7 = musicOMH

| rev7Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/coral-distance-inbetween |title=The Coral - Distance Inbetween |work=musicOMH |date=March 7, 2016 |last=Hogwood |first=Ben |accessdate=October 27, 2019}}

| rev8 = NME

| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/reviews-the-coral-16411 |title=The Coral - 'Distance Inbetween' Review |work=NME |date=March 3, 2016 |last=Gunn |first=Charlotte |accessdate=October 27, 2019}}

| rev9 = PopMatters

| rev9Score = {{Rating|9|10}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/the-coral-distance-inbetween-2495445981.html |title=The Coral: Distance Inbetween |website=PopMatters |date=March 6, 2016 |last=Folland |first=Richard |accessdate=October 27, 2019}}

| rev10 = Under the Radar

| rev10Score = {{Rating|8|10}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/the_coral_the_distance_inbetween/ |title=The Coral: The Distance Inbetween (Ignition) Review |work=Under the Radar |date=April 11, 2016 |last=Lucas |first=Dan |accessdate=October 27, 2019}}

}}

Distance Inbetween was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 81, based on 18 reviews. AnyDecentMusic? gave it a score of 7.7, also based on 18 reviews.

All tracks written by James Skelly, except where noted.

{{Track listing

| total_length = 44:38

| title1 = Connector

| length1 = 4:13

| writer1 = J. Skelly, Nick Power

| title2 = White Bird

| length2 = 3:30

| writer2 = J. Skelly, Ian Skelly, Power

| title3 = Chasing the Tail of a Dream

| length3 = 3:44

| title4 = Distance Inbetween

| length4 = 4:19

| title5 = Million Eyes

| length5 = 5:35

| title6 = Miss Fortune

| length6 = 3:32

| writer6 = J. Skelly, Power

| title7 = Beyond the Sun

| length7 = 4:00

| title8 = It's You

| length8 = 3:28

| writer8 = J. Skelly, Power

| title9 = Holy Revelation

| length9 = 3:10

| writer9 = J. Skelly, Power

| title10 = She Runs the River

| length10 = 3:16

| title11 = Fear Machine

| length11 = 4:00

| title12 = End Credits

| length12 = 1:51

| writer12 = Power

}}

Credits adapted from Distance Inbetween liner notes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Coral-Distance-Inbetween/release/8173587|title=The Coral - Distance Inbetween|website=Discogs|language=en|accessdate=March 18, 2021}}

The Coral

• James Skelly - lead vocals, guitar
• Ian Skelly - drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Nick Power - keyboards, backing vocals
• Paul Duffy - bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
• Paul Molloy - guitar

Additional musicians

• Alfie Skelly - bow (track 10)
• Richard Turvey - keyboard (track 9), guitar (track 11)

Production

• Richard Turvey - production, mixing, engineering
• Ian Skelly - additional engineering (track 10), artwork, additional photography
• Anna Benson - artwork
• Dominic Foster - additional photography
• Mike Snowdon - design, layout

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.thecoral.co.uk}}

{{The Coral}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2016 albums

Category:The Coral albums