Search - The Distillers :: Coral Fang

New sound, same great music

Jesse W. McNeil | Ogdensburg, New York | 10/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The new album from The Distillers, Coral Fang, is not your typical Distillers album. The musical style has changed from their fast, heavy roots and seems to have lightened up a bit. While at first I thought this might be a product of them moving to a major label, giving the album a good listen proves that Warner Bros let the Distillers be the Distillers.The lyrics on a lot of songs (such as Drain the Blood, Dismantle Me, etc) are a lot darker than previous Distillers lyrics.. most likely as a reslt of the split between lead singer Brody Armstrong and her now ex-husband, Tim Armstrong from Rancid. However, at the heart, they're still the Distillers. One thing that will thankfully never change is Brody's voice; probably my favourite vocalist for any band. She's incredible. Her voice is perfect for the sound and the lyrics, and the band wouldn't be the same without her. And, of course, you can expect some of her trademark screams on the new album.While The Distillers have taken a new turn musically, this time its not a bad thing, in my opinion. Sometimes bands try something new and it doesn't work, but The Distillers pull off this new sound with style. If you're a hardcore Distillers fan or just getting into them, then be sure to pick up this album!! If you want a sample of some of the music, go to their website, where you can check out their online media player. Excellent, excellent stuff."

So glad music can still be this good.

greasergrrl | Seattle, WA United States | 02/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the Distiller's best and most polished album. Some may think that most polished means it couldn't be the best, but these kids have held on tight to their punk aesthetic and the thing just simply kicks ass. No, this is not revolutionary or different, it's just simply a classic genre done as well as you could do it.



If you like the Distillers, check out The Gits. Mia and Brody and Courtney were probably cousins or something. Eerie."

Truly breathtaking music....

Manny | London, UK | 02/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Where do I start?



Thank you Distillers..........



...........for producing an album which puts my faith back in the music industry........



........and for reminding me there is more to music than the typical boyband/girlband formula.





I only write a detailed review when something really motivates me to do so. This is one of those times...



...The Distillers' earlier stuff showed a lot of promise and some great individual songs such as `LA Girl', `Blackheart' (cool tune),`Seneca Falls', `Young Crazed Peeling' and of course `City of Angels'; it's Blackheart and City of Angels which really alerted me to them. Somehow though the earlier albums overall were a bit too raw for my personal tastes. Nevertheless there was enough there for me to keep my eyes open, and I'm glad my eyes did!!



Coral Fang is a wonderful and far more polished album.



There are too many good tunes for me to write about in Coral Fang. In fact for me, the `weakest' tunes (I use this word reservedly) are actually the first, `Drain the Blood' which is still ok and the last, `Death Sex' which is the only let down, the only one. The remainder are bliss, ranging from the mellower and slightly slower paced `The Hunger' the last minute of which is so utterly cool it leaves me motionless! to `Dismantle Me' which is a faster and gorgeously guitar riffed tune, the chorus of this is superb, especially the longer second chorus. It's actually my second favourite song on the album.



Oh, did I not mention `Hall of Mirrors' and `Love is Paranoid'. Both are really smooth and swift tunes right from the off?



The absolute standout song though is `For Tonight You're Only Here to Know'. Words can't adequately describe this song and how it makes me feel. All I can say is that it has sort of sorrowful underlying tone throughout yet it's just so pleasing to listen to with its haunted verses and truly breathtaking chorus, that it makes me wanna.............?!?!?!?! In fact I struggle to remember if I have heard a better individual song since the days of Hole and Smashing Pumpkins in the 1990s (except, perhaps, `Things Fall Apart' by Serafin or `Venus in Cancer' by Amusement Parks on Fire). I mean this folks! Yeh, you made me `sigh' with this one Brody. Thanks again.



As far as I am concerned, only one other album in recent years called `No Push Collide' (a slightly different type of sound) by a relatively unknown group called Serafin marginally surpasses this album in terms of its musical appeal. It's an extremely close call though.



You know, this album has grown on me so much, I think I will buy their earlier stuff now, where's my credit card..........

"