Coronet Blue
Welcome To The Arms Of Forever
Laughing Outlaw Records

Coronet Blue released their self-titled debut in 1999 and was in fact the first album on what has become a very fine label indeed, Laughing Outlaw Records. Since then, the label has released well over a hundred albums and Coronet's follow-up might just be the harbinger of what the next hundred - truly diverse and interesting - albums from LOR might offer.

The "brains" of Coronet Blue, John Rooney, spent his musically formative years in the Sydney-band The Lonely Hearts (no albums released) with Anthony Bautovich, who went on to work with the Luna Kafé favourites Orange Humble Band. If you've checked them out you'll get the area where you'll find Coronet Blue as well. Same as with OHB, this album is recorded and produced by the old R.E.M producer Mitch Easter. That is also the first name on a list of familiar names that turned up to contribute here: Don Dixon, Ian MacLagan and Simon Kirke.

The album's packed with solid pop-songs - musically and lyrically - in the sense of what pop music used to be. I mean, "Waiting For My Baby" will not get you expecting the new coming of a poetic champion. But in this setting, it's all you need. Harmonies that will make Matthew Sweet smile, chord-changes that The Jayhawks will pick up easily and a soundscape that might get a nod from Todd Rundgren. I'm enjoying every pompous streak and really find this record a shameless celebration of how grand pop can be.

Copyright © 2007 Anders Svendsen