There can be no doubt that when future pop historians look back to the first half of this decade, the likes of The Script, Hozier and Kodaline will loom large in their deliberations. Not that these acts have all that much in common – apart that is, from an unerring ability to connect with the masses at home and abroad.
The four lads from Swords have certainly come a long way in a very short space of time; filling 3Arena last year on the back of their debut In A Perfect World is impressive by any standards. Notwithstanding accusations of slickness, glossiness and even blandness from certain critical quarters, they’ve triumphed where it matters most – with the record-buying public.
For their highly anticipated follow-up, they’ve up teamed up with LA-based Irishman Garret “Jacknife” Lee who has, of course, helmed albums for the likes of REM, Coldplay and Robbie Williams, among dozens of other notables. It was a wise choice of studio collaborator: Kodaline were never going to make a bold artistic leap at this stage in their career but Lee guides them carefully to new heights.
From the processed keyboard sounds on the album’s opener, ‘Honest’, it’s clear that Coming Up For Air offers a much more stylised collection of songs than its predecessor. While it retains their penchant for a well turned out tune with an engagingly anthemic chorus, the electronic washes and shimmering keyboard textures are very much to the fore. ‘Autopilot’ offers hints of eastern/Arabic sounding rhythmic flourishes at the start, before developing into another full blown anthem, with the help of what sounds like a massed choir (think ‘Something So Strong’). If there is a sonic touchstone here it’s rooted in ‘80s R&B production values (eg. Quincy Jones’ production on Donna Summer’s groundbreaking ‘State of Independence’).
An atmospheric ballad with an irresistible chorus, ‘The One’ is all vibrato string synths, electro beats and Steve Garrigan’s pleading falsetto. More exuberant and euphoric, ‘Coming Alive’ has hints of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing In The Dark’ in the propulsive rhythm, with enough “woo–hoos” in the verse and chorus to elicit a mass breakout of raised voices when they hit the arenas later this year.
Elsewhere, the subdued and sublime ‘Everything Works Out In The End’ is a welcome respite from the maelstrom of sounds surrounding it. With just glistening piano, strummed acoustic guitar and minimalist percussion, backdropped by restrained gospel-like harmonies, it’s a wonderful track – and a future chart certainty.
They haven’t altogether abandoned their rock aspirations, and the driving guitar riff on ‘Ready’ makes for more straightforward power-pop. Elsewhere, ‘Human Again’ features a buzz-saw guitar over a robotic, metronomic beat, while ‘Play The Game’ veers towards U2 (‘Mysterious Ways’), with a touch of Queen’s ‘Radio Ga Ga’ in the chorus.
A mid-tempo ballad, ‘Lost’ is even more ambitiously adorned, echo-laden and reverb-drenched, with Steve Garrigan soulfully pleading, “Take me away, make it better/ if not for a day, maybe for ever.”
At times it can feel melodramatic and over-the-top – but that’s just the way Kodaline and their audiences like it. As a pop album, Coming Up For Air is a triumph – and a surefire success.