Kodaline - Coming Up For Air

After reviewing In A Perfect World back in 2013 Kodaline definitely had lots to live up to in my eyes, a feat which they don’t seem to have quite pulled off. Though Coming up for Air has a much more eclectic sound and has unquestionably steered away from that ‘Coldplay tribute band’ vibe, the mix of old and new just don’t seem to mesh well. While Garrigan’s idiosyncratic vocals remain as strong as ever, Kodaline seem to have left a lot of the slower, more melancholic songs behind to replace them with some more urgent, energetic tracks that just don’t feel right. There are still songs that go back to the bands roots, with tracks like ‘Lost’ and ‘Better’ mirroring that slow-paced, lofty style that first saw them getting widespread recognition, but if you’re expecting an album full of the likes of ‘High Hopes’ then you’re in for a nasty surprise. That being said it’s definitely the kind of album that you have to listen to a few times to really come to like, and though it may lack some of the greater aspects of their previous hits, it’s nonetheless a good album, just maybe not a great one.