Corella Have Arrived And Are Here To Stay: Once Upon A Weekend Review.

Words: Ryan Redwood

Corella are a band that I’ve been a fan of for a long while now, ever since I was first introduced to the band by friends of mine I have been eagerly awaiting their debut album. In my opinion debut albums should be all about telling the world that you’ve arrived and are here to stay, Corella have done that and more with ‘Once Upon A Weekend’.

Corella have earned their stripes in the past by delivering a plethora of what I’d describe as ‘indie feel good summer hits’ with singles such as ‘Bloom’, ‘Caught Up’, ‘Say Something’ and the indisputable ‘Barcelona Girl’ and with a catalogue already as good as that, a debut album could have been a stumbling block for others but not this band, they’ve somehow taken all of the experiences that have come before and turned it into something truly special.

‘Once Upon A Weekend’ isn’t just about “indie feel good summer hits”, it’s about how creative a band can be with maturity and experience. ‘Hometown’ shows this beautifully, Joel Smiths vocals shine on the more intimate tunes on the record and it really feels as if the songwriting has gone up a level throughout.

‘Don’t Stop Me’ is a great example of how to start a record, straight out of the gates, no messing about, this is our sound, this is Corella. It’s a great way to set the tone for the record.

There’s no doubt in my mind that a lot of these tunes are going to go down very well live, it’s an album overflowing with ingenious melodies and relatable lyrics. ‘Lady Messiah’ for example has already been pleasing crowds all over the country due to it’s infectious chorus.

In fact the more I listen to this record, the more I realise that relatability and strong melodies are still king when it comes to making good tunes. There really is something for everyone on this record and it’s probably why it’s already been well received within the fanbase and beyond.

If Corella can follow this up with a sophomore record as good as this, we could be seeing a very quick rise to the top for these four lads from Manchester.