Otley-raised Coyle Girelli, a seasoned musician with a rich history across the music industry, has returned this month with his third solo album, Museum Day, an album that takes us through the trials and tribulations of an enduring love story in his current home of New York City.
By Ruby Brown
While he began his career as the frontman for Leeds-based alt-rock and post-punk bands Your Vegas and The Chevin, Girelli has been on a solo journey since 2018, showcasing his evolution and range as a singer-songwriter. It’s also no surprise that Girelli has garnered widespread critical acclaim throughout the span of his career so far, given his extensive track record of writing for high-profile pop acts such as BTS, Westlife and Macklemore.
The standout track on the album for me is Jane Tells A Lie – the song exudes a punchy and distinctly indie vibe, reminiscent of the earlier sounds of The Strokes and Suede. It encapsulates the core of the album’s musical identity – a fusion of anguish and passion – a theme that resonates once more in the title-track Museum Day.
The opening melodies of Swim are slow and dreamy, inviting the listener to get lost in its ethereal soundscape, whereas So Predictable takes us on a moodier, more sullen path. Between Us symbolises a middle ground, balancing the nostalgic 50s/60s sound of his 2018 debut album, Love Kills, with the modern sensibilities found in its early 2022 follow-up, Funland.
Soft, sweet, and stripped back, Real Love highlights not only the depth, but also the breadth of Girelli’s musical abilities, giving us a raw and uncut insight into the singer’s emotional vulnerability. The atmospheric yet sorrowful Nobody transports us to Central Park, and immerses us in his experiences of loneliness, again inviting us to connect with him on a deeply intimate level. The Girl paints a slightly more positive view of the tumultuous and enduring love story that Museum Day depicts to us, before the melancholic sounds of I Tried to Love You reinforces the album’s overarching feeling of despair and heartache.
New York, however, serves as a beautiful conclusion to an album filled with turbulent and passionate emotions, leaving the audience with a sense of closure and catharsis. Overall, Museum Day is a testament to Girelli’s artistic evolution, showcasing not only his ability in blending various musical styles and emotions into a cohesive and compelling narrative, but also in venturing into new uncharted musical landscapes.
For me, Museum Day is a perfectly timed album, offering a poignant accompaniment to the arrival of autumn while gracefully ushering out the remnants of summer. As the leaves change and the air grows colder, Girelli’s latest endeavour stands as a beautifully crafted record and invites us all to embrace the changing tides of life through its heartfelt melodies and lyrical depth