SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE KORGIS/JOE MATERA/AL STEELE – COFFEE IN NEW YORK

THE KORGIS/JOE MATERA/AL STEELE
COFFEE IN NEW YORK
RENAISSANCE RECORDS

I really like The Korgis. Their song in 1980, “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime,” was a surprise but a well-deserved hit. The song did not have the 1980s pop sound but was really a carry over from the sound of the late 1970s music world. Beautiful guitar solos, the swelling keyboards and wonderful vocals. Their self-titled debut album is full of great songs. While they may not have equaled that success, they continued to release a number of great records over the years. For this album, they have teamed up with guitarist/author/music journalist Joe Matera and sometimes Korgis member Al Steele for this album of pop music. Coffee in New York is more a Korgis album, with Matera guesting on a couple of songs and spotlighting two of his own songs (“Overload” and “Only One”), while Al Steele provides two of his own.

Overall, Coffee in New York is a great album. This is pure pop, and there is nothing wrong with that. The songs are well written, recorded and produced. Songs like “Always A Sunny Day” have a great vocal arrangement which brings a lot to the song. It is also a very catchy song. The title track, “Coffee in New York” brings to mind Julian Lennon, while “Back in the Eighties” is a perfect tribute/homage to the decade. It is a fun and lovely view of that time period. The synth drums, and interplay between keyboard and guitar is perfect. The lyrics also referring to Duran Duran, Alphaville, Back to the Future, Rubik’s Cube and many other trends/artists are quite clever. The album ends with a very Beatley song, “End of an Era Feeling”. The Beatles are referenced (“Whatever happened to the blue, suburban skies”), but it is more a song about growing older and appreciating a past that is not coming back. It is a touching song, giving a very brief history of the 1960s.

“Alienated Nations” by Al Steele is a great keyboard-based song, while his other contribution,  “Moonshine” is a beautiful ballad. “Moonshine” has a melancholy feel to it in a Tom Waits vibe. And it sits well on the album. Matera’s song, “Only One” is a standout track which features great guitar. Matera’s other solo song, “Overload”, is more of an acoustic pop song that has a nice, dramatic build. Matera and The Korgis join forces on three songs to everyone’s benefit.  “Red Flag Day,” “Always A Sunny Day,” and “Letter to Geelong” are all very strong melodic songs that are instant earworms.

Coffee in New York in some ways is a compilation album yet does sound quite cohesive and consistent. There is new material from The Korgis, including a new 2025 version of their 1980 hit “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime,” which sounds great. This album is a great overview of the band, not a greatest hits, but it does offer a great cross section of what they do well.

The Korgis are an interesting band, listening to the pop songs collected here, it is easy to forget that two of the original members, Andy Davis and James Warren, came out of the prog/folk band Stackridge. The Korgis could not be more different, although some may argue that Stackridge was heading in that direction at times. But The Korgis are back with this pleasant, fun and well-made album, Coffee in New York. It is a great album and one that is easily enjoyed. The world needs good pop music that tips its hat to the great artists of the past.

The Korgis Links

Joe Matera Links

Al Steele Links