There is at least a frankness in the way Kodaline plunder the most mawkish bits from Coldplay’s back catalogue for inspiration. Opener Honest has a verse borne windily aloft by the same “whoahs” that have been echoing around stadiums for well over a decade; Steve Garrigan’s voice strains with sincerity in perfect imitation of Chris Martin. Less forgivable, though, is the way they emulate and surpass the lyrical cliches of their source material. Most of their sob-rock peers would reject a love song entitled The One as too obvious; the Irish quartet compound the crime with a relentless barrage of romantic platitudes.
