The Coral @ Olympia, Liverpool, 10 Dec

Whether by accident or design, The Coral have now put together one of British pop’s finer back catalogues of the last 20 years. A host of top five albums and hit singles have not quite obscured their willingness for the wacky or indeed whacked-out, with this year’s Distance Inbteween proving that they, along with the Super Furry Animals, remain our most radio-friendly of psych rockers.

If that sounds like faint praise, it really shouldn’t. Over this 19-song set in front of a raucous home crowd, they span their career with a pride and energy that shows this is a band wholly comfortable with their achievements and the way their delicate, frequently catchy, never boring songs have wormed their way into the public’s consequence.

The Coral’s newfound love of slick, spaced-out rock chimes well with their love of Scouse forefathers like Echo and the Bunnymen; on opener Chasing The Tail Of A Dream they quickly launch into a hugely effective jam complete with a head trip of a light show and banks of smoke.

Key to these new songs is be-hatted guitar hero, Paul Molloy, ex-of The Zutons, who gives the re-energised Coral a slashing and dramatic presence stage right and provides a malevolent contrast to singer James Skelly’s more subdued demeanour.

Where the opening salvos of this show are all about the now, the gorgeous hat-trick of Jacqueline, In The Morning and Pass It On reminds the audience of this band’s wistful ability to write the kind of song that can stay on the airwaves for months and soundtrack a Christmas chocolate advert.

It’s this brilliant dichotomy which really sustains both this gig and, you suspect, will continue to sustain The Coral’s career. The knockabout pop of early tunes like Bill McCai and Shadows Fall sound even better when up against the deranged likes of Arabian Sand or Goodbye’s extended freak out section, which comes armed with a apocalyptic countdown. Almost two decades on The Coral still sound like they’re ready for lift-off.