Coldplay
albums
Jon Buckland - Guitar
Wil Champion - Drums
Guy Berryman - Bass
Best Album: Parachutes
Biggest Influences: U2, Radiohead, The Stone Roses
2000
Parachutes - 7/8
The reason this album is so spectacular is because somehow, all of the song titles are so short......sorry.
Let me start that again: This is a nifty little debut album, with nifty little aspirations, that all of a sudden got
huge with the public. That means two things: 1) Everyone and their mother (especially the moms) will have
heard of this band and will name check it often. 2) It will be fashionable for snobs to hate it, despite what it
sounds like. Like the Nirvana and Radiohead before them, Coldplay is a band that for critics it is "cool" to
hate. This is about as far as that comparison goes though, because even though The Bends was an
influence on this album, Nirvana sure wasn't. Anyways, to look at this album once its popularity has died
down is what a good critic should do, and view it with unbiased eyes (well, ears). That's what i am trying to
do, see how a good singles band's albums add up in the long run.
This is a very minimal album, full of subtle touches, that on repeated listens make it great. Song like
"Spies", "Everything's not Lost" (the albums best song) and "Don't Panic" are the best examples of this, and
they are very good, melodic songs. The singles "Yellow" and "Trouble" are great, rocking songs, but they
have a great deep emotion that resonates while you listen that is often overlooked. Other singles were
"Sparks" and "Shiver", and while decent, they are a little to draggy for my taste. "Parachutes" is the over
looked classic on the disc..... heh, sorry I am in a weird mood; that song is ok, but it isn't really necessary for
the album. "High Speed" talks about confidence, but I have never really made sense of the lyrics, maybe the
band wasn't confident enough to put them on paper. Oh well, the music is pretty good, though standard.
SO what he have is not an album that has a flawless first half while lousy second half, which seems to be
the popular opinion, but is kind of alternating in quality throughout, while never really faltering at all. For a
"calm down" album this works well, because even the rocking songs maintain the mood of the slower ones.
Slower songs are prevalent though, so if you are not a fan of slow, moody music, stay away. I hope you are
though, because this album lives up to the hype of being a great record, and that is not an easy thing for us
critics to admit, right? - Trevor e.y.
1.don't panic- 4
2.shiver- 3
3.spies- 4
4.sparks- 2
5.yellow- 4
6.trouble- 4
7.parachutes- gf
8.high speed- 3
9.we never change- 3
10.everything's not lost- 4
2002
A Rush of Blood to the Head - 3/8
The thing one tends to note when looking at this album, before listening, is only 3 of the 11 songs are
under 5 minutes. Kind of intimidating, seeing as how this album is already two songs longer than their last (in
actual songs anyways). Coldplay are not good as an overly ambitious band; they are best when they are
timid and reflective, not bombastic and stadium ready. Disturbing as it is, so many songs here have these
POUNDING DRUMS like the band thinks it is their contemporaries, The Doves, or that every song has to be
like "Yellow" from the last album. Coldplay is trying on this, trying to be as big as the world is telling them they
are, where they should be going the other direction, playing down their popularity and reflecting and denying
it, by forcing people to meet them on their own terms (like Nirvana and Radiohead did). "Green Eyes" and
"Warning Sign" are not the Husker Du and Talking Heads cover songs I thought they were, which was also
dissapointing! "The Scientist" and "Amsterdam" are good songs, proving that the band can still write songs
that are well done. "In My Place" though, is the best song on here, with its great anthem like chorus. Love
that song.
Most of the record has no musical merit though, "Politik", "God Put a Smile on Your Face", "Daylgiht", "A
Whisper", none of these are even worth mentioning. A softmore slump in the keenest sense of the term. This
record proves where Coldplay's loyalties lie. "Am i part of the cure, or am i part of the disease?" Martin sings
on "clocks", one of the most boring songs ever. Well let me tell you buddy. I refuse to talk anymore about this
derivative piece of work that sounds like the band is ripping itself off at times, and nothing is worse than a
band that cannot even sound as good as they use to by their second album. It took everything from
Parachutes, and made it mediocre. I think the same band that made the debut is lost forever. - Trevor e.y.
1.politik- 2
2.in my place- 4
3.god put a smile upon your face- 2
4.the scientist- 3
5.clocks- 1
6.daylight- 2
7.green eyes- 1
8.warning sign- 1
9.a whisper- 2
10.a rush of blood to the head- 1
11.amsterdam- 3
2005
X & Y - 3/8
Coldplay's lame steak continues with this record. The album gets these 5 star reviews, but why is it
getting those I wonder? It ain't the music, I assure you, because music like this is beyond boring, beyond
pretentious, and beyond bad. Not only do they countlessly rip off good bands like Stereolab ("Low") and U2
(everything about them!), but Martin writes stupid, lame lyrics. Sample: "And I could write a song, a hundred
miles long, 'cause that's where I belong, and you belong with me." What?!? There is some good on here,
"What If" manages to be that "one great track" like on the last album, that comes right in at the number two
spot. Some other songs, "Speed of Sound", "Swallowed in the Sea", and "Twisted Logic" are ok, but nothing
to rave about. In all, a dull mess of sound effects with no artistic value. Coldplay have done what bands
should not do: go from a great debut to not caring what they sound like, but caring more about popularity
and having a spotlight then the music. In essence, they are trying to be something they are not, and are
afraid to be themselves. The band has talent, but it looks like it will never again surface like it did on
Parachutes. - Trevor e.y.
1.square one- 3
2.what if- 4
3.white shadows- 2
4.fix you- 2
5.talk- 1
6.x & y- 1
7.speed of sound- 3
8.a message- 1
9.low- 1
10.the hardest part- 2
11.swallowed in the sea- 3
12.twisted logic- 3
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