X And Y - Coldplay

Advantages: great, lengthy and not a dissapointment to past releases.
Disadvantages: if you dont like Coldplays previous songs/albus you wont be a fan of this

...effectiveness of their third album X and Y. 1. Square One One of the most important tracks on an album is of course the opener. This rule couldn't be more important for Coldplay, after a three year wait this is the first taste the fans will get of the new Coldplay album (minus the single). The song starts off with a nice mellow synth and kicks in as only Coldplay can with a solid beat and catchy guitar licks. The song has a lot of atmosphere to ...
...varied as ever. Nice opener leaving the listener wanting to hear more - you never get a second chance to make a first impression and Coldplay have made sure they have made the most out of theirs. 2. What If With high hopes the next slows down from the previous and provides merely a piano and vocal intro making the lyrics stand out as much as ever. This provides a nice contrast from the previous tracks and shows the two best elements of Coldplay - ... Read review

Advantages: fantastic songs, lengthy album, good lyrics
Disadvantages: no thank you

...musicians who attach the letter X and the letter of Y and make that X become the Y it comes into their admirable ballads and melodies more than 13 times. This CD is very pleasant thing to hear and the cover is made well with small boxes in the middle which are formed of the colours black, grey, white, red, orange, purple, yellow, green, and blue. It appears like a strange picture and artwork, and after I play the music, the picture still makes no ...
...of rails manner like an X becoming anything that is a Y." I asked him what he meant and he says "you repair the white shades". But it is only one of his jokes he makes. The other difference on X&Y is the keyboards which are obviously playing more and more during the album. This music is for grown-ups, as it takes music on a grown-up level. I modified my understanding of Coldplay, when I heard their new songs it was on the radio and not by the stage ... Read review

Advantages: Fix You
Disadvantages: Could be Be Here Now Mark 2.

...Crazy Frog and now Coldplay's X & Y. Fans and critics alike noticed that the hype being built up around it surely meant that it was going to fall flat on it's face and die on it's backside. Well this is what Chris Martin and company have offered us... Square One - A predictable album starter, the song fades in as if you have woken up in heaven. Martin loudly whispers that you are in control, is there anything you wanna know? What I want to know ...
...but still, tune. 8/10. X & Y - Now this song is different, very different. It isn't a 'Talk', it isn't a 'Fix You'. I haven't a clue what it is other than a cracker. I can't really comment on the verses other than they hop along nicely, a lovely serenade for a Sunday afternoon, but the beautiful lyrics, the beautiful voice just make "You and me are floating on a tidal wave, togetherrrrr..." an unbeatable lyric. The song can't decide to be a guitar ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent lengthy album, good guitar/drum work
Disadvantages: A few of the tracks sound very similar

About five years ago, I watched a man walking on a beach singing a tune that reminded me of early 90's shoe-gazing. Fortunately, I heard the song again, and again, and soon, I bought "Parachutes", Coldplay's debut album. As an intimate success of acoustics and piano, I loved it then and it still stands up as one of the best records of the last 20 years in my opinion. Unfortunately, the "A Rush of Blood to the Head" was a disappointing follow up I ...
...a forced politcal undertone and some dopey sounding guitars ("In My Place" is the worst Coldplay song ever). So, after years in the studio and supposed "band almost breaking up rumours", Coldplay has returned with "X+Y", a phenomenal, guitar driven record that hints at Pink Floyd and is more reminiscent of the playful sexuality shown in "Parachutes". The album is cohesive and well balanced, featuring numerous surprises and Chris Martin's most impressive ... Read review

Advantages: Everything
Disadvantages: None

X & Y is Coldplays third supposedly difficult album. Not difficult to listen to but difficult for an altogether different reason. 2000 was Coldplays year. Starting rockily with Shiver only charting at 35 in the UK charts, follow up single 'Yellow' changed all that. Peaking at 4 it became an anthem and stayed in the charts for months falling and rising again! Debut album 'Parachutes' reached number one before third single 'Trouble' (though only charting ...
...came their biggest hit 'In My Place' reaching number 2. 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' followed Parachutes to the number on spot in the album charts. The band had also broken America. Singles 'The Scientist' and (my fav) 'Clocks' also made the top ten, even though the album was selling by the bucket load. This is why 'X & Y' was a difficult album. It had all this to beat. First single 'Speed Of Sound' was a number one robbed. How Crazy Frog beat it ... Read review

Advantages: If you like rock music, you'll love this.
Disadvantages: Not much variation; songs are very similar.

.... There is not a single song that I do not like, nor that I like less than the others; the album really is that good! There is some quality to Archer's singing that ensnares the listner time and time again. One of his greatest assetts is his range; he has a fantastic range of notes at his disposal at any time, and his voice is not at all strained in the album. There is no clear-cut equivalent to this album; it is not as plain "weird" as OK Computer from Radiohead, but certainly heavier than X and Y from Coldplay. It's a kind of mix between the two, with an extra dimension that is literally breathtaking. Along with this is the feeling that the fame and success could not have happened to any more deserving people; portrayed in the lyrics are feelings of truthful moments of poverty, and you think that you're buying the CD was worthwhile not just... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: It's Coldplay!
Disadvantages: /

...Having been a fan of Coldplay since their first album "Parachutes" in 1999, I always await each new album with great anticipation, with this anticipation rising after each is released due to the increasing quality of every one. So I got myself into the spirit by listening to X&Y a solid four times and downloaded "Viva La Vida" as soon as I could. I'd already heard a few tracks from various radioplay and also seeing them on different TV shows here and there and was certainly happy with what I heard. Although in all honesty I could have been listening to to someones nails scratching a blackboard and still be happy. After all, its Coldplay right? Anyhow, I pressed streamed it to my 360 and started listening whilst I played a bit of FIFA. The first song, Life in Technicolor is an instrumental, and, although is not what I'd class... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A much more mature album, Range of influences, Can be listened to endless times
Disadvantages: Not as "Pop" as previous releases

...Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends is Coldplay's long awaited album and is a groundbreaking comeback record from the critically acclaimed X&Y of 2005. That said, musically, it is very different to their previous releases; with a completely new range of influences coming together to make this album even more awe-inspiring. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the album has been co-produced by Brian Eno - a world reknowned musician that is heavily influenced by classical, ambiental and african genres. Tracks such as "Violet Hill" still bear resemblance to the catchy acoustic/pop songs we heard on their previous albums, such as tear-jerker "Fix You". Yet it is hard not to fall in love with the brilliant string and orchestral arrangements or the strong beats that appear in many of the tracks. This is one of those... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful