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Member since:25.04.2004
Reviews:37
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"If it ain't broken don't fix it" is how the old adage goes. This is Coldplay's design for life. These environmentally friendly popsters have only gone and recycled themselves!
Why not? In their absence so may other bands have been eco-friendly enough to cut and paste their sound to inject flagging careers. Stand up Keane, Snow Patrol, Embrace.
Coldplay has plagurised Coldplay and Mr Martin has every right to look smug about it.
His band are fast falling into the hearts of Middles England, arty 30-somethings, relieved to have found something they can talk about in trendy cafes and this humble reviewer.
Anyone who bought Coldplay's A Rush Of Blood To The Head will recognise new single Speed of Sound as the piano bit from Clocks with a new, inspired, chorus.
Ignore Chris Martin's luvvie anguish or sniping at the share holders who pay his inflated wages, this album could easily have been disappointing but also even better.
Since it's conception Martin has married an A-list actress (Gwyneth) and become a father (to Apple) and an icon for Christian Aid ethics (to the wristband-wearing masses).
He wears his influences on his album sleeve like his wife wears her tear ducts at the Oscars, and with the first listen through X&Y one can play a game of spot the tribute.
Track two What If could be their spiritual cousins Athlete. The title track is clothed in sparkly 70s psychadelia. Low, hinted at by the title, is very New Order and wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Manchester veterans' Waiting For The Sirens Call.
While The Hardest Part has Michael Stipe and REM written as much over the structure and sound as Chris Martin has Fair Trade logos engulfing his palms.
The album is in two definite sections. The first is 'classic' Coldplay' with the piano-led choruses and Martin's meandering vocals, looking back with Kraftwerk riffs!
Opener Square One starts off in a Pink Floyd mode and White Shadows utilising the band's new found love affairs with the organ.
The second side is a lot more introspective. With Kingdom Come, we get a ballad akin to U2's Edge-vocalled Van Diemen's land - if it was covered by Johhny Cash.
I assume it deals with the looking back and the death of a partner, with the survivior willing her or him to wait for him and for me is the climax.
Fix You also deals with bereavement. Cash's death followed by Hammond king Jimmy Smith seems to have had a real impact.
In interviews over the past year Martin has made so secret of his love for Gospel music and while falling short of bringing in the Blind Boys of Alabama he does utilise the organ to create an atmosphere of the story-telling ditties like Swallowed In The Sea.
Coldplay became so ubiquitous everything was starting to sound like Coldplay. Now with pop literally eating itself they are sounding like everybody else.
I was looking forward to the supposed great Kraftwerkisms (all we get in the riff from Computer Love) and a couple of great gospel clappers. But, as ever, Coldplay are subtle.
Despite all this or perhaps because of it.This is a great album. But with the crossbar being highered each time by this band thay have an impossibly high standard to live up to.
X&Y will soak up many more fans, if not quite having the singular selling power to knock The Crazy Frog off the No1 spot in the UK.
(I hears Chris wanted to remix The Crazy Frog…in a liquidiser. Get in the queue matey!)
The band has an image that makes it 'ok' to like them, despite being uncool in a Hugh Grant sort of way.
This album is heading for the same dinner parties that previously made do with Dido then Jem when conversation turns to their overpriced underpowered ipods.
They can rest assured each track is unmistakably Coldplay as much as supping tea around a cricket field in the last swallow of Summer is forever England. As a design for life it takes some beating.
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Coldplay were faced with a difficult choice as they set to work on X&Y. They could ... more
either follow Radioheads lead and use their enormous success and financial security as a springboard to a brave experimental future--or they could play it safe, repe...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Square One @@us/euwm2/726/6588726_1_01.asx?obj=v50610@@ What If ... more
@@us/euwm2/726/6588726_1_02.asx?obj=v50608@@ White Shadows @@us/euwm2/726/6588726_1_03.asx?obj=v50607@@ Fix You @@us/euwm2/726/6588726_1_04.asx?obj=v50607@@ Talk @@us/euwm2/726/658872...
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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
chrismoll 05.06.2005 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of X And Y - Coldplay
Advantages: Accoustic harmonies and easy to listen to songs.Sincere and heartfelt lyrics. A really nice album. Disadvantages: I didnt like it as much as X&Y or A Sudden Rush of Blood to the Head.
SpookyMoon 29.05.2009 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Parachutes - Coldplay
Jun 15th, 2005
very helpful by (85%):
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