Coldplay : X & Y
Ten reasons to love Coldplay’s new album
1. Chris Martin’s vocals — he has never sounded so brazen, confident and vulnerable in the same breath.
2.Johnny Buckland, a.k.a. the guitar hero — everything from his guitar riffs that lift the melody from Kraftwerk’s “Computer Love” to the bombastic licks on the opening cut “Square One.” This guy is stepping out of his shadows and into the realm where legends are born.
3.The Codas — from the acoustic strumming at the end of “Square One” and the electronic keys after “White Shadows” that make the songs soar to another level never heard before from this quartet.
4.Let’s not forget the orchestral “Day in the Life”-esque, ode to The Beatles at the end of “What if” I love it. You can’t miss it along with the other lifts from Kate Bush, Elbow and Kraftwerk. These guys play like the original Fab Four—living the adage that great artists steal.
5.Chris Martin’s lyrics — like his vocals, Martin writes for everyman and woman; anyone can relate. Simple yet memorable lines like “…when you get what you want but not what you need” and “what if I got it wrong/and no poem or song could put it right or wrong…”
6.The Harmonies — I love the way the foursome sing together at the end of “Fix You.” Also, during the bridge of “White Shadows” Chris Martin’s backing vocals show how far they’ve come from the sparse arrangements found on their debut Parachutes.
7.The Johnny Cash homage — I love Johnny Cash and this song, “Till Kingdom Come,” would have fit perfectly on his last American Recordings CD, The Man Comes Around. Sadly, Johnny will never get a chance to sing it but it is an amazing track that’s a fitting tribute for the man in black.
8.The songs — tracks like “What if” and “Fix You” aren’t just reworkings of “Yellow” and “The Scientist,” no these are songs that connect with you because of their message of longing and love.
9.The Sequencing — I love the way Coldplay interspersed uplifting tracks like “Speed of Sound,” “Talk” and “White Shadows” with the more melancholy ones. I was greatly surprised by the number of upbeat tracks. These guys aren’t a bunch of mopers, thanks to Johnny and the killer rhythm section, bassist Berryman and drummer Champion. They know how to rock.
10.This is their best record — X&Y grows on you, which is the reason I have to say this is their best album. I have to admit I was skeptical after I first heard “Speed of Sound,” but like on “Clocks,” Coldplay has a way of winning you with their amazing combination that is Berryman, Buckland, Champion and Martin. Forget U2 — they are our generation’s Fab Four.
Similar Albums:
Travis – The Man Who
U2 – Achtung Baby
Hope of the States – The Lost Riots