Coldplay - X & Y

ALBUM REVIEW

Coldplay's popularity is something that I personally believe is well deserved.

Are they pioneers, or visionaries....not quite.

What they do is take a solid foundation of a band, and continue to build upon it. This new album sees them adding more layers to their sound. At times it sounds a bit "over-produced" to me, but I like the depth and the concept overall.

If you've never tried a Coldplay album before, then you really should. Lead vocalist Chris Martin has one of the better voices in popular music, and makes the most of it on almost every song they make. Not to oversimplify what sets this band apart, but it's Chris' voice and the piano. Here is a band that's not afraid to add the sound of a piano (and we're not talking a keyboardist either). There have been many comparisons between Coldplay and Radiohead. While I think that those comparisons have some merit, I feel that it should be a compliment to both bands in question.

Let's take a look at the tracks this time around:

The album starts with what sounds to me like a not-so-subtle tribute to 2001 - A Space Odyssey, and begins in typical Coldplay fashion. Then, there's a U2 song inserted in the middle, including vocals, and then the song wraps up as a Coldplay song again. Aside from the schitzophrenic nature of the beast, I think that "Square One" is a nice start to things.

"What If" starts as a quiet piano song, and builds up into the crescendo that exemplifies Coldplay's sound. If it ain't broke, then don't fix it.

"White Shadows" should be one of my favorites off of the album, just based on the cool title alone. Unfortunately, for me, this is one of the songs that sounds like they're trying too hard. The canned drums and synthesized bassline don't really do the song any favors.

Coldplay is very skilled at making achingly touching songs. From their first hit "Yellow" they've proven that they can evoke tenderness and longing in a pop hit. "Fix You" is just such a song. It's very basic, and in the simplicity of the arrangement, all you get are the best nuances of Martin's voice. Definitely my highest ranked track on the disc.

Now, you may think I'm way off base here, but the guitar at the beginning of "Talk" sounds like bagpipes to me. I can close my eyes, and hear the sad timbre of the pipes in that opening lick. Although I usually tend to enjoy the more understated, and eclectic songs, this one is uptempo and brilliant. The Kraftwerk enthusiasts out there may recognize the influence on this track as well.

I wonder how many albums have good title tracks? That would be an interesting thing to study at some point. I would definitely have to include "X & Y" on that list. Not only do we have the melodies here, but we add the element of a string section that's here for real musical value and not just effect. It's not a symphony, but the way the guitar and the violins mimic each other is definitely good music.

It's long been the treasure of the fans that buy entire albums that they discover all the tracks that are leaps and bounds better than the radio single. This is almost always true. "Speed of Sound" may wreck the curve a little bit. This is a very well made song, and a good place for someone to get their first taste of the band. It's a good sampling of their best elements: that piano I love, the falsetto melodies, and the solid work of the band to bring it all together.

"A Message" is the song that would end up in the acoustic portion of a live performance, and be punctuated at the closing with the squeals of young ladies who think it's the sweetest thing they've ever heard, and jealous of Gwynneth Paltrow(singer Chris Martin's wifey). It's very soft and mellow, and the love ballad of the year thus far.

"Low" is another well made song. I enjoy the phrasing of the verses here, and the way lyrics are sort of casually tossed at the listener in an almost under-your-breath sigh. It's a love song about giving a damn.

The "Hardest Part" doesn't quite leave an impression on me. Lyrically, I'm sold, but the song just never really grabs me. Despite the piano to the fore, and everything, I just never seem to be won over with this one.

The sing-song nature of "Swallowed In The Sea" makes me wonder if it wasn't a lullaby from the new dad singer. When you get past the delivery, what you find underneath is a sweet song. The rhyming here may seem nursery, but the sentiment is post-graduate work.

We end things off with another song that gains momentum from quiet beginnings. "Twisted Logic" benefits from jangly guitars, and also the inclusion of a bonus track. "Til Kingdom Come" is a folksy country offering originally written for the late great Johnny Cash. While I would have loved to hear the Man In Black take it on, it's a nice little hidden send off here.

I think that this is another solid effort from Coldplay overall. Their albums tend to just get better each time you listen to them. While I still feel that "A Rush of Blood To the Head" is their best album running, this is a very good listen. I'm rating it based on the comparison to their other recordings, so please don't think that I'm not recommending it...

Rating = * * * 1/2 out of 5 stars