Coldplay - X & Y


Year of Release: 2005
Label: Capitol
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 00:00:00

I have never been one to get all excited about bands that are at the top of the charts; well, maybe when I was 8 years old. Coldplay seems to be dominating lately and with good reason. I kept hearing about them and never sat down and listened to an entire CD by this band. Now I know what all the fuss is. This album sold a half a million copies within one week of its release. That is an incredible achievement.

X & Y has me up to speed with these British wonder boys. I immediately noticed the vocals of Chris Martin to be a familiar combination, sounding very much like Bono and Dave Matthews, which is not a bad thing at all when you consider U2 and Dave's band are two of the most successful in the world. I know this is old news for those of you that have a lot of familiarity with this band, however, there are probably many more folks out there like myself that are just discovering this great band. By all indications, it looks as if Coldplay has surpassed just about everyone at this point.

Jon Buckland (guitar), Will Champion (drums), Guy Bergman (bass), and Chris Martin (vocals/piano) perform lush productions with precision accuracy throughout this recording. Their playing is very restrained. They do not cut loose and rock, ever, but that is to their benefit as each composition has its own story and atmosphere built to fit the vocals of Martin, who wraps his golden-throated vocals around each track with warmth and feeling. You do not have to let it all hang out and blow the roof off to play with emotion and this band is proof positive of that adage. Their music has a way off sweeping you away from your present reality; it rather eases you into another frame of mind. Martin's endearing vocal style makes itself right at home inside your consciousness then suddenly you find yourself singing right along to every tune as if you wrote it with the band.

There are many reasons that Coldplay is so huge, there is a lot more to it than being on a major label, and having that kind of backing, at least it is for this band. They offer real talent and originality through their hook-filled melodies. We will never see anything like the Beatles again but this is as close as it will ever get. This music speaks to the masses and the sound is affecting and contagious, the kind everyone is happy to hear. This great album will find itself in the number one spot at the end of the year. I am taking all bets now.


Tracklisting:
Square One / What If? / White Shadows / Fix You / Talk / X & Y / Speed Of Sound / A Message / Low / Hardest Part / Swallowed In The Sea / Twisted Logic / + - (hidden Track)

Musicians:
Chris Martin - vocals/piano
Jon Buckland - guitar
Will Champion - drums
Guy Berryman - bass

Discography:
Parachutes (2000)
A Rush Of Blood To The Head (2002)
Brothers & Sisters (ep) (2003)
Live 2003 (CD/DVD) (2003)
X & Y (2005)

Genre: Rock

Origin UK

Added: July 4th 2005
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.coldplay.com
Hits: 2196
Language: english

  

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