 | | Martin, Buckland, Berryman and Champion have delivered another exceptional musical experience. |
| A Cut Above
| | Amr Gamal argues that Coldplay’s third album, X&Y, brings the band to the next level | | |
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| To find recent comparisons equivalent to the way in which Coldplay has catapulted itself to the top of the music scene is nearly impossible. History, on the other hand, offers more to work with. The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Oasis and U2: All of these bands broke into their fans' hearts and obtained the critics' praise in an instant. After over 10 million albums sold worldwide, the same can be said of British rockers Coldplay. |
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| Since the release of their debut album, Parachutes (2000), they have had little time away from the spotlight. Their single "Yellow," full of Chris Martin's uncanny falsetto ability, was extremely well received. Add to that the success of Parachutes' hit "Shiver" and you have the beginning of one of modern day rock's finest stories. This success story continued with Coldplay's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002). Then, last June the band released its third album, X&Y. For any band trying to make it in the dog-eat-dog world of music, album number three is a deciding factor. It dictates whether past accomplishments are either preludes to an eventual burnout or to 20-some years of stardom. |
| Starfish, as they previously known, first met at the University College London in 1996, and by 1998 the band included all of its current members: front man Martin, guitarist Johnny Buckland, bass guitarist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion. They soon chose to go by the name Coldplay, taken from a friend's band. At the outset, they were labeled as being more than similar to Radiohead, a positive yet undesirable comparison, since they were trying to forge their own identity. However, Coldplay is now considered one of the most unique bands out there. |
| With angst, pain, suffering and other forms of misery having dominated the rock scene during past years, the arrival of Coldplay had quite a savior feel to it. Some of their songs did have a dark undertone, but rather than flood the listener with endless references to a dismal, life-not-worth-living scenario through a heavy sound distortion, Coldplay subtly conveyed their moody sensibility through musical artistry. |
| Martin's voice, as well as Buckland's mesmerizing riffs in Parachutes, became etched in the memory of not only the British, but also fans around the world. Prior to the release of the band's sequel, A Rush of Blood to the Head, questions were raised as to whether Coldplay could live up to the enormous success of their first album. Bassist Berryman himself expressed anxiety in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine: "We've got a lot of pressure on us. We're trying our best, but if we think we haven't done it justice, then we're going to have to spend longer." But all such worries proved to be unwarranted. The band's second album, which stays true to their original style but also feels distinctly Pink Floydian at some points, cemented Coldplay's place at the top of the rocker food chain. |
| And now, after 18 months of fine-tuning, fidgeting and experimenting, comes X&Y. Martin, Buckland, Berryman and Champion have delivered another exceptional musical experience. The simplicity of the music is appealing, as well as the typical lyrical and vocal brilliance of Coldplay's front man. The album's single, "Speed of Sound," which debuted at number eight on the US charts, a relatively unheard of occurrence for British bands, has the same success feel as "Yellow." The song "Swallowed in the Sea" takes a look at the more serious matter of coming to terms with death, while on the opposite end of the spectrum, "A Message," deals with love. |
| Some critics have been a bit more cut-throat: They expected Coldplay to deliver the same scintillating quality of music as in their previous albums and claim that in X&Y the band is trying too hard. They, however, are in the minority. |
| If a band's third album dictates whether history will look on them as simply having inspired future acts or set the bar too high for others to think of following, from all indications it seems that Coldplay is setting the bar and chucking the ladder. |
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