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July 12, 2005
who are they anyway?
This is what makes futile any attempts to understand humanity.
Speaking of things that I can't make sense of, I recently purchased the new Coldplay album titled X&Y. I really enjoyed their first two albums. Both had a relatively somber tone. On both Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head, Chris Martin's full yet simple piano really laid a foundation from which the music flourished. My favorite aspect of both albums was the final tracks: "Everything's Not Lost" and "Amsterdam," respectively. They gave both albums a real continuity and a sense of finality. "Twisted Logic" does not have that same sense about it, and that void almost makes the whole album suffer. This, however, is not my chief complaint. From track one, this album sounds exactly like U2's last album should have. Chris Martin's voice sounds more like Bono's from The Joshua Tree than his emotional, somewhat airy tone from "Spies" and "We Never Change." I can't find any piano on it either. It must be buried under the guitars, which sound like the kind of repetitive yet powerful riffs perfected by The Edge. I like X&Y, but I don't really like that it came from Coldplay. I wish it had taken the place of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, an album that truly makes no sense to me. It's as if U2 forgot how to write meaningful lyrics. I'm upset that I spent money on that album, and I'm even more upset that one of the best bands of the 80s and 90s might be losing their creative edge.
This work by Coldplay doesn't really concern me. They've only recently become the kind of band that can fill big stadiums and amphitheaters. They're growing. Unfortunately, their process of self-discovery seems to have required them to abandon a huge part of what made them not only great, but unique. Their talent goes far beyond what surfaces on this album, assuming it hasn't atrophied since A Rush of Blood to the Head.
On another note, I guess all it takes to turn the Cubbies around is an extended ranting session. They responded to my call by winning three straight going into the break. Maybe they needed the excitement that the new kids bring to the clubhouse.
Posted by ben at July 12, 2005 2:51 PM
Comments
Harp -- I feel your pain on U2. I think they have become too good for their own good and many of their followers are a bit too rabid. It seems to be that U2 could release an album with a huge piece of shit inside and people would still love it. U2, throughout their career, have written masterpiece after masterpiece, so in a way I guess they deserve to be revered regardless of what they are producing. But, I do have a hard time believing thattheir limitless talent isn't capable of producing something better than How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. I don't own the album, but I have heard it a few times and found it underwhelming for U2, but still better than most music produced today.
I must say though, I really like X&Y -- even more thabn A Rush of Blood to the Head. I feel like it's more focused, and I really dig "Fix You".
Posted by: Ferrario at July 14, 2005 9:53 AM