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Coldplay
A Rush of Blood to the Head
label: Capitol
released: 08.27.02
our score: 4.5 out of 5.0
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The debut album
from Coldplay marked a change in direction for modern UK rock
music. The days of the straight-rocking brit-pop of bands like
Blur and Oasis had come to a close and most of the musical world
had their eyes set on Radiohead. Still, Radiohead had laid dormant
for the few years post-Ok Computer and pre-Kid A.
What was needed was something to fill the void of emotive rock
music, a void which held some occupation by newcomers Travis.
What the debut
of Parachutes did however, was to propel Coldplay directly
into the limelight as the next big band to watch for out of our
sister country across the sea. Sure, the Radiohead comparisons
were valid, but there was still something different about the
band and its simplistic approach to making beautiful, moving,
introspective rock.
Now, two years
later, the band finds itself at a crossroads: the second album
which could break the band as nothing more than just a "one-hit
wonder" for "Yellow" or as something more - something
a few have referred to as "the next U2."
What A
Rush of Blood to the Head delivers is an unbelievably solid
growth upon the already amazing work of their debut. Songs like
the opening "Politik" and the driving "Clocks"
show a matured band with a much matured sound. While staying true
to the simplicity imbued in their playing style, the songs adhere
to a newfound complexity in composition.
Still, with
songs like the soft political commentary "A Rush of Blood
to the Head" and the un-fricken-believable piano / guitar
ballad "The Scientist" portray a sentimentality and
emotionality of truth found only in those rare Buckley-esque confessions
of the heart. Chris Martin's lyrics are greatly improved (a feat
once thought impossible) as well, still mostly covering the myriad
of heartelft emotions, it's just that with Martin it's obvious
he's really feeling them. Take a few listens to "The Scientist"
and tell me that each time he isn't tearing his heart out once
and again.
This being
said, A Rush of Blood is amazing - really. Go buy it
now. Buy it even if you didn't like the last one. Trust us, it's
this frickin good.
We've always
said The Flaming Lips are going to save the world someday, but
we'd be fine if it ended up being Coldplay instead. And with this
new disc, there's a damn good chance it could be.
29-Aug-2002
10:44 PM
If you
liked A Rush of Blood to the Head...
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