I found myself listening to some old Coldplay today, and was reminded of how good they are. I know that hating on Coldplay has become the favorite past time of those in the music scene, but I don’t see how that can be based on their musical ability.
Lets start with a concession and all be honest here: Viva La Vida sucks. It is self indulgent, and, for the most part, forgettable. But, if we go back to a time before Chris Martin tried to become Bono Jr., you will hear some really fantastic music. They are still the same people now, capable of making more great music in the same vein as their early triumphs but only now they have been misled by ego, the public, music media, record companies, producers, or all of the above. Coldplay-Current is not the same band as Coldplay-Vintage, and it makes me sad, because none of the parts of the machine have changed, just some wiring somewhere. Get a mechanic in there!
Commence chronological journey….NOW:
Parachutes. Calm down all you Coldplayers, I know it isn’t their real first release (there was Ode to Deodorant and all that crap). However, this is their first widely released album, and Parachutes without a doubt marks the point in Coldplay history where they discovered their true identity as a band. Melancholy, radio-friendly, melody-driven pop rock. Simply from a commercial standpoint, the album was massive: 3 hit singles in Yellow, Shiver and Trouble, with the first being possibly the biggest hit of the decade. Used in millions of movie soundtracks, and selling well over a bajillion copies, Parachutes was a pretty decent mainstream debut.
A Rush of Blood to the Head. This is the album that catapulted the band from stardom to supernova-epic status, for three reasons. First, they conquered the dreaded sophomore slump–the public has a comfortable handle on what your group is after hearing your first album, and has pigeon-holed you, whether consciously or not (it is a band’s nature to fight against this notion, which will later prove to be the catalyst of Viva La Vida). CP stayed well enough within the confines of their fans’ preconceived notions of what they should sound like, while still expanding their musical landscape.
Secondly, they somehow managed to have even MORE hit singles on AROBTTH than on Parachutes: In My Place, The Scientist, Clocks (the biggest hit of the next decade), and Politik. The argument on whether or not In My Place is possibly (ironically) out of place on the album (artistically speaking) is irrelevant–it still received major radio airplay***.
And third, they started writing more epic sounding songs, songs meant to be played in huge arenas with throngs of clapping people. Clocks and Politik are anthemic and grandiose, and have a kind of self-aware swagger to them. Even The Scientist, the personal ballad of the album, seems to beckon a sing-along.
X&Y. Here is where it starts to get a little tricky. To the astute listener (me) you can hear a real darkness throughout this record, and the beginnings of a movement away from strict melody-driven music to a more rhythm-centric sound. Guitars and percussion are now in the forefront as opposed to piano and vocals in albums past. Jonny Buckland used to be the spice sprinkled in the perfect amount upon a song to give it its “voice”, and in this album, he saturates most songs with very effected guitar. This isn’t necessarily bad, as they probably gained some fans with their newer sound, while losing few because its not THAT far off the mark. Personally, I like the album, especially its gems Fix You and Swallowed in the Sea, but it took me a few listens to warm up to X&Y, Talk and White Shadows. I (correctly) predicted that this would most likely be the last album I really liked from Coldplay.
Viva la Vida. By past Coldplay standards, crap. They lost many fans with this effort. Held to the standard of all other music out there in the world, still above average, but I am no longer a fan. I am indifferent of them now. I won’t change the station, but I won’t turn it up either.
I applaud Coldplay for trying to evolve, they just missed the mark. As I mentioned earlier, there is an understandable artistic compulsion to move forward and evolve your sound, especially when feeling pigeon-holed by a fan base. It is as if walls are suddenly constructed around you; creative claustrophobia. However, you’re really damned if you do, damned if you don’t in this situation. You can’t remain exactly the same, or critics will accuse you of pulling a “Nickelback” (I made a funny). Nor can you change too much, or you will be deemed to have lost your identity.
Maybe Coldplay’s next album will be a return to their older style. Maybe they will really go off the deep end, Bjork-style, and get so caught up in themselves that they literally implode. Honestly, either would be entertaining. I guess my point is that I don’t care. It’s ok to love their old stuff, and not like their new stuff. And it is snobbish and sheep-like to jump on the Coldplay bash-wagon when their early stuff really is phenomenal.
***this brings up a theory I have about Coldplay and their discography. I believe that Coldplay intentionally wrote a “throwback” song on each of their albums as a tool to help ease their fans into the next phase of Coldplay music. They knew AROBTTH was moving in a direction away from Parachutes with songs such as Politik, and wanted to make the transition easier for the audience. Even the track placement is indicative of this: 1) Politik, ushering in the newer sound, followed by 2) In My Place, a soothing reassurance to the listener that they are not forgetting their old sound altogether. Furthermore, that is another reason why Viva La Vida sucks–they didn’t have a throwback song. Chart it, you will see that I am right. AROBTTH had In My Place. X&Y had Fix You. Viva la Vida has, what? Viva La Vida? Melodic, but not the same. Anyway, this is also my argument for why In My Place is not an out-of-place song on AROBTTH, as many Coldplay-ites suggest.
liveanotheryear 