Why I Believe X & Y Is Receiving Mixed Reactions:

[Miggy D]

I've been reading a lot of reactions on this board, from people who have been comparing X & Y to Parachutes and complaining that it doesn't stack up. Many consider Parachhutes superior. Some believe AROBTTH is superior as well. Many people seem to be disappointed. I, on the other hand, really love this new album. I must qualify this by saying that I am a huge Radiohead fan. What do I mean by this?

 

Coldplay are following a similar trajectory that Radiohead followed in their early career.

 

Don't necessarily take this statement at face value - I don't believe X & Y is much like OK Computer (Radiohead's third), but the similarity is that Coldplay's albums are beginning to live up to the band's name:

 

They're getting colder.

 

Parachutes is filled with raw emotions, but a very simple and stripped down structure. It's basically just piano, a single electric guitar, bass, and drums. It is occassionally accented by Martin's rhythm guitar, but that's about it. The raw emotion of the songs shine through because the arrangement is rather bare.

 

With AROBTTH, Coldplay began to change. They knew they had to evolve if they were to become something more than the other English bands they were being lumped with in the Post-Oasis/Radiohead Brit Rock scene. Their sound grew more complicated, and evolved, but I believe some of the emotion was lost. Many of the songs on the album retained it, such as Amsterdam, The Scientist, and In My Place. But songs like 'A Whisper' and 'Daylight' left me feeling colder than I had on the previous album. As the songs evolved and instruments and layers were added, something in the music changed. I didn't see this as a bad thing - with a good band, if you lose the emotion of a song you oftentimes gain something else. It all depends on whether the listener minds sacrificing raw emotion for something closer to intellectual introspection.

 

X & Y sees the completion of this musical arc. There aren't any songs like 'Yellow' or 'The Scientist' on X & Y. Even 'Fix You' doesn't contain the raw emotional bombast that 'The Scientist' has. X & Y is very musically layered. There are synths all over the place, multiple, criss-crossing electric guitars, and ambient noises in the background. Martin's lyrics have changed as well. This album is full of intellectual questions - questions about fate, communication, distance, technology, meaning. Parachutes was basically a collection of love ballads, with few exceptions. I love Parachutes to death - it's a fantastic album, but it should not be compared to AROBTTH or X & Y. Each album is what it is. I see Parachutes as Chris exploring love and the simple things in life, and creating brilliant, catchy ballads like Yellow, Everything's Not Lost, and Trouble. AROBTTH sees him digging deeper, and the other bandmates evolve with him - their musical styling becomes more complicated and obtuse as his lyrics and longings become more intellectual in nature. X & Y sees this evolution to fruition.

 

But I love this new album. It's nowhere near as immediate as Parachutes, or even AROBTTH. It requires repeated listenings. It requires you to reflect on your own thoughts and beliefs. It's not immediately accessible, and therefore not as immediately gratifying. I think this is why people are reacting the way they are. With all of these 'The Next U2' comparisons, some are probably expecting to be immediately moved and emotionally affected ala 'One' or 'Where The Streets Have No Name' or 'Beautiful Day'. But these U2 comparisons are bollocks. Coldplay's music has always been veering, with each new album, towards intellectual introspection, and further away from raw emotional bombast ala 'Sunday Bloody Sunday.' I don't mind in the least bit. I was expecting this, and I was prepared, and I love these songs. I love the album more and more with each listen - it makes me think, it makes me question, and it moves me in ways that simple ballads like 'Yellow' cannot.

 

Take this album on a drive through the countryside as the sun begins to set. Allow yourself to be consumed by the album's questions, concerns, thoughts, and doubts. Let go of any expectations that X & Y will be 'Parachutes Redux' and take it for what it is - an amazing, brilliant album that yearns to find the answers to the questions residing inside all of our minds.

 

-Miggy

[Albie]

I hope it doesn't take a year for it to grow on me :o

[*Ali*]

hear hear! bravo my man :P :D

[Kapone]

Very well written.

[colduser]

Damn Miggy D. RIGHT THE FUCK ON. It's like you said exactly what I've been thinking. Thank you!!

You're radiohead mention is interesting as their third album was a dividing line amongst fans. Coldplay are growing up and I hope older fans don't get left behind. God I Love Coldplay.

[victaniac]

But songs like 'A Whisper' and 'Daylight' left me feeling colder than I had on the previous album.

Very true, It took me a longgggg time to get used to those two songs in particular. I wholeheartedly agree with your post, I think people were expecting something softer and X&Y is definitely not that.

 

Even if you don't like the album, you have to respect Coldplay for taking the risk. Many bands would have stuck to formulated and recycled songs - what "works" in other words - just for the album to be considered "good". This album to me is phenomenal.

 

Go miggy! *claps* :)

[Albie]

But songs like 'A Whisper' and 'Daylight' left me feeling colder than I had on the previous album.

Very true, It took me a longgggg time to get used to those two songs in particular. I wholeheartedly agree with your post, I think people were expecting something softer and X&Y is definitely not that.

 

Even if you don't like the album, you have to respect Coldplay for taking the risk. Many bands would have stuck to formulated and recycled songs - what "works" in other words - just for the album to be considered "good". This album to me is phenomenal.

 

Go miggy! *claps* :)

 

THERE'S has to be a 4th album :/

[victaniac]

I'm sure there will be :D

[Albie]

*fingers crossed* :smug:

[autumnjoy]

THERE'S has to be a 4th album

 

but.. even if there is... you might not like it like you're not crazy about this one..

:dozey:

[Albie]

THERE'S has to be a 4th album

 

but.. even if there is... you might not like it like you're not crazy about this one..

:dozey:

 

maybe because it has to grow on me :/

[victaniac]

*fingers crossed* :smug:

Just remember that they're gonna tour for 2 years or so... then give them a year more to write and record... and all the delays, you're easily looking at 2008 for CP's new album! Keep on crossing those fingers...:happy2:

[Miggy D]

As with any great band, a fan can't have 'expectations.' Think about how many people were disappointed when The Beatles began changing? Those albums, like Sgt. Pepper, are now considered among the best ever released. Why was there a backlash, then? People wanted the 'Old Beatles.' They wanted more poppy, lovey-dovey songs. But people often don't know what's good for them. I may think about how great it would be to eat donuts all day, but you know what? By the 3rd box of donuts I'd be sick of them and I wouldn't want to touch another donut for months. If The Beatles kept releasing the same exact stuff for 10 years, do you think they'd be remembered as they are today? But in order to be revered throughout the ages you have to risk alienating/disappointing some of your fanbase that expect you to release the exact same album 5 times.

 

Parachutes is in the past. Instead of wishing the new album were more like it, let's just be appreciative that Parachutes was ever made at all. Now go and give X & Y another listen, and don't expect anything! :)

 

-Miggy

[victaniac]

As with any great band, a fan can't have 'expectations.' Think about how many people were disappointed when The Beatles began changing? Those albums, like Sgt. Pepper, are now considered among the best ever released. Why was there a backlash, then? People wanted the 'Old Beatles.' They wanted more poppy, lovey-dovey songs. But people often don't know what's good for them. I may think about how great it would be to eat donuts all day, but you know what? By the 3rd box of donuts I'd be sick of them and I wouldn't want to touch another donut for months. If The Beatles kept releasing the same exact stuff for 10 years, do you think they'd be remembered as they are today? But in order to be revered throughout the ages you have to risk alienating/disappointing some of your fanbase that expect you to release the exat same album 5 times.

 

Parachutes is in the past. Instead of wishing the new album were more like it, let's just be appreciative that Parachutes was ever made at all. Now go and give X & Y another listen, and don't expect anything! :)

 

Excellent voice of reason, thanks for shedding light and putting things in some kind of perspective. I wasn't around in these forums when AROBTTH was released, but I'd bet a whole lot of people complained as well.

[Octakon]

word ;)

[wiReZ]

Great posts Miggy. You've got my seal of approval.

 

-puts this post on the site-

[Albie]

you thief :lol:

[wiReZ]

? i just made a link to the post.

[Albie]

oh okay :lol:

[Miggy D]

Thanks for that, man - I'm flattered.

[gib786]

FUCK YES, dude i totally agree with you! Thats a nice review, and something that most people seem to agree with. Thanks for your input!

[Hot Burrito]

Spot on! Everything I have wanted to say but yet put so much better! Thanks so much for posting that :)

[Stimulusrock]

Parachutes is filled with raw emotions, but a very simple and stripped down structure. It's basically just piano, a single electric guitar, bass, and drums. It is occassionally accented by Martin's rhythm guitar, but that's about it. The raw emotion of the songs shine through because the arrangement is rather bare.

 

That's the worst description of Parachutes I've ever seen! There are only two of 11 songs with piano at all, and all the rest have Chris on rhythm acoustic guitar. It was very much the norm then, and not occasional at all. You're right about it being more stripped back and emotional of course.

 

Anyway, I agree with your argument in principle. As a guitar player, I've always viewed the arc in terms of Chris moving more towards the piano from the guitar and the sound moving more towards synths and layering whilst acoustic guitar is becoming more and more scarce. It really formed the backbone to the vast majority of Parachutes era stuff, and that's something that I kind of don't like. Each Colplay album that comes out is less "stummable to," you know?

 

I view AROBTTH and X&Y as classic albums though and am not at all disappointed, I just get that pang for the acoustic Coldplay beauty of old from time to time. I guess that's why Till Kingdom Come is one of my early favourites of the new one.

[musicman]

Miggy you're the man, great explanation of what's hapening

[redlight24fps]

Good Post man.

 

I think the measure of any true band is how much they progress and change in between records while keeping that element that makes their sound original. To compare this record to the last three is somewhat retroactive as it underminds their attempts to change musically as well. The albums all grapple different emotional states from love, death to just finding out place in the universe. Has the quality of this album really fallen below that of AROBTTH? No way, in fact I think the musical quality has been greatly raised. It is all a matte of opinion however but I am in love with this album as I am Parachutes and A Rush of Blood. Each make me feel a complete different feeling and I love that about music. If all of the albums were the same what would be the point of buying another Coldplay album? When you hear these songs live you see that they completely fit in amongst the Coldplay "universe." This is definatly a classic album and has a place right up there with the other three.