I am not a Coldplay fan, never have been, never will be, yet whenever I read a list of their influences, and indeed hear these influences deftly and lucidly processed in their songs, it's usually my favourite music - the stern and sensual 'Berlin' era Bowie, the technotender New Order, the ethereally epic Echo and the Bunnymen, the mystically aching Kate Bush, the lonely longing pulse of Kraftwerk, the pulsating, crusading drama of U2. And, of course, there is studio genius Brian Eno, an influence on the group as experimental song writer, as sonic explorer, as a collaborator with the 'Berlin'-era Bowie and producer-mentor of U2, and the producer of Coldplay's latest album, Viva La Vida. They should sound like my favourite group, but instead sound like a literate, slightly darker Take That.

 

 

Struggling to sound profound and imposing: Chris Martin

 

Admittedly, Coldplay can sound like they're distilling the boiling essence of the universe into grave, graceful pop music, until you pay attention to what vocalist Chris Martin is singing, and note that he is perpetually a thin-skinned, self-obsessed student in his bedroom struggling to sound profound and imposing, whilst simultaneously rhyming like a young Neil Sedaka. Coldplay-lovers hear majestic, romantic yearning and resounding, utopian hope. Non-lovers hear a kind of sonorous begging, a nagging, underlying hum of nervy self-pity.

 

I suppose it all depends under what circumstances you first hear a group, and how that experience fixes in place whatever prejudice or bias, for or against, that you have. I first heard Coldplay in 2000 sounding like a bombastic tribute to the kind of music that intense, sensitive and scruffy young students would have been drawn to if they had an ear for the loftier and more introverted rock music of the time - Radiohead, Jeff Buckley and Travis. And whatever has happened since has not convinced me that they are anything other than a band with solid, quite serious, very boyish musical taste, who are experts at representing and refining this taste in their own music. At this stage in rock history, such a prudent transformation of alternative rock influences into ecstatic, middle-of-the-road music is a winning formula. They are not 'originals' but they are second to none at impersonating high-minded originality and presenting it with flamboyant, frowning sincerity.

 

On their UK tour, Coldplay will mix tracks from Viva La Vida with choice material from their three previous albums X and Y, A Rush of Blood to the Head and their debut, Parachutes. To besotted fans they will sound like the best, most elevating rock band on the planet. To some extent this means that they are.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/

Nice vocabulary. Why don't you also try to describe what I hear when I listen to Kid A. Just so I can know for future reference, asshole.

 

I love how people think that because they can create hybrid, pretty, hip descriptors they are automatically qualified to tell you that when you hear Coldplay you hear 'resounding, utopian hope', and if you don't like them you hear 'nervy self pity'. Also, apparently their music is delivered with a simultaneously 'flamboyant, frowning sincerity'.

Some people really need to grow up and realize that their taste in music isn't fact.

Some people really need to grow up and realize that their taste in music isn't fact.

 

So true.

 

I just love all of there influences but I don't like the band. One reason: Chris Martin.

 

That makes a whole lot of frigin sense doesn't it. This guy is obviously an asshole and his opinion doesn't count for anything.

This guy can fuck himself with a 10-foot pole.

Some people really need to grow up and realize that their taste in music isn't fact.

 

Truest thing I've heard in a while

 

 

This guy thinks he knows us. What a self-loving loser. He thinks he's so smart because he is saying all the reasons why Coldplay is unoriginal.

 

Well you know what? I've seen articles saying these exact same things hundreds of times, so how about before criticizing Coldplay for being unoriginal, this guy comes up with some original arguments?

 

 

.

why do all these stupid articles start with:

i don't like coldplay never have never will.. so much for being open minded... is there nobody in your office who can listen to coldplay in a n impartial way?

Hey why not start out with something important to your review like: I am a douchebag and a closed minded prick.....

that sounds pretty accurate ;)

WTF???? Really poor guy..

 

Coldplay is THE MOST original band on the planet!

Fuck em

I gotten say I think Chris would be quite pleased with this comment :

 

...sound like a literate, slightly darker Take That

 

;)

WTF???? Really poor guy..

 

Coldplay is THE MOST original band on the planet!

 

Lol.

 

No. No, they're not, and if you genuinely think that you have a poor knowledge of music.

 

I think the last paragraph is great though.

 

On their UK tour, Coldplay will mix tracks from Viva La Vida with choice material from their three previous albums X and Y, A Rush of Blood to the Head and their debut, Parachutes. To besotted fans they will sound like the best, most elevating rock band on the planet. To some extent this means that they are.

 

Damn straight.

WTF???? Really poor guy..

 

Coldplay is THE MOST original band on the planet!

 

Deluded...

:rolleyes:

 

He makes us fans sound like brainwashed idiots who need to clean out their ears...

I love swearing at idiots like this guy who wrote the review

Lol.

 

No. No, they're not, and if you genuinely think that you have a poor knowledge of music.

 

I think the last paragraph is great though.

 

On their UK tour, Coldplay will mix tracks from Viva La Vida with choice material from their three previous albums X and Y, A Rush of Blood to the Head and their debut, Parachutes. To besotted fans they will sound like the best, most elevating rock band on the planet. To some extent this means that they are.

 

Damn straight.

 

 

:laugh3:

 

Yeah, you're right