Great article on Coldplay and Embrace (mainly written on the topic of Embrace's new album before it's release and around when Magic was released).

 

Very interesting how much the tide changed, with Coldplay supporting Embrace while Embrace were 'massive' in the brit-pop era, then they sunk almost out of existence until Chris wrote Gravity in 2004 and a few more years of success followed. Embrace dived again because of the changing music industry and they didn't release any album anyway and when they did this year, despite it being a great album, their popularity was so low because the music they make is just not popular outside of their fanbase. It's a crazy story between two bands who are closely linked and by the sounds of it, Danny and Chris are still good friends!

 

The Gwyneth quote is very interesting too, didn't spot that before!

 

LINK

 

A Tale of Two Bands…

 

 

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… In 2000, a young Chris Martin must have been feeling good about life. After his band Coldplay had released three EPs without troubling the charts, latest single “Shiver” had broken the top 40. Moreover, Coldplay had been picked to support popular West Yorkshire band Embrace, who were riding the crest of a wave of success after their debut single – 1997’s “All You Good Good People” had propelled their debut album “The Good Will Out” to number one on the album chart and follow up “Drawn From Memory” into the top ten. For Embrace, success was here today. For Chris Martin, success was just around the corner…

In 2004, Chris Martin must have been feeling good about life. The last year had seen his band sell out three shows at London’s massive Earls Court Arena, Coldplay had won two Brit Awards, and this year, his latest hit was in the top ten and the accompanying album was at number one in the album charts. The only difference to 2003 was this was not a song written for Coldplay. The song was “Gravity” and Martin had written it for Embrace, with whom he’d become friends after that 2000 tour. Embrace and Coldplay were sharing success together. And then there was the small matter of that pretty Hollywood film star and her “British men never chat me up” message…

 

In 2006, Embrace scored their third number one album in the UK, “This New Day”. The single, Nature’s Law went to #2. Then, in October of that year Coldplay began recording Viva La Vida which would dominate airwaves and concert stadiums across the world. In the meantime, nothing more was heard from Embrace for eight years..

But now, in 2014, it appears Chris Martin is feeling good about life once more. There’s a spring in his step. All things considered of course. There’s that whole “conscious uncoupling” thing, naturally, and swarms of tabloid press to worry about, who have always been about as welcome in the Martin household as bubonic plague. But these are minor irritations for a newly single man-about-town in possession of a large fortune. Coldplay’s new single “Magic” is out, sure. But even that is not why Martin is feeling good. He’s feeling chipper because he has heard the new Refugees EP by Embrace, and has given it his seal of approval. He may even be feeling a tad jealous he didn’t write it for the new Coldplay album… According to singer Danny McNamara on the XFM breakfast show Martin “was buzzing about it all, which is great because, obviously, he’s done alright for himself.”

Martin is spot on. Although called the Refugee EP after the opening track, this four song EP might have been named after any of the tracks. Refugee is a three part epic, “Chameleon” builds to a strong chorus and crashing drums and “Decades” is the kind of song that would now make Bono weep. The EP is rounded off with the more sensitive “Bullets”. Four songs and all belters.

For Embrace, the new EP and forthcoming album might just be a far, far better thing that they do, than they have ever done…

holy crap

?

What does this mean?

What does this mean?

 

Which part? Embrace were never really big outside of the UK so might be alien if you're not familiar with the UK music scene.

 

It's mainly summaries the career paths of the two bands, with the bigger band Embrace having Coldplay supporting for them, then Coldplay being a world dominating band, while Embrace faded into sort of obscurity!

Which part? Embrace were never really big outside of the UK so might be alien if you're not familiar with the UK music scene.

 

It's mainly summaries the career paths of the two bands, with the bigger band Embrace having Coldplay supporting for them, then Coldplay being a world dominating band, while Embrace faded into sort of obscurity!

 

 

Yes. To understand Coldplay's success fully you really have to understand the British music scene they came out of. I always think Coldplay were essentially a British band in appeal and sound for their first three albums. They fitted very comfortably into the environment here playing off and being influenced by the likes of Travis, Radiohead, Echo and the Bunnymen even. However from VLV onwards they lost that identity and became a lot more 'universal'.

 

Remember 2005 and 2006 very well in music. British bands were doing very well in the charts. Coldplay had conquered the world and a stream of British acts tried doing the same. Oasis, Kaiser Chiefs, Embrace, Snow Patrol, Keane, Kasabian, Razorlight all released very popular albums that did very well, possibly all of them getting to number 1 (not sure though). Not quite like that today. Can only say Kasabian and Coldplay (obviously) remain at the same level in Britain and possibly Kaiser Chiefs who's return was aided very much by Ricky Wilson's stint on The Voice. But Coldplay and their uncanny ability to adapt and appeal to the ever changing dynamics of mainstream pop music means they remain the undisputed number 1 in the big bands stake.

God how depressing is this article

Yes. To understand Coldplay's success fully you really have to understand the British music scene they came out of. I always think Coldplay were essentially a British band in appeal and sound for their first three albums. They fitted very comfortably into the environment here playing off and being influenced by the likes of Travis, Radiohead, Echo and the Bunnymen even. However from VLV onwards they lost that identity and became a lot more 'universal'.

 

Remember 2005 and 2006 very well in music. British bands were doing very well in the charts. Coldplay had conquered the world and a stream of British acts tried doing the same. Oasis, Kaiser Chiefs, Embrace, Snow Patrol, Keane, Kasabian, Razorlight all released very popular albums that did very well, possibly all of them getting to number 1 (not sure though). Not quite like that today. Can only say Kasabian and Coldplay (obviously) remain at the same level in Britain and possibly Kaiser Chiefs who's return was aided very much by Ricky Wilson's stint on The Voice. But Coldplay and their uncanny ability to adapt and appeal to the ever changing dynamics of mainstream pop music means they remain the undisputed number 1 in the big bands stake.

 

Muse are quite big too

Thank you so much for the answer! I'm not used to anyone replying to the questions I have.

God how depressing is this article

 

It really is! :O But it was interesting to read.

 

Despite loving Embrace's new album and how awesome it's been for them with the award for the Secret Festival and all that, it's sad to see how a band that got me into the music I love thanks to the Out Of Nothing album that their return wasn't made a bigger deal out of. Then Coldplay release a single and the world wets their pants with excitement. It's no disrespect to Coldplay, I love their music but I feel that Embrace deserve more recognition than they're getting.

 

The music scene has gone to the dogs in comparison to what it was ten years ago :(

Aye, it's very sad. The list howyousawtheworld posted from 2005 is pretty much a lot of what I listen to still and I found it so easy back then to find new music. Now, have to listen online to certain radio stations to have a chance of finding an exciting new song or artist. My favourite radio station years ago was Kerrang and they played Coldplay, all of those bands, Muse, heavier rock and allsorts then they decided to shut their main station and moved off air around my local area and nationally I think and then, it wasn't worth listening to. Music isn't anywhere near as inspiring as it used to be for me before 2008-2009.

 

I think the de-localisation of music (which was gonna happen from the download era) and everything being globalized, with pop music becoming even more manufactured has left the music is a bad state, in the UK anyway. Kids are part of that too, they can all download songs from their phone and basically be a large influence of what's in the charts and what artists record companies invest in :P I was listening to fucking Aqua when I was about 10, good thing I didn't have a phone where I could buy any track I want then haha ;)

I was listening to fucking Aqua when I was about 10, good thing I didn't have a phone where I could buy any track I want then haha ;)

 

I wasn't even listening to music when I was 10 LOLFAIL

I've always loved music! My first album given to me was (What's The Story) Morning Glory by Oasis! But in the 90's when I was a young kid until I was about 10, when I moved to Ireland, I was a proper pop boy, loved Backstreet Boys and all that stuff… Then my sister said what do you think of this song? That song being Yellow :D Although I loved Coldplay from that second on I did delve into R&B, hip hop stuff. It was a dark era… Haha. Once I got the Out Of Nothing album I've been fixed on indie and rock ever since. Inspired me, especially the song itself Out Of Nothing, was my favourite song for a very long time, until Open Your Eyes by Snow Patrol came along.

But... "Embrace" is better than "Ghost Stories", isn't it? :D

Yeah... it's sad, because tracks from "Embrace" could have been major hits ten years ago. "I Run" should be a post-britpop classic.

[video=youtube;E1V9xzjjh9s]

I've always loved music! My first album given to me was (What's The Story) Morning Glory by Oasis! But in the 90's when I was a young kid until I was about 10, when I moved to Ireland, I was a proper pop boy, loved Backstreet Boys and all that stuff… Then my sister said what do you think of this song? That song being Yellow :D Although I loved Coldplay from that second on I did delve into R&B, hip hop stuff. It was a dark era… Haha. Once I got the Out Of Nothing album I've been fixed on indie and rock ever since. Inspired me, especially the song itself Out Of Nothing, was my favourite song for a very long time, until Open Your Eyes by Snow Patrol came along.

 

 

To be honest it was about age 10 that Travis caught my ear. They just released The Invisible Band and the single Sing was all over the radio across the summer of 2001. Could never get enough of that song. Gorillaz and their tunes 19-2000 and Clint Eastwood also made me very aware. They were great songs. Coldplay really only came into the picture about a year later what with the release of A Rush Of Blood To The Head. As acts that were there when I was a kid I can't thank them more and hold them closer to my heart if I could.

I've always loved music! My first album given to me was (What's The Story) Morning Glory by Oasis! But in the 90's when I was a young kid until I was about 10, when I moved to Ireland, I was a proper pop boy, loved Backstreet Boys and all that stuff… Then my sister said what do you think of this song? That song being Yellow :D Although I loved Coldplay from that second on I did delve into R&B, hip hop stuff. It was a dark era… Haha. Once I got the Out Of Nothing album I've been fixed on indie and rock ever since. Inspired me, especially the song itself Out Of Nothing, was my favourite song for a very long time, until Open Your Eyes by Snow Patrol came along.

 

I always liked Coldplay because of Yellow, Trouble and In My Place then my first album was X&Y then got the previous two shortly after. My first proper album that really got me into music was How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2, I had liked Oasis too but got into them late, just mainly singles really. Sams Town by The Killers was a big influence and so was Under The Iron Sea by Keane which was my first Keane album! Embrace, I got into with This New Day. Nature's Law is such a tune and I really got into them from that album. Come Back To What You Know (classic) and I Can't Come Down (from that album) are my favs :D I was into R&B for a short while because my sister always listened to it and old hip hop too which I still like. Anything that feels like its true and that's hard to find nowadays!

 

michal - Very true. The production on Quarters is amazing too, that could of even been a hit now but now one wants to it out there I guess :/ At Once is another highlight for me too :D

Do y'all really think the music scene has gotten that bad? Just curious. While I agree that some great music happened between 1990 and 2010, it seems like a reasonable amount of rock, indie, interesting-electronic is happening too. Artists like St. Vincent, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, Chvrches come to mind.

 

But... "Embrace" is better than "Ghost Stories", isn't it? :D

Yeah... it's sad, because tracks from "Embrace" could have been major hits ten years ago. "I Run" should be a post-britpop classic.

[video=youtube;E1V9xzjjh9s]

 

Wow this song is fantastic! Better than a lot of analogous indie rock acts floating around right now for sure.

 

I do like the Coldplay version of Gravity better. :p

Bands come and go, take a look back 15+ years for the 'big' bands and how many are still together or releasing music?

 

How many put out an amazing debut album, before disappearing when recording album 2?