Here is No Why

What the Fuck Happened to Coldplay?

September 4, 2007 3:59 AM

know I'm a few years late on this, but, seriously, why did Coldplay decide to call off being a good band?

After some initial waffling following the release of A Rush of Blood to the Head, I have since concluded that Parachutes is definitely their best album. The first five songs off of Parachutes are all excellent--they each earn at least four stars on my iTunes list. "Don't Panic" is a great opener that really sets the tone for the album; "Shiver" is a really good follow-up to the first track; "Spies" is one of my favorite tracks on the album (and the little sound at the beginning reminds me of the Lord of the Rings for some reason); "Sparks" is a great mellow and depressing song; and I've always really loved "Yellow," even if it got really played out. The rest of the album is pretty decent, as well, and I really like "Everything's Not Lost"--I think it's a great way to close out the album.

Don't get me wrong--the second album's good, too. But I don't think it's as good as the first anymore. While "Politik" is a good opener, it's just not as intimate and appealing as "Don't Panic," and that's the way the rest of the thing proceeds. Although "Green Eyes" is a beautiful song, "The Scientist" is decent, and "Clocks" is pretty good, the album fails to connect on the same level as the first one. I don't know what it is, really. The songs just aren't as . . . thoughtful, I guess.

And then there's X&Y. I pretty much stopped listening to Coldplay altogether after that album came out. It left a really bad taste in my mouth. Instead of the intimate, close-quarters feel of the first album, this album is overblown and overproduced but underwhelming. I think that a lot of the appeal of Parachutes was that the songs were raw to some degree. The band wore its heart on its sleeve. But, on X&Y, it's as if the feelings and the actual songs were separated by the Cone of Silence or something. It's as if the feelings have a sort of shiny covering. I don't know, it just comes across as incredibly inauthentic to me.

So, yeah, like most bands, Coldplay's early work is definitely better than their later work. In fact, I can't think of a single band--other than the Beatles--that did their best work later in their career. The Smashing Pumpkins definitely fit that generalization. So do Weezer, the Pixies, U2, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, the Foo Fighters, and even younger bands like the Shins.

Ultimately, I guess it's not Coldplay's fault--you become less creative as you get older. Pain breeds creativity, and, hopefully, age lessens the sorts of pain that makes for good rock songs. But I still hate it when a band starts to suck.

9 Comments

tRJ said:

Parachutes is a damn good album. Anytime someone gives me crap for the high Coldplay play count in my Last.fm profile, I direct them to that album.

September 4, 2007 9:08 AM

Vice said:

Dude, do you know how I know you're gay?

September 4, 2007 9:20 AM

Santi said:

Whoa, whoa, whoa... I said whoa. Coldplay's albums in order from most awesome to least awesome (but still awesome) are:

A Rush of Blood to the Head, X&Y, Parachutes.

Well, actually I guess I could switch the last two depending on my current mood, but Rush of Blood... is definitely numero uno. So, there. Oh, and Clocks isn't just pretty good, it is mind-blowingly good.

September 4, 2007 10:17 AM

Ismael Tapia II said:

tRJ,
I don't know why anyone would give you shit about listening to Coldplay. Frankly, I've never understood why some people dislike them so much. They're not as offensive as, say, Nickelback or anything like that.

Mr. Vice,
How does listening to Coldplay make me gay?

Santi,
You're just wrong, sorry. How could you possibly rank Parachutes as their worst album, regardless of mood? That's like saying Machina was better than Siamese Dream! It's just not right . . . .

September 4, 2007 3:48 PM

Dee said:

i agree. i remember being in the car when a local radio station played the first single off x&y. i sat there, at the red light, stunned. then i changed the station. it was sucha disappointment.
also, i think radiohead stands quite clear of your theory of diminishing returns. i would argue that each of their albums is slightly better than the one preceding it. and that the whole collection of CDs is a gift from Heaven. but that's me.

September 4, 2007 10:00 PM

TheExpat said:

Coldplay is a sucky band that sucky suckity suck sucks.

SUCKS.

But that was a seriously great Get Smart reference on your part. That didn't suck.

September 4, 2007 11:11 PM

Ismael Tapia II said:

Dee,
Yeah... it's a huge disappointement. And, while I don't really want to have that argument all over again, I do have to say that Hail to the Thief does not represent a net improvement from Ok Computer as your comments imply. That's just crazy!

Expat,
Dude, thanks for catching that! I was so hoping someone would comment on it!

September 4, 2007 11:58 PM

Elise said:

I never liked coldplay. There, I said it.

September 5, 2007 8:26 AM

Vice said:

Apparently you're so in love with Coldplay that you totally missed my 40 Year Old Virgin reference. And that totally makes you gay for Coldplay.

September 5, 2007 9:15 AM