Head And Shoulders Above The Rest (A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay)

Member Name: blackeyed

Product:	A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay
Date:	17/02/03 (281 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The use of piano and orchestral instruments., Warning Sign, The structure and way the songs grow.

Disadvantages: Politik, A Whisper

COLDPLAY - A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD

There comes a time when every music genre becomes saturated. For indie music this saturation seems to be more apparent with every down beat, bland, band churned out. After all there's only a certain amount of things four bored teenagers with two guitars, a bass and a drum kit can do.

The first album produced by Brits Coldplay almost defined indie - good indie, but indie all the same. That said the band went on to achieve widespread success with 'Parachutes', following the success of singles 'Trouble', 'Don't Panic', 'Shiver' and the quite splendid 'Yellow'. Obviously this band stood out from the swarms of uninventive, mediocre guitar bands produced by the Brit pop era. And as far as debuts go 'Parachutes' did impress - mellow, emotive and quite touching in places, the band had set the stage, achieved a reputation - but in doing so, raised the bar of expectation quite considerably. Quite simply, something special was expected from the follow up, and isn't it the sign of a great band that delivers when under pressure? In keeping with that rule then Coldplay really do deserve the tag of 'Great' that this album brings them.

And what it has brought them! Sold out shows in huge venues, celebrity girlfriends (Chris Martin, vocalist, was previously dating Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow), music magazines tracing their every step and vast array of awards and nominations. 2002 really was Coldplay's year. This 'great' album with its eleven tracks has propelled the band an enormous distance forward and with so many critics and celebrities championing the album it's easy to forget how dangerous a thing hype is...

It may well be that the piano sounds that dominate this album separate it from the rest of the British indie scene. Whereas 'Parachutes' did use piano is places, the instrument is used considerably mor
e on this follow up. In fact only a few songs on this album are entirely piano-free, and this is no bad thing. The second single to be lifted from 'A Rush of Blood...', 'The Scientist' is based primarily on a downcast piano tune - slow, emotion filled - Coldplay defined. This song is very similar is structure to many other songs on the album, starting slowly with maybe just piano, guitar is then added, drums and soon we have a beautiful song tinted with depression and yet uplifting in its own way. You're content just knowing music like this exists.
Exist it does - and you're reminded of this on third single 'Clocks', once again built on a drum beat and a piano tune that leaves you quite stunned - surely some genius world famous pianist must have written this before, not a British indie group?!. Twisting, turning, swirling, chilled - magical. On an ordinary album, or maybe even a 'good' album a song like this would stand out - but this isn't just a 'good' album.
'In My Place' the first single taken from the album leaves the new pianist, mellow Coldplay behind for a while and reminds us that the band still had a knack for writing great songs in the days of 'Parachutes'. Though the song wouldn't look out of place on the previous album it does had an added maturity and depth to it with its soaring chorus and instantly recognisable guitar tune. This is again true of 'Green Eyes' with the acoustic guitar playing a predominant role, just as it did it the days of 'Yellow' and 'Don't Panic', building to its chorus, but never really leaving the ground.
And unfortunately 'Green Eyes' is not the only stumbling point on the album. Its opener 'Politik' uses on orchestra and a thumping drum beat for its jumpy chorus and a piano solo for its verse. A bad start to what is essentially an essential album to British music.
Trying to fault this album is
very hard indeed. On another album 'Green Eyes' could well be seen as a stand-out track, as could 'A Whisper' a more upbeat, hectic song plunging straight into its constant loud verse which, although being important in breaking the slow, mellow feeling to the album, also lets it down in not matching the rest of the quite simply stunning tracks on the album.
However, in the same way it's hard to find poor patches in the album it's incredibly easy to pick out the stunning tracks. 'Warning Sign' is wonderful - merging and building into its gentle but soaring chorus with the classical instruments used to great effect. Title track 'A Rush of Blood to the Head' is perhaps the most obvious example of the almost trademark building structure Coldplay songs demonstrate. Starting with an acoustic guitar and a vocal solo, just as 'Green Eyes' does, the song then grows and peaks with a huge, floating chorus, in the way that 'Green Eyes' doesn't. 'God Put a Smile upon Your Face' similarly behaves in this way, with a constant drum beat and a light airy peak.
The album is finished with the slow, sleepy and then positive piano based anthem-like 'Amsterdam' a perfect closing to a close perfect album.

The reason you can't put your finger on why Coldplay are head and shoulders above their nearest competition and why they've succeeded in breaking America where so many other British bands have failed is simple - it's because there one reason, there is a variety of reasons each as important as the other. This band is not a 'single' band, because individual songs don't do them justice, only an album like this, crammed with mellow, emotion tinted, music with a variety of different instruments and songs crafted skilfully and beautifully, can serve that purpose fully.

Chris Martin is famously terrible at acceptance speeches - indeed on accepting the bands first Brit
Awards for 'Best Band' following the release of 'Parachutes', he mocked Craig David, before leaving the venue only to be found by his girlfriend in a tube station later in the evening. If practise makes perfect then by now he should have this art perfectly mastered - the band have picked up just about every award going this year. Nowadays he's championing the Fair Trade Campaign, donning the now famous Fair Trade t-shirt on just about every possible occasion. Certainly this has done that organisation no harm at all, being promoted by who has become of late 'the' rock star to talk about.

'The' rock star fronting 'the' band - on both sides of the Atlantic. So believe the hype just this one time. One thing is certainly for sure - the band have lowered the limo bar once again and it will take something very special to beat this...enjoy it whilst you can lads.

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