Coldplay

[Hikaru]

Looking for some info on this band. I really like the song yellow I heard somewhere. It's a departure from the stuff I normally listen to, and I really like it. There is something about the guys voice that I like.

Anyway, looking for some suggestions on good songs, maybe even an album or two.

Thanks ahead of time.

[Millie]

Coldplay are a British band who hit the US a couple years ago with their debut album, Parachutes. It's the one that contains their early hits, such as "Yellow" and "Trouble."

Their recent album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, hit stores this August. The singles off the album so far are "Politik" and "In My Place."

In general, I like Coldplay. I find their songs refreshing and entrancing. They're great to listen to during those quiet times, like long drives and dorm-room study sessions. I wouldn't consider them a "brilliant" group by any stretch of the imagination (they've been accused -- and sometimes rightfully so -- of ripping off Radiohead's sound). But they're certainly better than 90% of the pop you hear on the radio these days.

Coldplay don't get as much respect as they used to. As has traditionally been the case with bands coming out of the UK, the overzealous British music media are to blame. You know -- the ones that declare every new band out of England to be "the next Beatles."

It's downright impossible to live up to hype like that. It's what turns many promising young groups into one-hit wonders. It hasn't killed Coldplay so far, but it will eventually.

[Eomer]

I really can't see how people can compare Coldplay to Radiohead though, other than maybe the falsetto the singer takes from time to time. Overall I don't think they sound much at all like the old Radiohead, and new Radiohead isn't even close.

And yea, I agree, the British media is ridiculous. Every halfway decent band that comes out of there gets so hyped up that they have nowhere to go but down.

Coldplay makes just damn fine music to work, read, or chill to. I wouldn't say it's mellow, but it's not really upbeat either. Just nice sounding rock music.

Also, when I have seen them in interviews, they seem to be very intelligent, nice, shy guys. That's a nice change from other British bands!

[Hikaru]

Thanks a bunch for the info Millie, I'll check them out.

[Millie]

Originally posted by Eomer
I really can't see how people can compare Coldplay to Radiohead though, other than maybe the falsetto the singer takes from time to time. Overall I don't think they sound much at all like the old Radiohead, and new Radiohead isn't even close.

Have you heard the song "Politik?" It's extremely Radiohead-esque, in the style of their "OK Computer" days. Quite a few of Coldplay's other songs follow suit. Only their major singles don't seem to mold themselves after Radiohead pieces.

It may not be entirely fair to call anyone using a semi-mellow, haunting sound in their songs a "Radiohead knock-off," but that's the buzz the press seems intent on giving Coldplay these days. I didn't make it up.

[Eomer]

Yea I know the press and people in general have that impression, I just can't see how though. I have both their albums (bought the second one the day it came out, was really looking forward to it), so I know what they sound like . I also have all of Radiohead's CD's (unless there was something before Pablo Honey, which there probably was), and although I haven't listened to them a ton, I really don't think they are all that similar.

Seriously, the people who need to be chastized for being unoriginal are Creed/Nickelback/Default/Theory of A Dead Man/Lifehouse/whatever other band that has the same damn sound. Oh wow, you can bend your knees when you play guitar!

[Actovus]

http://www.coldplaying.com/history/


There you have it.

[KrintixXaneris]

To quote Thom Yorke of Radiohead during an interview . . .

Interviewer: "A lot of people have compared Coldplay to your style, what do you think of that?"

Yorke: "Yeah, unfortunately they're still stuck with the bends, poor guys"