38. X&Y

X&Y by Coldplay (Capitol) 2005

Cover Detail retrieved from  http://www.allmusic.com/album/x-y-mw0000633950

Genre

Music: Pop Music

Review

Perhaps the album that made Coldplay a huge international success; the album debuted at the #1 position in 20 different countries (Dwyer, 2006).  The band experiments with their signature sound, but the music is never challenging.  Chris Martin's airy voice is inviting and nonthreatening (sort of the opposite of, say, Thom Yorke from Radiohead -- a band that Coldplay are often compared to).  X&Y sees Coldplay utilizing electronic elements -- something that Radiohead is also famous for -- but the results are wildly different.  Coldplay makes accessible music.  While the album is 8 years old, tweens may still seek it out as Coldplay is still a popular band.

Opinion

My wife mentioned she heard a review that called Coldplay the band that young kids could listen to with their grandmothers.  Clearly, this cuts in both positive and negative directions.  The music isn't as challenging as most of my favorite artists.  But it also has the possible benefit of bridging generations.  It's safe and palatable.

Ideas

The song "Talk" is built around a motif lifted from the Kraftwerk song "Computer Love."  The highly accessible Coldplay song may help spark interest in the older German band and in electronic music generally.

References

Dwyer, M. (2006). Cold comfort. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/cold-comfort/2006/06/29/1151174300940.html