Since their debut, Coldplay has defined an entire genre of "indie rock", paving the way (and being the inevitable comparison) for all "the groups that sound like Coldplay" (like Keane, for example, who I'll be seeing at Radio City Music Hall).
X&Y is their much-anticipated third album, following their hugely successful sophomore 2002 album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. And when I say "much-anticipated", that's clearly an understatement - the hype around this album has been deafening. Is there a magazine that Chris and Co. aren't on this month?
The good news is, at least in my opinion, the album lives up to the hype.
The sound is a subtlely grander - and darker - sound than some of their previous work. Of course, the raw emotion still shines through, but this time the emotion sounds a little angrier and a bit more pessimistic (even morbid?). The lyrics are simple as usual, but they work. The music is richer - I particularly enjoy the bouncing bass line in the opener, Square One.
The album as a whole is very good. The first single, Speed of Sound, and Talk, a future single based on an old Kraftwerk riff, both have an athemic sound to them befitting a U2 classic. My favorite track on the album is White Shadows, a hauntingly beautiful pop song. Low is another I expect to be a future single, starting slow but building to a powerful climax. The Message is the exact straightforward but enjoyable ballad you have come to expect from Coldplay. If you ever break up with your girlfriend, just play this and Snow Patrol's Run in a loop. Other notable tracks include 'Til Kingdom Come, a track written for Johnny Cash but never recorded before his death, Twisted Logic, Low, and What If.
This is a must have, but everyone already knew that (as evidenced by the Amazon.com sales). Fortunately, despite the hype, you shouldn't be disappointed.