jesus christ - all you people commenting in this thread without even listening to the album properly just because you don't like Coldplay, sod off. I respect your view if you do not like them but the number of threads/posts just saying 'Coldplay suck' is just pointless and childish. Go do something better with your time, like searching eBay for Thom Yorke's hair.
that said.....
I've had the album in the player for about a week now, Talk has re-grown on me, lyrically its far superior to the leaked version and the tune itself is now growing on me to. Whilst the first 3 songs are certainly good, none of them really strike me. Fix You, I personally can't stand to listen all the way through of, it's just not my thing.
X&Y seems quite bland so far, as do Swallowed In The Sea and The Hardest Part, although the latter of these seems to have most potential for growth. Speed of Sound is still sing-along-to-able, but I think it will go the same way, in my mind, as In My Place, which I can't listen to any more.
My favourite songs so far would be A Message, Low and 'Til Kingdom Come, although I have doubts about a message.
Over-all, the album has disappointed me so far. There are a few good songs on there and a couple of them with make my Coldplay compilation CD, replacing stuff like Yellow and In My Place which are far too overplayed.
There seem no stunners like Clocks or Amsterdam, I'm hoping for a slow grower like Green Eyes and Warning Sign were for me, although the quality is dissapointing compared to AROBTTH. This is more of a pity as, a while ago, I was led to believe that the album may follow the path of such b-sides as Crests Of Waves and 1.36.
Two main problems as I see it. Whereas AROBTTH seemed focused essentially towards musical content, X&Y appears to have its songs based on it's lyrics. Whilst this, alone, is no bad thing, Martin's over-ambitious lyrics and cliche-ridden songs mean that the music is oft forgotten, or at least a secondary part of each songs.
For me, it is probably the best album of the year but that isn't saying it's that much, I've had quite a dissapointing year so far, hopefully Muse's new material may surface before the year is through.
Oh yeah, I don't like synths either.
