More than a month after x&y is released, and I am underwhelmed.

[BEAL]

I've had the album for about 3 weeks now. It's a good album, but it's typical coldplay. I can only listen to a handful of the 13 songs. The songs that I do listen to, are very good. The rest, are pretty forgetful and you could mix and match with any song off of their first 2 albums. My one complaint seems to be a reoccuring theme, the songs sound too similar. The echo delay guitar, the similar drum patterns. The bass does seem to be pretty good though....

That being said, I think it's good that they are getting the attention. Compeition is good for everything. It means other bands will try to raise their game with their next effort. Even if x&y isn't really as great as what the hype suggests, it still puts pressure on others to try and reach the same level.

 

[GibsonGirl]

However, Buckland's amazing guitar makes me forget the first half of the song so easily...!

That is actually what has contributed the most to my increased dislike for Coldplay (aside from Chris Martin's terrible lyrics). I used to be a fan...Parachutes was brilliant. But Jon Effing Buckland has since decided, "hey, it's all right to rip off The Edge!" If I want to hear someone play like The Edge, I'll listen to a U2 album, thanks.

Anyway, I agree with JOFO. To me, the album is completely underwhelming and even a little embarrassing. "Fix You" makes me want to...break something. The whole album, save for three songs (Low, X&Y, and Twisted Logic), makes me want to break something. And not in the good way that albums like War, Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols, and The Clash do. In fact, when I listen to X&Y, the only thing I want to break is the bloody CD. To repeat something I've said before: it sounds to me like Coldplay took the waste products of U2 and Radiohead, then forgot to treat them properly before making them available for human consumption.

 

[schnazdoodle]

really.
what a surprise, another Coldplay bashing thread.
so underwhelming.

Hahaha!!

Anyway, I see what you guys mean though -- there are only a few tracks that really interest me (I actually like Fix You, except the 'ignite your bones' part...)... I have all other Coldplay CD's and really love RoBttH... Parachutes is good too... They at least keep me captured the entire way through the album...

 

[typhoon]

Who cares if the guitarist is a big Edge rip-off? Edge is a big Tom Verlaine rip-off. It's rock and roll. It doesn't matter if it's derivative so long as it's good.

If you don't like the new Coldplay album, just say you don't like it and stop trying to make your opinion sound more authoritative with the now standard "OMG U2 RIPOFF OLOL?!?!?"

(And honestly, U2 puts out albums on four year cycles now, so if another band wants to step in and give us some U2 albums in between, that wouldn't bother me.

But then, I don't think Coldplay sounds that much like U2 in the first place, probably because I recognize that U2's sound isn't totally unique and you can play spot-the-influences in their music just as easily.)

 

[u2popmofo]

Who cares if the guitarist is a big Edge rip-off? Edge is a big Tom Verlaine rip-off. It's rock and roll. It doesn't matter if it's derivative so long as it's good.

If you don't like the new Coldplay album, just say you don't like it and stop trying to make your opinion sound more authoritative with the now standard "OMG U2 RIPOFF OLOL?!?!?"

(And honestly, U2 puts out albums on four year cycles now, so if another band wants to step in and give us some U2 albums in between, that wouldn't bother me.

But then, I don't think Coldplay sounds that much like U2 in the first place, probably because I recognize that U2's sound isn't totally unique and you can play spot-the-influences in their music just as easily.)

This post was so good and accurate, I just had to quote the whole thing. Is Coldplay a U2 ripoff? No more than U2 is a Television ripoff. Is it too much to expect U2 fans actually realize that U2 themselves dont exactly have the most unique and original sound ever? No. Is it unfair that U2 fans bash other groups for being influenced by U2's sound when U2 themselves have had some extremely obvious influences throughout their entire career? Yes.

 

[Aygo]

I'm sorry but... one thing is to be influenced by another band or artist...
Another thing is when you hear an album and you have the feeling that you have already heard that song before but that's not the song you were thinking. Another thing is when a band admits to make plagiarium and admits that in the making-process of the album had posters of a band and imagines a fight between his band and the idolatred band...
Another thing is to have similar video-clips to the idolatred band and try to follow its steps by the older band's footprints...

 

[Se7en]

opinion≠fact.

some people need to get over themselves, plain and simple. some people like it, some people don't. music is about the single most subjective thing out there. personally, if htdaab wasn't a u2 album i would rate x&y as superior. in fact, i'd have to say that x&y is superior to atyclb. yes, i am a life long u2 fan.

 

[JOFO]

This post was so good and accurate, I just had to quote the whole thing. Is Coldplay a U2 ripoff? No more than U2 is a Television ripoff. Is it too much to expect U2 fans actually realize that U2 themselves dont exactly have the most unique and original sound ever? No. Is it unfair that U2 fans bash other groups for being influenced by U2's sound when U2 themselves have had some extremely obvious influences throughout their entire career? Yes.

admittedly, I have never heard Television...ever. I wouldn't know tom verlaine's playing if it hit me in the face. are they any good?
anyone care to post a tune or two to illustrate your point?

 

[JOFO]

I'm sorry but... one thing is to be influenced by another band or artist...
Another thing is when you hear an album and you have the feeling that you have already heard that song before but that's not the song you were thinking. Another thing is when a band admits to make plagiarium and admits that in the making-process of the album had posters of a band and imagines a fight between his band and the idolatred band...
Another thing is to have similar video-clips to the idolatred band and try to follow its steps by the older band's footprints...

I agree with you, but to be honest, coldplay, apart from a few songs, DON'T sound like u2 to me, generally speaking; with this album they sound like a band trying to get closer to the u2 sound, whatever that is....but they're not making it. so in the process, they've watered down the coldplay sound (whatever that is) and generally gotten called on it.

look, I still prefer them to alot of bands out there, simply because you don't hear that many good bands these days. I just think the hype is way too much, as it was for htdaab to be honest.

I've seen at least 5 magazine covers with coldplay which state "are they the next u2" or something similar.
I don't remember any magazine's asking "are they the next who/zeppelin/stones/dylan" after WAR came out.

 

[nickypiemcg]

opinion≠fact.

some people need to get over themselves, plain and simple. some people like it, some people don't. music is about the single most subjective thing out there. personally, if htdaab wasn't a u2 album i would rate x&y as superior. in fact, i'd have to say that x&y is superior to atyclb. yes, i am a life long u2 fan.

Seriously? You would rate X&Y over HTDAAB?!!! Fair enough I think Fix You is better than anything on HTDAAB but overall HTDAAB is way ahead of X&Y in my estimations. X&Y is just totally hyped. I have been listening to it since the day it came out and apart from Fix You and Speed Of Sound I don't rate any of the tracks at all. I mean I cannot listen to them anymore. I like Coldplay but X&Y is poor compared to A Rush of Blood to The head. The reviews have just been ridiculous. The worst I have seen it get is 4/5. I mean come on! I refuse to believe that there are only a few people who think it is very mediocre. It's all just hype. I bet in a few years it will not be held in such high regard as it is now.

 

[Se7en]

Seriously? You would rate X&Y over HTDAAB?!!! Fair enough I think Fix You is better than anything on HTDAAB but overall HTDAAB is way ahead of X&Y in my estimations. X&Y is just totally hyped. I have been listening to it since the day it came out and apart from Fix You and Speed Of Sound I don't rate any of the tracks at all. I mean I cannot listen to them anymore. I like Coldplay but X&Y is poor compared to A Rush of Blood to The head. The reviews have just been ridiculous. The worst I have seen it get is 4/5. I mean come on! I refuse to believe that there are only a few people who think it is very mediocre. It's all just hype. I bet in a few years it will not be held in such high regard as it is now.

Seriously? You would rate HTDAAB over X&Y?!!! Fair enough I think Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own is better than anything on X&Y but overall X&Y is way ahead of HTDAAB in my estimations. HTDAAB is just totally hyped. I have been listening to it since the day it came out and apart from Miracle Druge and Somtimes I could live without the rest of the album. I mean I really don't need to listen to them anymore. I like U2 but HTDAAB is poor compared to The Joshua Tree. The reviews have just been ridiculous. The worst I have seen it get is 5/5. Another masterpiece? I mean come on! I refuse to believe that there are only a few people who think it is very mediocre. It's all just hype. I bet in a few years it will not be held in such high regard as it is now.

 

[u2popmofo]

Haha. Very nice.



Sadly, I dont think most U2 fans realize the major bashing and negative reception HTDAAB has had among so-so and non-U2 fans.... Along those same lines, I dont think this forum even has an accurate representation of how many long time U2 fans were underwhelmed and offput by it.

 

[Layton]

Seriously? You would rate X&Y over HTDAAB?!!! Fair enough I think Fix You is better than anything on HTDAAB but overall HTDAAB is way ahead of X&Y in my estimations. X&Y is just totally hyped. I have been listening to it since the day it came out and apart from Fix You and Speed Of Sound I don't rate any of the tracks at all. I mean I cannot listen to them anymore. I like Coldplay but X&Y is poor compared to A Rush of Blood to The head. The reviews have just been ridiculous. The worst I have seen it get is 4/5. I mean come on! I refuse to believe that there are only a few people who think it is very mediocre. It's all just hype. I bet in a few years it will not be held in such high regard as it is now.

Alot of the American publications have been lukewarm about the album. Rolling Stone: 3.5/5, Spin: B, Entertainment Weekly: B-

I agree that X&Y is inferior to HTDAAB. It just doesn't seem to have the same level of open-heartedness that HTDAAB has. That matters to me because I think Coldplay plays is similiar emotional terrain as U2 does.

My 2 cents on the sound alike argument is that ripping off a sound isn't so bad. What is bad is ripping off an emotional definition that accompanies that sound. Coldplay walks a real fine line in that regard. I agree that U2 ripped off Television, Echo and the Bunnymen, etc. ,but they gave those sounds unique emotional definition. Coldplay is far less unique than U2.

 

[nickypiemcg]

Seriously? You would rate HTDAAB over X&Y?!!! Fair enough I think Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own is better than anything on X&Y but overall X&Y is way ahead of HTDAAB in my estimations. HTDAAB is just totally hyped. I have been listening to it since the day it came out and apart from Miracle Druge and Somtimes I could live without the rest of the album. I mean I really don't need to listen to them anymore. I like U2 but HTDAAB is poor compared to The Joshua Tree. The reviews have just been ridiculous. The worst I have seen it get is 5/5. Another masterpiece? I mean come on! I refuse to believe that there are only a few people who think it is very mediocre. It's all just hype. I bet in a few years it will not be held in such high regard as it is now.

I never said I thought HTDAAB was a great album though did I? I just think it is better than X&Y. I couldn't care less who puts out the better album (a band is not like a football team you support). Alot of people seem to have that mentality though. I am just saying it how I see it. I don't think either album is great but overall HTDAAB is better in my opinion.

 

[financeguy]

So am I the only person on this forum who doesn't see the UF-ness of White Shadows?

I see the UF-ness in every single thing that Coldplay have done, that I have heard.

 

[Aygo]

I may have said that in my opinion the actual Coldplay career steps (marketing, videos, actual music, etc) seems too equal to U2's ones, but I admire Coldplay for its bravery... It's not every band that claims to reach where U2 are today... and that's fine with me... In fact, it seems that most here do not like X&Y and prefer its predecessors, but I prefer X&Y to Parachutes and AROBTTH... Probably the reason for this is the influence of U2 sound, but I have to admit that the album is very good and very intelligent...
So, even though I think they could be more original (not trying to copy), I make my bets on this band...

 

[Se7en]

I never said I thought HTDAAB was a great album though did I?

of course you didn't [haven't]. neither did [have] i. i was just speaking in generalities.

 

[u2popmofo]

Se7en, have you ever fired a bow and arrow into a crowd?

 

[Se7en]

Se7en, have you ever fired a bow and arrow into a crowd?

time to musk up...

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

This album is growing on me. Finally.

 

[djerdap]

I agree. X&Y is a disappointing record. Talk and White Shadows are very good, the rest is plain average at best.
I miss the days of Parachutes, where Coldplay was a very promising band. Now, I can't believe the overexposure of the band.

 

[intedomine]

X&Y is by no means a five star album. It's not in the same league as AROBTTH and is probably equal in quality with Parachutes. It would warrant a rating of between 3.5 to 4.3 stars I reckon.

There are some fantastic songs on there: Square One, Talk, Speed of Sound, White Shadows, Swallowed in the Sea....and the boys are really writing songs that translate brilliantly on stage.

The problems with the album are:

* Too long. 13 tracks in 63 minutes, and there are some tracks that do not need to go on for longer than 4 minutes (A Message, What If, Low). They are good songs but some songs should be kept short and sweet.

* Scrap the Bonus Track. It doesn't add anything, and it's not a really a "secret" track because everyone knew about it before anyone had heard the album.

* The songs that challenge traditional ideas of Coldplay (Twisted Logic, Talk, X&Y, Square One) are all fantastic inclusions, but their impact suffers when they have traditional Coldplay songs (Hardest Part, Message, What If) thrown in with them. In this sense, the album seems incoherent in terms of flow. (like HTDAAB)

* Fix You drags on and on and on....and takes forever to get to the awesome final couple of minutes. Indeed, it is good if a song slowly builds up into a massive and spinetingling ending, but personally i find it hard to enjoy the first couple of minutes.

That said, its still a strong album.

Best Tracks:

1. Talk
2. Swallowed in the Sea
3. Square One

Worst tracks:

1. Til Kingdom Come
2. Fix You
3. A Message

 

[Palace_Hero]

Very good post intedomine.

 

[Kieran McConville]

HTDAAB and X&Y are both the greatest albums ever!!! OMG WTF@!!!!

 

[griffey123]

X+Y is better than anything U2 has put out since Achtung and thats a fact. All these Coldplay bashers on this board are unreal. Can't stomach the fact that they've taken U2's place in the music world? Don't think so? Take a look at the album numbers or better yet, the QUALITY of the work. Call them derivitive, boring all you want but the fact of the matter is, song for song, X+Y is vastly more successful at what it attempts to do than (with the exception of Achtung) the entirety of U2's '90's and '00's catalog.

 

[griffey123]

'Til Kingdom Come is one of the best songs on the album PERIOD.

 

[JOFO]

what's the word I'm looking for......hmmmm....oh yeah:


delusional.

 

[Mofo]

what's the word I'm looking for......hmmmm....oh yeah:


delusional.

LOL!! everyone is entitled to their opinion, although going as far as saying that it's better than all U2's 90's catalog is quite a stretch just like intedomine said that till kingdome come and fix you are the worst songs which are actually my favorites. I'll probably get tired of fix you depending on the exposure but till kingdome come is right there with other quiet gems like see you soon and warning sign like I said it is a question of tastes as for all the debate as to which is better X&Y or HTDAAB I really don't take preference I enjoy each one for their strenghts not their weaknesses

 

[Aygo]

X+Y is better than anything U2 has put out since Achtung and thats a fact. All these Coldplay bashers on this board are unreal. Can't stomach the fact that they've taken U2's place in the music world? Don't think so? Take a look at the album numbers or better yet, the QUALITY of the work. Call them derivitive, boring all you want but the fact of the matter is, song for song, X+Y is vastly more successful at what it attempts to do than (with the exception of Achtung) the entirety of U2's '90's and '00's catalog.

Yeah ok... get back to your Coldplay forum... that's ridiculous what you said.

 

[GibsonGirl]

X+Y is better than anything U2 has put out since Achtung and thats a fact. All these Coldplay bashers on this board are unreal. Can't stomach the fact that they've taken U2's place in the music world? Don't think so? Take a look at the album numbers or better yet, the QUALITY of the work. Call them derivitive, boring all you want but the fact of the matter is, song for song, X+Y is vastly more successful at what it attempts to do than (with the exception of Achtung) the entirety of U2's '90's and '00's catalog.

Oh, how droll.