Coldplay

A Rush of Blood to the Head (Capitol)
by Tim Den

I really wanted to like Coldplay. I tried as hard as I could to dig “Yellow” and “Trouble,” and I spent a few weeks with A Rush of Blood to the Head in the CD player… but alas, there just isn’t that much there to like. Granted, they have the same delicate/emotional control as Travis and Poor Rich Ones, but they don’t put it to good songwriting. For crying out loud, I thought it was a practical joke when opener “Politik” started off with completely off-key singing. An album full of cliched lyrics and mediocre melodies later, my worst fears were confirmed: That the world is in love with possibly the worst of the UK breed. Not Travis, Pulp, Blur, Supergrass, or Doves (by far the best British band in years)… but “God Put a Smile on Your Face?” I’ll keep this album around for the occasional gems (“The Scientist” and “Warning Sign”), but I recommend the rest of y’all to dig deeper in the UK bin for better goods.