As everyone probably knows by now, today is the official release date of Coldplay's new album (in the US, that is. Elsewhere, it came out yesterday). I didn't blog about first single 'Speed of Sound,' because I thought it sounds very much like 'Clocks,' only with a hint of Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' in the build-up to the chorus. The same feeling of déjà-vu (or rather déjà-écouté) presides over the entire record X & Y --which, combined with the fact that there is no immediate anthem in the shape of 'The Scientist' or 'Yellow,' can leave the listener slightly underwhelmed and serves as a reminder of how unrealistically high the expectations for this album were.
It is fair to say, however, that the instrumentation, arrangements and production are superb, that Chris Martin's vocals are as good as ever, and that the songwriting, if unoriginal, is still very good. Overall, it is a safe move for Coldplay, who have produced a collection of mid-tempo stadium ballads that will not surprise or alienate anyone and will easily sell another dozen million copies worldwide. No bold move, no rush of blood to the head, just a handful of pleasant, safe crowd-pleasers masterfully performed. Take a listen to my pick for album highlights: the simple, tender, U2-sounding 'A Message' and (a clip of) the more upbeat 'White Shadows.' (You keep expecting the chorus to break into an old Midnight Oil song, though...)
