Hits In The Car

New album added to my CD-Collection:
Coldplay: X&Y

Finally it's here - the most talked about release of 2005.

It doesn't take many listens to realize that the album by no means is groundbreaking, earthshaking or the next epic album that we're going to talk about for years. Simply put it's just another Coldplay album, on which the band sounds very much like they've always done. But unlike most critics and music fans in general, who are more than willing to bash the band whenever the opportunity arises, I really don't mind this at all and honestly think that this is a very fine album indeed.

You can always claim that any of the two first albums was better because of whatever reason you might want to come up with.
I totally agree that songs like Don't Panic and In My Place were better songs than any of the new ones and that you'll be looking in vain if you want innovative stuff.
However I'm not willing to criticize the band, simply because my favorite indie act has become mainstream and is selling millions and millions of albums. I'm even more unlikely to blame them for using the same successful formula as before to secure that they will sell another +10 million copies of the new one. Wouldn't you? I don't know if this is the (only) motive why so many people are turning their backs against the band, but I can't help thinking that this is a major reason.
And there is no way that I'm going to blame the band, because I was so bloody naive that I "bought" the marketing strategy of the record company and believed that the album was going to be ever so fantastic.

If I have to complain about something I think it's a shame that Talk was re-worked, because the first version was excellent.

Wearing my neutral glasses (or hearing aid) and trying to ignore the expectations I had, I really can't understand why anyone would claim that the band has lost its "touch". The album does contain several very good songs and the weak moments on X&Y are few and far between. As written above you can always claim that this really great song you were hoping for is absent and that this album unfortunately wasn't the one that took the band (or music in general) to the next level.
But when comparing the album to the previous releases (which probably is the right thing to do), I'm currently of the opinion that this is their most "complete" release so far, which leaves me more than satisfied.

Whether or not this means that the album will stand the test time of time like the previous ones is obviously another story