Coldplay – A Rush of Blood to the Head pt 1

To be ten years behind is pretty bad I suppose. There are a lot of things that can get in the way. Stubbornness probably being key, but pride mixed in somewhere. I hadn’t heard the entirety of this album (although I always did love the second, huge rush always) ever until a week ago. I came across a copy of it and found something both endearing and rather impressive; and driving to work in a traffic-drenched rush last Friday, I put it on the radio to change discs and “Yellow” was blasting and well, I can take a hint (different albums I know.) And while I cant help but notice how it reminds me a lot of Radiohead in instances, it’s also very warmly, growing on me with each repeated listen. The lyrics are longing, almost melancholic and definitely despaired words that are honest and heartfelt and the sounds are bright and vividly full of life. It’s starting to build a nest and I can’t help but notice how much I like it.

This “Politik” song floored me because of the unafraid nature of playing with the drastic loud/soft policy, while employing strings and more piano into the hushed areas. I remember being at a bar with friends and I think it was D who figured it be good to play something by Coldplay on the jukebox, I foolishly scoffed and he picked something I’d never heard so I could blindly gain some respect and it was sweet. It’s a dramatic way to begin, but then again the cover is dramatic and it is called A Rush of Blood to the Head, and that’s why I like it. It’s pretty brave, exploding from before and employing a grander scale that somehow, feels more personal. The entire time, he’s singing “open up your eyes…” while this piano clanks away in the foreground. The music builds and builds into a definite rush of blood to head and is an astounding opener.

I’ve got a strong feeling that I can come back and write about this album some more, so instead of adding the bookend (yes later) I go with that aforementioned “In My Place” (the rush from the outset). The drums are immediately affecting: they pound away to a steady pace and truly act as an anchor. The way the cymbals crash loudly, the way the snare is relentless, it’s big and loud and awesome. And the guitar, well the guitar melody on this track is what makes it one of the best songs of that entire decade (2000s) because it’s chillingly mesmerizing and sweeping. It’s brilliantly colorful and it reins a wall of sound that commands respect; somewhat countrified with its adorned counter-melody, the sparkling melody is a shining winner. All together, the lyrics and of course, those strings at the end, make it what you’d call pop gem, it’s still very much in the rock playbook. And perhaps the rockist at heart can see it as such; until then, there’s plenty more discovery to burst about. – Bryan