COLDPLAY Parachutes (EMI) grade: B

For decades the UK has provided North America with some of the most ground breaking musical exports to ever grace our radio waves. Apparently they're conveying no signs of drying out anytime soon.

The most recent British group to tear through the Beatles-built mold (the one that conitinues to coincide with most generic brands of Brit-pop trash), is Coldplay. Not only is their major label, debut album attaining an enthusiastic response from the masses, their first single "Yellow,"a highly infectious rocker, is definitely becoming a regular on most popular music stations.

Along with a bevvy of tour dates coming up on their schedule to keep the boys busy, Coldplay's future might not necessarily require parachutes. I doubt they'll be taking a fall any time soon!
The Coldplay idiom showcases a musical hybrid of chilled out, sometimes even jazzy twists, like on the 6/8 swing of "Sparks" and the gospel shuffle in the uplifting, ending track, "Everything's Not Lost."

Esoteric folk-rock, with a pinch of modern day psychedelia for flavour, pieces together the very mellow, acoustic lilt of the opening song, "Don't Panic," along with the very layered and textured sounds in, "We Never Change."

However, I believe that the definitive highlights of the whole album are it's straight ahead rock tunes. Such powerful offerings like, "Yellow," "Trouble"and "Shiver," allow the listener to hear lead singer, Guy Berryman, break out of his soft, shy vocal stylings and really belt.

Along with fellow guitar slingers, Will Champion, Chris Martin and drummer, Jon Buckland; Berryman leads Colplay into a realm of creative songwriting coupled with impressive falsetto leaps and colourful imagery.


Review by Zack Salsberg, 2001