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COLDPLAY
Parachutes
(EMI)
grade: B
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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

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