A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
2002
Album Summary
A Rush of Blood to the Head is the second studio album by British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 26 August 2002 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom, and a day later by Capitol Records in the United States. Recording started after the band became popular worldwide with the release of their debut album Parachutes (2000), and one of its singles in particular, "Yellow". The album was produced by the band and Ken Nelson, and makes greater use of the electric guitar and piano than its predecessor. The album topped the UK Albums Chart upon its first week of release in the United Kingdom, and became the eighth biggest-selling album of the 21st century in the UK. The British Phonographic Industry has since certified the album 10× Platinum for its accumulated sales of over 3 million units in the UK and the album has sold 15 million copies worldwide. The album spawned the hit singles "In My Place", "The Scientist", and "Clocks". "God Put a Smile upon Your Face" was also released, but was significantly less successful. A Rush of Blood to the Head has been critically acclaimed, and the band received three Grammy Awards for the album; the 2003 Grammy for Best Alternative Album, which was the band's second win in a row, the 2003 Grammy for Best Rock Performance with the song "In My Place", and the 2004 Grammy for Record of the Year with the song "Clocks". In 2020, it was ranked number 324 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". It was also among ten albums nominated for the best British album of the previous 30 years by the Brit Awards in 2010, ultimately losing to (What's the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis.
Wikipedia2.4 + Had a burned copy of this in 2002 when I was going through a tough breakup. Initially some of these songs hit well but after about a week the goopy sincerity and simplistic song structures and lyrics began to grate. This is a Paulo Coelho-esque, universalist, "we're-all-in-this-together" soundtrack, where the songs paint a very basic emotional landscape - vaguely sad, vaguely longing, vaguely hopeful - such that anyone can fill in the broad strokes with their own flourishes and colors. It's lowest common denominator music aimed at drawing a broad swath of listeners, likely those with less discerning musical palates who seek affirmation in music and eschew any challenge. I imagine it also helps if your English language skills are still developing - Chris Martin's voice labors deliberately through stanzas of simple words, enunciating every "F", "C" and "S." Here's another album that makes me question the premise behind this exercise - is this really an album to hear before I die??
I will risk being called a math nerd but I need to use that side of the brain to try to show why the number of Coldplay listens on Spotify is so confusing. So - some simple math. On Spotify The Scientist has 1.2 billion - that's with a B - listens. That's more than 15% of the world's population. I can't believe more than 1 in 10 people want to hear this song. But wait - it's far worse! Spotify has only 200 million subscribers. So on average, each Spotify subscriber has listened to this song six times and if only 5% of subscribers (being 10 million which sounds way too high) actually like - and listen to - this song, then those soup lovers have listened to this 120 times each. Why would anyone do that? Who are these people? Do you know any? I know none of my friends listen to it. Ditto for my enemies. But those people must exist. There can't be just one Gen Yer playing it over and over 24 hours per day.
I’m sorry for judging you Coldplay. This is honestly a great album. There’s something about the writing and tone, simplicity and emotion in the lead vocals that really get you
Its alright, it goes on a bit, as i listen to it i can image in parallel worlds people in wandsworth necking white wine around the kitchen table and talking about that time they went to a live gig and in another chris martin counting his spotify royalties whilst idly penning a tweet telling other people how to live Tbf this was the album they made before falling completely into the chasm of being superstar nobs so most of the tracks are still very listenable...clocks, the scientist and in my place are all great songs but its hard for me to listen to it without going to a mental place where chris martin is a nob and coldplay are boring which is a shame as this and 9parachutes were great in their time.
Coldplay gets a bad rap for being bland or corny but these songs are compelling enough to me that I enjoyed the album quite a bit! Varied songwriting and solid hooks that keeps the runtime fresh, exceptional production that plays to that songwriting, and a few hit songs to keep things fresh at the halfway point. My biggest problem, however, is the runtime. A couple of songs in the back half could easily be axed to allow for a more digestible album, but instead it ends up feeling a bit bloated and kills the momentum near the end. The CD era of albums is certainly to blame for this, but alas.
I’ve never been a fan of Coldplay but also never really listened to them, so in a strange way was looking forward to this record to either surprise me or confirm my dislike of them. Good lord they are the most boring, whiny, self indulgent band of all time. I will never understand the appeal of this band
I couldn't even make it two full tracks in. I wanted to give it a more thorough listen and lay out all the reasons why Coldplay is boring music for boring people, but life is too short to waste listening to Coldplay.
This is a great album. Coldplay’s overplayed hits & media personas may lead one to lose sight of their innovation and artistry. ‘The Scientiist’ is cleverly crafted and executed perfectly. The album’s concepts and sequencing are very well thought out - great opener with a touch of turmoil, plenty of soaring chorus builds bathed in reverb, and somehow the sparseness of the guitar makes it that much more impactful. On a personal note, I will never forget performing Green Eyes’ at my friends Rob & Peggy’s wedding.
I feel like a lot of people are overly critical of Coldplay, more so than they need to be. These seem to be the same people I get into arguments with about the importance of pop music. Anyway, this album reminds me of a very specific time in my life so I can't help but like it.
Highlights: God Put A Smile On Your Face, The Scientist, Daylight I've always thought of Coldplay as the alternate-universe version of Radiohead that continued to explore the Pablo Honey sound and style; and surely there is room for both versions. As such, I never understood the hate that Coldplay gets...They're one of the biggest acts in the world and every one of their albums top charts. For good reason, too; Chris Martin's instantly-recognizable voice is the backbone of every song, accompanied by Buckland, Berry, and Champion, every song feels bigger than the sum of its parts, but not overwhelming. God Put A Smile... is enrapturing and captivating, probably one of the band's strongest cuts, but then it's followed by The Scientist, which is almost as fantastic. Clocks and Daylight at the crest of the record keep the highs going...Near the closer is the title track which also serves as an apt description. Rush of Blood might be peak Coldplay, but it would be be a disservice to the listener to stop the journey here.
Some great songs, but also a fair bit of filler. Struggled to make it to the end! Between a 3 and a 4, but as it’s Coldplay I’ll round down.
I find the popularity of Coldplay's dull music kinda irritating. Has anyone ever said "I got into music and formed a band because of Coldplay"? But to it's hard to knock the accessibility of their songwriting and ignore some of the megahits on this album. 7/10
It was inoffensive. I need a 2.5 star option. This falls right at neither agree nor disagree.
With this project I find it hard to break away from the nostalgia of albums I loved in younger years. Conversely it's the same to listen to music of bands I hate. I tried but it's still shit. The music is dull the lyrics are so ernest I want to barf . His vocals are those of a bored supply teacher. I hate this so much.
One of my favorite albums of all-time. Finished right after 9/11, it truly reflects vulnerability and pain.
Estoy convencido de que ColdPlay fue el grupo representativo de los 2000's. Aunque varias canciones tienen un tono melancólico, tienen a la vez mucha energía y pasión. Es música que anuncia el comienzo de un nuevo milenio, aunque después como que perdieron el rumbo y se descompusieron, a mi gusto.
Este disco me lo regalaron mis padres. Son 5 estrellas solo con ver la portada de nuevo. El primer tirón del disco es impresionante: Politik, In my place, God put a smile upon your face, The scientist y Clocks. 5 obras maestras del pop. Y por no hablar de "Green eyes" con ese toque folk-country-americana music.
Politik representan el disco. De lo saturado a lo simple, así el disco. Este oed8es como hablar de los discos más valiosos con bandas que son agridulces. Lo escucharemos siempre 30 veces, la neta
Barely a weak moment - a band at their peak. Politik sets the bar really high from the off and it flies from there for me. God put a smile on your face, Clocks, The Scientist, Warning Sign. A couple of weaker moments but it finishes on a total high with A rush of blood to the head being another standout track - an easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I enjoyed this album. Has a good vibe to have on while trying to get work done. very mellow.
Maybe the best Coldplay album? I always forget how into them I was for those first few albums.
I've said it many times, and I'll say it again. Coldplay has 3 perfect albums, and this is one of them! Incredible songs all the way through, with lots of variation and genre blending. A thoughtful progression of tracks and sounds.
I'm biased because I'm a massive fan of the old Coldplay but I think this is a great album. The lyrics speak to me on a different level. The simplicity and tone of the music and vocals just hits the right spots.
okay this album was actually really good I would call myself a Coldplay fan (because the fanbase is pretty annoying) but I can say that this album is a 10/10 and I started listening to it being biased against it every song just performs exactly the way it’s supposed to, it’s really well done still I don’t think I’ll listen to these songs in my free time, I can still value the work that went into this, creating such a high quality product
Instant classic, one of the well defined albums of Coldplay that makes them who they are now. Politik - Chill start in the album. Beats Instrumental sets the stone. Voices supplement the overall mood that the song is portraying. Great buildup midway of the song
One of my favorites. Great album to work to, to sleep to, or to listen. Really takes me back. Solid songwriting and musicianship. A master pop album.
increíble que hayan hecho un disco tan lindo como este y después se hayan convertido en una imitación de U2 de cuarta. Clocks es una obra maestra.
Peak coldplay. Definitely a singer-songwriter vibe with atmospheric elements and everything is pretty passionate and enjoyable. Easy to put on anytime.
An absolute gem. Clocks is a brilliant song, but it's an undeniably solid album from front to back.
While I'm not a fan of what Coldplay has become, there's a reason they got to be so huge and this album is an absolute masterpiece. It's moody, has great heart and emotion, it's so easy to get into this and every song is a banger. There's a huge run of hits but even the tunes that didn't become radio hits are all great, Politik is an excellent opener. The band went on to lose the magic that made this album so fantastic, and their new tunes are all focus-group pop music to appeal to the masses. But despite the future that comes, this album stands on it's own and is worth five stars easily.
They're no Beatles but Coldplay is still one of the best acts to ever come out of Ol' Blighty even if it does seem like poor Chris Martin is always desperately in need of a hug. Not all of the songs are bangers but that's not really the Coldplay vibe so I'm not bothered. Any of the non-hits would be cornerstone tracks for any other band. Their brilliance is just dimmed because they sit in the shadow of tracks like "Clocks" and "Amsterdam" which are monsters. It's a great album, no contest.
one of my favorite albums ever - a true masterpiece front to back. Amsterdam is such an underrated song. Coldplay's best album bar none, and one of the best of the last 25 years
I loved this album so much when I was a teenager. I remember when it came out I had 14, and it was beatiful. So deep, so well constructed.
Não consigo apontar uma música ruim nesse album, em sua proposta ele é impecável. Musicas prediletas: -In My Place; -God Put a Smile upon your face -The Scientist -Clocks -Daylight -Green eyes (Foi a musica que mais ouvi em 2021 segundo lastfm) -Warning Sign -Amsterdam Datalhes desse album: O Segundo album de coldplay; Produzido pela própria banda; Extremamente autoral, Rock alternativo e melodico, com o tom meio cinza que a banda carregou e carregou a banda (rs) nos primeiros 4 albuns.
It does not blow me away like it did in the early naughties, but the album still sounds great throughout, so I'll be generous and give it 5 stars.
I've listened to this enough times to know this is a really amazing album. While it has some of their most popular singles, the deep cuts offer more variety than straight piano ballads. It's much more rocking and offers the same warm and uplifting feeling from the last album. It's a classic album and one of Coldplay's best effort (aside from their next release after this one).
I miss when Coldplay were this good. I love this album from top to bottom. It’s not the bands best moment…they’re past it at this point, but it’s still stellar top to bottom.
I have always enjoyed Coldplay but I had never listened to this album the full way through. Wonderful experience, so many good songs on one album.
It put a smile upon my face. Essential early 00s british alternative. It's melancholy on a disc.
Wow, I'm really impressed. This is sort of like what Radiohead might have ended up doing if they had kept their The Bends-era sound. Occasionally it was a little poppy for my tastes, but if I did a PCA on this there's no way it would end up in the John Mayer cluster. Anyone who thinks it's uncool to like these guys is a moron. Best song: Daylight (although there are quite a few to choose from). Musically dense, and I'm a sucker for the combo of strings and loopy bass.
Say what you want about Coldplay, their second studio album is fantastic. Ignoring the overplayed popular hits like The Scientist and Clocks, this album is just banger after banger. I am a Coldplay stan though so maybe i'm biased here. The first track Politik sets the tone and is a great opening. The closing track Amsterdam is one of my favourites, I love the crescendo at the end there. The weakest track IMO is A Whisper, but it's still great.
It’s hoot hour! Feed a bad sloth and you have to expect a good outcome, as they say. Pretty good and not grinding for a mainstream-y band. Takes me back to a trip home from Louth Races in TR’s car after I’d been bitten by a redback spider, tripping balls
First half good, second half bad. Gave me good mems of Glasto 2005 so it gets an extra star for that.
When Coldplay were top of their game, they were pretty good. I’ll save my 5 five for Parachutes
Politik: Excellent In My Place: very good God put a smile upon your face: very good The scientist: amazing Clocks: excellent Daylight: very good Green eyes: very good Warning sign: excellent A whisper: good A rush of blood to the head: excellent Amsterdam: excellent 9/10
Es uno de los mejores discos de Coldplay, tiene muchos de sus temas mas conocidos y clasicos, la instrumentacion y composicion es increible junto con las letras, mis canciones favoritas son obviamente The Scientist, In My Place, Clocks y A Rush of Blood to the Place (mi favorita de ellos) ps. Amsterdam tambien esta perra
Really refreshing to hear mega-smash singles like “Clocks” outside of their cultural-dominance era to appreciate them for the great pop songs that they are. It starts off with the worst song (which could easily be cut) and there’s nothing quite as good as “Yellow,” but I was digging the understated production and better-than-I-remember songwriting. A really pleasant listen, and I mean that in a good way. Probably an uncool opinion. Who cares
I'll forever love their first 3 albums before they took a much more commercial formula into the studio. Politik. Just wow.
Can't believe I've never listened to this all the way through before. It's aged extremely well. It's quite soft edged, but has a lovely texture and layering to it. Obviously some of the songs i have heard 1000 times before becuase they were played to death as part of adverts or on the radio, so they have lost their impact, but "Politik" is a really strong way to start and album, a real statement of intent, and Amsterdam is a perfect way to end it as well. And having only heard the melody for "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" from the Mark Ronson version, it was nice to hear the original, and just bask in its glory.
The ending to Politik sets the tone for the rest of this beautiful album. The Scientist and Clocks back to back have no right being that good. A Whisper is the only track on the album that I don’t care for and would skip the next time I listen to. A Rush of Blood to the Head is haunting and another god-tier track. Coldplay has helped me get through some tough times during life and when I’m in the dumps, it’s unbeatable. For where I am in life now; I’d say it’s a great album and that’s what I’ll rate it as.
Faccio coming out: mi piacciono i Coldplay. Ciò che mi piace è essenzialmente la loro semplicità. Semplicità che non intacca la loro personalità, infatti sono inconfondibili (e forse questo è anche grazie all voce di Chris Martin). Negli ultimi 10 anni sono diventati un po' più mainstream, ma secondo me è dovuto più al loro processo di invecchiamento che a delle scelte puramente commerciali. In quest'album, non ci sono canzoni che reputo brutte, ma alcune mi piacciono di meno (ad esempio "Green Eyes" e "God put a smile on you"). Altre canzoni presenti in quest'album, delle quali probabilmente siamo saturi, io le trovo perfette (ad esempio "The Scientist"). Voto: 4.5
Dammit I don't care if it makes me a square I really like Coldplay, and this album has basically all their hits. I almost want to give it a 5, but I know deep down that that's outrageous.
I don’t necessarily love or not love Coldplay but as I’ve reviewed the other album(s) their music takes me back to high school era days very distinctly. Points for that
Another in the long list of bands who were very well-known during certain parts of my adult life yet I somehow missed entirely. I do remember the album cover -- it would've been a CD back then -- and how much I loved the artwork. Still do. I started listening to the album with a bit of concern that I'd have too many biases against them to really hear the music (I might be wrong, but this seems to be a band a lot people love to hate). It didn't seem to matter. I enjoyed the album and some of the tracks are particularly good. I was familiar with a few songs, probably from hearing them in public places, but I really hadn't heard most of these. I like the seeming simplicity of their songs that have more going on musically than meets the ear. I expected this album to be more straight-up pop music (there are those biases again!), yet I heard a little more darkness and layers in it. Good album.
This is an album I’ve always heard singles from but never listened to all the way through. I’m glad I finally did because it’s a really good album. It definitely is different from parachutes and is more upbeat and uses piano/electric guitar more. Solid album from start to finish. Fav songs: scientist, clocks, god put a smile upon your face, politik
Coldplay is kinda boring white person music, but this and parachutes are still great albums. But maybe I'm just a boring white person..
I'm not mad about Coldplay but this is a really strong album. I'd listen again and would probably stretch to at least £4.99 in a charity shop. 3.7
Coldplay always falls into an uncanny valley of "this is so boring that it slips back into enjoyable" like a dreamy drone of sorts. This album includes great tracks and overall is very listenable, but can get tired in one sitting.
Really good, if a bit samey. Politik, the scientist, and the title track were stand outs for me. Kind of odd to listen to it just as their new album is released.
Feels weird liking Coldplay so much after despising them in HS. I think that's the cost of listening to their later, overplayed successes. These initial albums make me understand why they got so big. I like this more than parachutes. Feels more than a 4, but not a five. I'll say 4+ and Coldplay can be thankful for that.
I think this was said about U2 or some other band (maybe it was Coldplay as well) but because they became so "meme-ified" and main stream, you forget they had to be good first to go big. Very surprised at how much I enjoyed the album, especially the tracks that I hadnt listened to before
Solid album through and through. Standout Tracks: Politik, God Put a Smile Upon Your Face. The Scientist, Clocks, A Rush of Blood to the Head
A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay (2002) Looking at the title and cover art, one might expect that someone has found a vapid solution to the problem of “A Rush of Blood to the Head”, but one would prematurely be selling this album short. It’s really very good. The lyrics demonstrate a fondness for development and closure. They thoughtfully express the need to love and be loved. And not without an element of both humility and hope. But if you’re lonely, they could make you sad. So be careful. These are songs that penetrate to the soft parts of the soul. While compositional structures are generally colorful and predictable, with steady tempos and rhythmic variety, melodies frequently feature unexpected line endings—a real plus. Simple string arrangements provide a soothing background to a number of tracks. Chris Martin’s lead vocals are strong enough to deliver both the message and the music. Several of these songs could well find their way onto playlists for background while you work. “Don't ever say you're on your way down when God gave you style and gave you grace And put a smile upon your face” Yes. He does that. 4/5
Damn, what a start to this album - the 5 song combination of 'Politik', 'In My Place', 'God put...', 'The Scientist', and 'Clocks' is incredible, and shows Coldplay (at least this version of Coldplay) at their artistic and creative peak. Fortunately, while the remaining 6 tracks on the album don't hit quite as hard, they're well worth a listen, particularly the touching acoustic track 'Green Eyes'.
A dark, brooding LP wrapped in layers of production. Probably the group's best effort alongside 'Viva La Vida'
Un disco muy baladesco, pero con muchos puntos altos y populares, de los que mas escucho
**2000's** I was just a kid. All those alternative rock one hit wonders amuse me. Forget about that guy rapping about mom's spaghetti, we have songs about being numb, being here without you, being asleep in September, going wherever you will go, having to go and make things so complicated, and of course, crying when angels deserves to die. I have no idea how incredible the '90s were when it comes to alternative rock (aside from something about being a creep, I guess), but nonetheless I enjoyed the 2000's much. . . A couple of buildings from a big country just got destroyed and everyone was talking about it. . . And what's this song about... nobody saying it was easy? It's pretty boring. *2020's* "A Rush of Blood to the Head"? Sounds stressful. The fact that it came from a band that I did not care much about didn't hel- Oh boyyyyy! ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Okay. First of all, this is amazing. Coldplay is not as bad as I thought they were, lmao. My only issue is that the every single is on the first half. I've heard some other albums that are like that. Unsurprisingly, the first half is incredible, 5/5 in this case. But the second half? Usually hit-and-miss. Still, what a unique experience. . . I guess it's called "A Rush of Blood to the Head" because it can blow one's mind.
Erg Mooie plaat. Wel moeilijk om van te genieten als je weet dat ze stom geworden zijn.
Toen dit album uitkwam het ik het weken lang op repeat gehad. Fantastisch vond ik het! Inmiddels heeft het iets in kracht verloren maar nog altijd erg sterk. Jammer dat ze tegenwoordig volledig het Radio 10 Gold / Songfestival genre omarmd hebben.
I've hated every Coldplay song that I've ever heard on the radio. Their non released stuff was good to excellent. So pleasantly surprised!
Överraskande bra! Älskar hur gitarrerna låter och sångerna är välskrivna och intressanta.
Great album. Easily my favorite Coldplay album (although Parachutes is pretty good as well). The Scientist is my favorite song. 4/5
Great album which sparks a sense of nostalgia. I know Coldplay get bad rap but this was one of my favourite albums to listen to.
It feels like listening to the same track for half an hour, which is fine, as I quite like this sort of music.
Es kam für mich irgendwann eine Zeit, in der ich für mich selbst akzeptieren musste, dass Coldplay früher eine echt gute Band war (bis Viva La Vida und zu kleinerem Teil auch noch Mylo Xyloto). Auf Parachutes sind sehr viele wirklich schöne Lieder zu finden, die ich nie erwartet hätte. Das hier ist also das Album danach und man merkt auch schon, dass sie hier auch schon etwas ihren Teil im Mainstream gefunden haben, aber wie auch schon Parachutes bleibt es eher piano- und gitarrenlastig. Die erste Hälfte sind back to back Songs, die man heute aus dem Fernsehen, aus Werbungen oder sonstwo her kennt und allein das sagt wirklich einiges aus. Mir fällt es jetzt natürlich schwer, die objektiver zu sehen, ich glaube der Riff von In My Place wurde als Intro von RTL Vermisst benutzt, also konnte ich das echt nicht schlechte Lied nicht besonders voll nehmen, aber Clocks und The Scientist sind auf allen Ebenen immer noch verdammt stark. Und eben nicht nur das, denn durch sowas wie Politik und Warning Sign wird eine gewisse Atmosphäre erzeugt, die man eben auch von Parachutes kennt. Und auch der Closer Amsterdam hat mich dann doch ziemlich gepackt zum Ende hin. In dem, was sie da tun, sind (waren) sie eben einfach gut. Den Radiohead-Vergleich verstehe ich so weit, dass sie ansatzweise auf den OKC-Sound gehen, aber dann auch nicht viel mehr. Dafür sind sie einfach so obvious poppig. Für mich sind Coldplay aus den 00er-Jahren einfach ein gutes Symptom der damaligen Pop-Landschaft. Auf jeden Fall besser als sowas wie Maroon 5 damals. 7/10 (schade dass man hier nicht halbe Sterne geben kann, weder 3 noch 4 Sterne wird das gerecht aber 3 ist dafür einfach zu wenig)
Tres bon album de coldplay, avec plein de classiques quon a attendu des centaines de fois. Propablement leur plus connus . 4.5
Solid album with several great hits that I enjoyed all the way through. Though Coldplay can often sound similar song to song, their lyric game is so strong that I can overlook that
Coldplay peaked with the Brothers & Sisters and The Blue Room EPs. In terms of albums, I think their first 3 are strongest and I was definitely a fan of Coldplay in high school/college. Early Coldplay is Diet Radiohead with optimistic-based syrup content. Later Coldplay became its own thing, which is fine but I fell off after Viva La Vida. With that out of the way, I think Coldplay on these earlier albums were at their prime. Lyrically they are good, it's inoffensive and easy listening. If I didn't have loved these albums in my youth I may not rate this as high as I do. I do remember coming home from a long shift at 1AM after closing up the concession stand at a movie theatre, hearing Clocks on the radio the first time and I made me stop in my tracks, as a moody 16 year old it just did something for me. It's still not what I wanna listen to most of the time, but credit to where credit is due. I think the track "A Rush of Blood to the Head" is still good, but I really can't listen to much of this anymore, I'm kind of past it all. But, 4 since I can recognize that it is very successful at what it does.
A gorgeous album, though I would rank Parachutes higher. The pristineness of the music is a strength of their music but also is a bit distracting, like I want to hear some dissonance every once in a while.
I am vaguely familiar with COLDPLAY having and listening to their debut album, PARACHUTES, but not their second album A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD. I do not consider myself a fan as I was initially disappointed with PARACHUTES overall. After listening to A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD, this album is very well done and pleasant to listen to, but it is not my cup of tea. COLDPLAY is musically competent, and CHRIS MARTIN sings well, but I need personality, dirt, grit, variation, and a host of other characteristics that for me make up a good song that appeals to me. Similar to me experience with NICK DRAKE whom I’ve gotten to like very much after I made my ranking for PINK MOON. This case I’m giving COLDPLAY the benefit of the doubt, because in the future I might “get it”. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, with COLDPLAY - A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD, their debut album is also listed: PARACHUTES (2000) Rate Artist: COLDPLAY (3.5) Rate Album (Year): A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD (UK 2002 Original) (4.0) Ranking of COLDPLAY - A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD songs No. Title Length Ranking 1. "Politik" 5:18 09.0/10 2. "In My Place" 3:48 08.0/10 3. "God Put a Smile upon Your Face" 4:57 09.0/10 4. "The Scientist" 5:09 07.0/10 5. "Clocks" 5:07 07.0/10 6. "Daylight" 5:27 08.0/10 7. "Green Eyes" 3:43 07.0/10 8. "Warning Sign" 5:31 07.0/10 9. "A Whisper" 4:02 07.0/10 10. "A Rush of Blood to the Head" 5:51 07.0/10 11. "Amsterdam" 5:19 08.0/10 UK 2002 Original Release 84.0/110 = 7.64 / 2 = 3.82
2002, my first year at university. Oddly, I don't recall this album being played that much. Don't misunderstand me, In My Place, God Put a Smile on Your Face, The Scientist and Clocks (tracks 2, 3, 4 and 5 on the album, a warning sign?) were as ubiquitous as oxygen (they still are), but I hadn't sought to listen to the album. I accept that was partly prejudice against the hype, partly a sneer at Chris Martin's Bonoesque, narcissistic proselytism for somewhat ill-defined causes, partly a distanced yet justifiable disregard over their lyrical shortcomings. But whilst listening to this, I realised that I had really quite missed the point. I had ignored that Coldplay have a straightforward mission: vague, slightly sad yet very much hopeful singalong anthems for wimpy indie kids. As someone with touches of wimpy indie kid, I immediately got the appeal of the album when I actually bothered to tune in. It's a very easy album to embrace. Yes, that's because it's overtly populist in its ambitions, but that's not an a priori failing. It really just means the melodies are likeable. As for the lyrics, I had overlooked an obvious point about Coldplay: as a group following on from Oasis, the definitive British band of the 90s, they had graduated from the Noel Gallagher school of lyrics providing mood rather than meaning. Yes, we're not talking Dylan, but that's not the point of this. Would you prefer the Beatles if Keith Moon replaced Ringo? The album is fairly long, and threatens to stay until it begins to stink, but it avoids that mainly because, despite the singles all coming from the front, the later tracks are clearly not filler. More negatively, after a while there is the sense of inspirational-mix-for-a-5k, but what did you expect from Coldplay? Sexy boudoir numbers? A soundtrack to a drag race, whether cars or transvestites? Sidelong noodlings attempting to replicate the aura of Venus? If you accept this album on its own terms, you'll enjoy it so much more.
So my siblings and I really, really loved Parachutes back in 99-00, so when this came out we received it with arms wide open ready to be marveled by it whether it was worth it or not, we loved In my Place which is a good feature of my youths soundtrack, we were impressed by the Pink Floydesque Politik (even though the lyrics are not as strong as Martin wants), and were brought down to melancholia by The Scientist, its Britpop guitar and impressionist video clip. We saw them live that same year, funny story with a storm, jumped gates, a spaced out guy and a stolen ticket), bought the CD and downloaded the b sides and all that, Coldplay was the band that was gonna save music, the new U2 (it was their turn to that title lol) Of course we heard the detractors and the points they made about how unoriginal the propose was, how it was an early Radiohead copy, how the sound bounced between British music eras without being too good at it, how it was corny and cheesy and of course gay (yup, homophobia has been always been there for the band) but we did not care. Now that I think about it at that same moment we were already leaving the band behind for more complex music but at the time it was very enjoyable, guess that’s what formative years are about. Now 20 years later it is still a good memory from my young self, yes, I see now the album is bloated and aims too high, I see Clocks as one of the laziest hits ever, I dislike “a Whisper” entirely, but I also see “The Scientist” as one of the greatest song to hear live, and “God Put a Smile Upon Your Face”, “Green Eyes” and “Amsterdam” as some of their greatest efforts and really good music overall. Yes the album is not nearly as good as I once thought it was, but it is a good record nevertheless, much better that their current stuff is at least. Don’t buy the vinyl, all the presses suck.
This is a very strong album. Most of the songs are packed with beautiful stick-in-your-head melodies and are well produced and tastefully arranged. Coldplay have a penchant for grandiose sounding songs that make them sound like they would be at home in the arena rock venues and this album definitely have them sounding like the heir apparent to the U2 throne. An impressive sophomore effort from a band that clearly has superstardom in its sights. 4.5 🌟
Peak Coldplay in my opinion (though they haven't really done anything good after Viva La Vida). "Politik" is a great dramatic opener. I will never understand what people got out of "In My Place" though, I've always found the track pretty boring, so the fact that it was the lead single has always puzzled me, since the rest here is quality moody alt rock. I am not a massive fan of the band and very rarely put it in my rotation, but really liked their earlier output.
Still Coldplay's best album. Strong songs. Non-stop. It is the What's The Story Morning Glory of the 00s (heard these songs perhaps too many times from everywhere).
4.5 stars. Such a classic - before Chris Martin and co went off the deep end. Great melodies, great bass lines, and such sentiment. Less than perfect d/t a whisper... RIP quality Coldplay
This is one of those albums with a distinct A and B side like singles used to have, with all the really good stuff front-loaded onto the A-side and the not so good stuff tucked away on the other. But the A-side *is* really good, enough so that I'll give it 4/5...
Really nice. Love these quiet stripped down moments that I don't believe you get as often with present day Coldplay. Not saying it's better or worse but it is nice. I think Clocks is an important lesson for all musicians. No guitar on the track, even though there is a guitarist in the band. And it was their first massive hit. Rests are also in the musical toolbox.
I love the first half of the album; I think they deserve all the accolades they got for its combination of acoustic vs. electric guitar, piano, somber lyrics, and soft vocals. The Scientist is probably in my top 3 favorite songs of the 21st century. But the back half of the album felt a bit repetitive. I know it's the same style but it's like I ran out of gas with my desire for that sound. It's just missing something. I think with a bit more range or musical depth this album would be a 5.
It's a good balance of the subtlety of Yellow and the anthemic nature of Viva la Vida, and probably the most like Britpop of their discography, with the best example "In My Place." I'm no music theorist, but the music sounds simple to me, yet it doesn't sound the least generic. I'd be able to identify songs like "Politik" and the piano of "The Scientist" even if you plugged in several filters. I'm a huge fan of Martin's slow falsetto. It really stands out, haunting and melancholic, and I frequently find myself comparing other artists to him. All the songs are good. There are a few weak ones, but they all have excellent production and never reuse ideas, staying consistent. My favorite parts are the trace shoegaze influence of cloudy instrumental that overwhelm you but undergo subtle transformations, sometimes burying the vocals to be nearly incoherent, best exemplified in "A Whisper." The use of reverb in the closer "Amsterdam" is a sign of the empty atmospheric work they'll follow in X&Y.
Not really my style but shit dawg, they do they have a sound and they do it really well. Like this has everything I'd want from this kind of music if I was into it.
I've never really got the hate that Coldplay gets. I've listened to a few songs from them here and there and it isn't bad. This was a fine album but definitely has a certain vibe that one has to be in the mood for. For me it would have been improved significantly if the songs were shorter since I find many go on a tad too long. 3.5/5
I love this album. Most of the songs are compelling and the style really suits Chris Martin’s surprisingly nice vocal range & the instrumentation of the other coldplaying boys. A number of the songs had a maximal thing going on, which I thought was very well done in terms of how the different layers all fit together. At this point, Chris Martin’s lyrics are a lot more up front and clear than Coldplay’s later stuff and there’s a lot less of the trying-to-be-poetic-but-really-not nonsense that is more common in the later Coldplay work. Aside from clocks and the title track I throughly enjoyed every song. Parachutes, this album, and Viva la Vida are, in my mostly uneducated opinion, Coldplay’s golden era. Unfortunately, they did some reverse alchemy and turned that gold into coal and then when they got bored of making coal they turned the coal into hot steamy dog poo. Truly a legendary fall off. Also Parachutes betta
They fucking nailed it on this album, that sweet heady mix of pop melodies, sublime instrumentation and arrangements, earnest but not too earnest lyrics, and that little splash of art (see/hear the altered tuning on track 3). I'd give it 4.5 as it's that good, but will have to round down to 4 because, as much as I like it, it ain't no Beatles, Zep, or Hendrix yo.
Coldplay isn't really for me, but I get why their older albums are popular. This one had some of their hits on it that I've heard before. Still, the singer's voice is too whiny and droning for my liking. It's a relaxing album overall though
Coldplay toen het nog wat Indie was, en minder de commercial pop van nu. Dit album blijft sterk overeind
Pressed play assuming it was going to be 3 stars, but I forgot how much I liked this album back in the day. Some classics on here. Shame the rest of their career is meh. 4/5
I wasn't expecting to like this much, but I must say there are a lot of memorable, well constructed songs on here, especially In My Place, Put a Smile on Your Face, Clocks. Not bad at all
For a good portion of my life, I couldn't tell Coldplay from U2. 4/5 stars, glad it wasn't U2.
The album begins with the band’s more original sound of their brand of shoegazing. But then the second half has some great songwriting and vocals by Martin.
Listening to the album was like putting on your favorite, well-worn jacket: it’s familiar, warm, and reminds you of all the good memories you’ve made while wearing it. I really could hear my childhood while this was spinning: my parent’s CDs, adult contemporary radio from the early 2000s, and a million movie soundtracks. I really enjoyed hearing this again. I know people levy the (valid) criticisms that Coldplay is boring, inoffensive pop music, but this isn’t “Journey of a Lifetime” Coldplay, this is “height-of-their-powers” Coldplay. Lots of interesting things going on the first half of the album, and I really enjoyed listening to this again.
Gros album de Coldplay sur lequel il y a 3 de leurs plus grands succès. Il y a 1 ou 2 bonnes tounes en dehors de celles qu'on connait, les autres sont malheureusement oubliables, même si elles sont bien craftées. Très bonne écoute!
Lluny encara del seu status de banda multiestadi, que esdevindria a partir de 'Viva la Vida' i tot el que vindria després, Coldplay s'anava fent lloc com banda d'arenes i punta de llança del nou pop britànic de començaments de segle. 'The Scientist', 'Clocks', 'In My Place', 'Politik' són himnes de l'època i demostraven que la banda havia arribat per quedar-se
J'ai mieux aimé que je m'y attendais. Il faut dire que plusieurs chansons m'étaient déjà familières. Cependant, après les titres plus forts du début, j'ai commencé à trouver ça plus monotone. Y a un côté un peu emo et geignard qui n'est pas trop mon genre.
Listened to on 8/13/22 4.5/4 Favorite song: the scientist, Amsterdam I love Coldplay and this album was great - so easy to listen to, mellow but the songs hit different every time you listen