My 1001 Albums Journey

Alright, so quick story... I grew up listening to CCM almost exclusively and Coldplay was the first "secular" band that I ever got really into. I was obsessed with their latest album, completely wore it out and bought every other CD from them that I could get my hands on. However, that album was not A Rush of Blood to the Head. It also wasn't Parachutes, X&Y or even Viva La Vida. It was Mylo Xyloto. I'm of the opinion that Coldplay has never released an outright bad album (excluding Music Of The Spheres – we don't talk about that one), but my feelings about each LP pretty much boils down to how distant it is from that MX sound I fell in love with back in 2011. Hopefully that makes what I'm about to say a little easier to stomach. A Rush of Blood to the Head is, objectively, a pretty good album. The songs are memorable, poignant and moody, with solid instrumentation and appropriate energy backing it all up. The run from Politik to Clocks is the stuff of legend – just so many iconic tracks in there. I can completely understand why this is the one that people point to when they talk about how Coldplay used to be good. At the same time, it's barely a top five Coldplay project for me (and it might be even lower, depending on my mood). It's actually been quite some time since I've listened AROBTTH, so I was excited to revisit it and see if my opinions have changed at all. Listening to the first five tracks was like catching up with an old friend – I knew all of the songs like the back of my hand and enjoyed them just as much as I did way back when, while scenes from the music videos came rushing back to my memory. Listening to the back half was more like making small talk with a distant relative – these are songs that I've heard before and vaguely remember, but never connected with on a deeper level. I wouldn't even say that the quality dips from Daylight to Amsterdam (in fact, a few of those tracks ended up being highlights of this listen), but the songs after Clocks just don't stick quite as easily. If someone told me to hum the chorus of Green Eyes or A Whisper with a gun to my head, I genuinely don't think I could do it. Would I have this same issue with some of the deeper cuts on Mylo, Viva La Vida or even Ghost Stories? Doubtful. Another thing I can't shake is just how much Coldplay was trying to sound like Radiohead during this stage of their career. For better or worse, Mylo Xyloto completely altered the band's direction and helped make them into an act that doesn't take such obvious inspiration from any one source. Now 10 studio albums deep, Coldplay has been sounding like the band that made MX for half of their history and I'm honestly fine with that (even if it has led to some weaker projects here & there). Though there are a few other Coldplay CDs I'd pick off the shelf before A Rush of Blood to the Head, I can't deny that it's a beloved, classic entry in the band's discography and one that I enjoy just as much as any other four star album from this list. Give it a shot – I'm sure you'll find something to love here! Highlights: Politik, In My Place, God Put a Smile upon Your Face, The Scientist, Clocks, Daylight, Green Eyes, A Rush of Blood to the Head, Amsterdam