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Monday, June 06, 2005

I am not alone

I don't know why, but I just don't really get Coldplay. It doesn't really make sense, given my musical preferences - I idolize U2, have followed Radiohead since Pablo Honey and love the Doves (haha! a rhyme!). Don't get me wrong, I don't particularly hate them. They're not terrible, and I can see why they're popular. I'll even concede that I liked "Clocks", although it took me a really long time to admit it, even to myself. And "Don't Panic" is also a decent tune. But "Clocks", along with well, just about all of their singles are overplayed. I don't know, I just find them kind of bland. Dull. Snoozeworthy. And Chris Martin's falsetto can get really annoying. Maybe I've just got some kind of irrational bias, especially with all the "Is Coldplay the new U2?" hype their label ('cause you know that EMI is totally pushing that shit) keeps feeding the media. What are they, on their third album? And they're talking up this new one like it's the next Joshua Tree? Please. Until they record something as raw and fiery and galvanizing and passionate as War, don't even talk to me about that comparison. Maybe I'm wrong about all of this. Maybe something's wrong with me. I'll confess that I haven't listened to any their albums in depth repeatedly. I don't own them (the little evil voice inside me says, "why would i want to?"), but it really wouldn't be that hard for me to get ahold of them. Everyone else I know seems to own them, and plays them. Maybe I need to see them live or something. I don't know. But I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. (okay, so Klosterman gets a *tad* bitter, but Pareles & Pitchfork sum it up a little more rationally.)

___________

edited to add:

I listened to "Don't Panic" and "Clocks" today. I think I like the first one because of the association with "Garden State". As for "Clocks," I think it's the keyboard riff that draws me in. But what is that riff, really? A string of alternating minor and major arpeggios that anyone can find (and play) in Hanon piano primer. Lord I sound pretentious. But hey, I still think that song's okay even though it's way overplayed. (slinks off to ponder downloading the new White Stripes)

2 Comments:

At 5:38 PM, Blogger Jen(n) said...

I saw them at the Greek Theater before I owned any of their albums or really knew any of their songs other than "yellow" and "trouble." (Went with already-obsessed friends.)

Maybe it was because it was the biggest venue they'd played to date and they were soooo energetic and excited... but I have to say that show was one of the best shows I have ever been to. Ever. And I've been to a LOT of shows. And so I bought the albums and listened incessantly for a while and still really appreciate the music.

Have to be 100% in the mood to want to listen to them now though. And I am totally sick of the new single already... And yeah, they are soooo not the new U2. Blasphemy. :)

 
At 11:50 PM, Blogger connie said...

Hmmm. Maybe I should see them live. But to shell out 35 bucks (cheapest face value) to see a band I'm so lukewarm about feels like a waste. Let someone else who's dying to go have a chance at it, I say.

 

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