#13. Coldplay- X&Y (2005): 2002’s “A Rush of Blood to the Head,” set what many perceived to be the high water mark for this English band. Making a shift from some of the cutesy themes (see Yellow) of their breakout album “Parachutes,” the gents opted to follow a more serious tone. But the band wasn’t done. With X&Y the message is go big or go home. X&Y is Coldplay’s magnum opus, in part because it evokes some of the bigger moments of bands like U2 and Radiohead, with whom they are often compared. Tracks like “Square One,” and “Low” recall some of U2s more epic songs, while evoking the guitar-oriented sound of “The Bends” era Radiohead. No doubt X&Y is Coldplay’s most concise album. Some of the bigger moments on the album fit perfectly alongside more subdued tracks like “Swallowed by the Sea” and “Twisted Logic.” The irony of X&Y is that it’s biggest hit- “Speed of Sound” – or Clocks Part II – is no less its least ambitious.
Personally, it took me a while to get into this album, which makes it a curious choice for my list. Nevertheless, most of the albums that I find myself enjoying the most are the ones that took the longest to sink in.
Faves: Square One, Low, The Hardest Part, Swallowed by the Sea
