A rock debate via e-mail: How a couple of critics learned to stop complaining and almost love Coldplay, sort of.
David: Based on "Parachutes," "A Rush of Blood to the Head" and parts of their other two records, I'm about 40 percent pro-Coldplay. Here's why: With some major exceptions, some of their songs are decent-to-great. Though I understand why people don't like them. I'm a sucker for a good hook, and when coupled with good lyrics, that's really all you need. Coldplay provides these two things, with good arrangements, maybe 40 percent of the time.
Geoff: There's a great little essay by David Stubbs called "Bob Dylan Contemplated From a Position of Semi-Ignorance" -- and I have to confess to about the same approach. My exposure to Coldplay is entirely through their radio play and public appearances. Even with just that, they're basically inescapable. So, let's hear it for ignorant critics!
Another of my favorite pieces of criticism is "Trying to Understand the Eagles" by Robert Christgau. He starts with a couple solid paragraphs and then says: "Another thing that interests me about the Eagles is that I hate them." That's sort of my position about Coldplay, too. Hate's a bit too strong, but they have plenty of strikes against them -- treading dutifully in U2 and Radiohead's wake, with a strong helping of Bob Geldof-style sanctimony. It's not hard to see why so many people fall in love with them, but no thanks. (Credit where it's due: The "ZombAid" bit in "Shaun of the Dead" was tremendous.)
However! I've been listening to their singles nonstop for a few days, and one thing is undeniable: "Clocks" is just sublime. No kidding! Whatever feeling of melancholy heavyosity they're always going for, they nail it down flat with that one. The piano arpeggios, the bumpy New Order-y bass line, I love it all. Even a chorus consisting of "Yooouuu, ohhh!" is good by me. So count me in as 100 percent pro-Coldplay for the four-odd minutes this song is on.
I'm interested in your take on their lyrics, actually. Considering that Chris Martin is one of the few rock musicians a US Weekly reader might know by name, the content of the man's words looms large. What's the Coldplay message? Yearning? Hope? Struggle? Is there a diagnosis in there?
David: It's interesting you bring up their radio play, because what I realized yesterday -- after listening to the not-bad new one "Viva la Vida" and the excruciating "X & Y" -- is that their singles are pretty good representations of what they do. So I think your approach is valid, though you might miss out on some lesser-known gems.
I think their approach is to follow the U2 model of songwriting, but on a smaller scale. The lyrics aren't so much about spiritual quests or, say, Martin Luther King Jr., but about one person's relationship with another. I prefer the Coldplay approach, but generally the resulting lyrics are much worse than anything Bono & Co. have crapped out. There are exceptions, but the lyrics can be downright cringe-inducing. From "Violet Hill": "Was a long and dark December/From the rooftops I remember/There was snow/White snow." Simplicity is admirable, but reminding us of snow's color is a little insulting. Or how about this, from "42": "Those who are dead are not dead/They're just living in my head." If I may: WTF?
