POP
“X&Y”
Coldplay
Capitol
Chris Martin’s guided voice and vague messages are back in this, one of the summer’s most anticipated new records. And while “X&Y,” which comes out Tuesday, is no masterwork, songs like “Fix You” are easily interesting enough to keep Coldplay at the forefront of the almost-cool adult contemporary pop movement that reigns over AAA radio.
The spacey pop dominating “X&Y,” showcased perfectly via the band’s hook-heavy single “Speed of Sound,” shows Coldplay’s musical growth more than it does any lyrical maturation. The instrumentation is still basic piano-pop, but the band plays up Guy Berryman’s bass guitar more here, creating some unexpected post-punk effects and helping the band shake some of the unwarranted U2 comparisons.
The subtle energy of “White Shadows” is infectious and comforting and a different take on the band’s often formulaic songwriting. “Talk” isn’t as compelling, even with a late-song mood shift. And even though Coldplay excels with the acoustic guitar, “A Message” falls flat.
Martin’s voice is, of course, the key ingredient in any Coldplay project, and with “X&Y” he continues to draw us in. The ridiculous market saturation of past singles “Yellow” and “Clocks” almost made us flinch anytime we heard his raspy falsetto, but with “X&Y,” it’s OK to fall for Martin’s distinctive voice all over again.
– Ricardo Baca
ROCK
“Out of Exile”
Audioslave
Interscope/Epic
The first single from this follow-up to Audioslave’s heroic 2002 debut is the introspective, inspiring rock ballad “Be Yourself.” The song scaled the Billboard charts recently and proves that post-rehab, former Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell is as engaging and visceral as ever. And there was never any question about the charisma the trio of former Rage Against the Machine members brought to this band.
But, while this and other tracks are tailor-made for radio, the CD as a whole does little more than repeat the heady riffs listeners have come to expect from Audioslave. Several songs are just too similar to the band’s hit “Cochise,” minus that intensity, to merit much study. The only fresh breath is “Doesn’t Remind Me,” a standout because of breezy acoustic guitar, well-blended rhythms and heartfelt sentiment.
– Elana Ashanti Jefferson