After Radiohead refused to accept the mantle of “world’s biggest and most important rock band,” Coldplay stepped up to the plate with their debut, Parachutes. Tasteful, earnest, introspective, anthemic, and grounded in guitars, Coldplay was everything Radiohead weren’t but fans wanted them to be; Parachutes became a transatlantic hit and the sequel, A Rush of Blood to the Head, was even bigger, positioning Coldplay to be new Radiohead and the new U2. To that end, Coldplay’s third album, X&Y, is designed to elevate them to the major leagues. It’s deliberate and sleek, hip enough to sample Kraftwerk and blend in fashionable post-punk allusions without altering the band’s core. X&Y is hardly a bold step forward, but rather a consolidation of Coldplay’s strengths, particularly their skill at crafting surging, widescreen epics. – Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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