So who's buying the new Coldplay album?
Posted by Five-Centres on 11 June 2008 - 1:32pm.
Me neither.
That particular brand of sales rep rock leaves me stone cold, and I find Chris Martin beyond irritating.
Who are their fans?
And why?
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Certainly not Andy Gill
judging from his review in today's Independent.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/andy-gill...
Give Gill a Steely Dan box set for his troubles...
what a review from Andy Gill. A great piece of writing, but then I'd have expected that as he's one of the best.
Bit polemical
wasn't it? Sometimes you need that to cut through the crap, even if it goes a bit far, but it's like a necessary adjustment. It is somewhat like the Morrisey one by David Quantick,and I speak as who is fond of his music, but sometimes you need someone to say hang on a minute this is all getting a bit much, and this needs to be said. I thought the Gill piece was brilliant and great to read.
But Gill does put his finger on it
"Their music sounds like Radiohead with all the spiky, difficult, interesting bits boiled out."
Exactly. And hence, they're huge. If there was ever a formula for stadium-level success, that would be it.
"Their music sounds like
"Their music sounds like Radiohead with all the spiky, difficult, interesting bits boiled out of it, resulting in something with the sonic consistency of wilted spinach"
Nice article, but you don't wilt spinach by boiling it, you heat it in a pan with just a few droplets of the water you cleaned it with clinging to the leaves. Wilting is the correct way to cook the vegetable because it preserves its flavour and texture. Therefore to compare Coldplay to wilted spinach is a compliment, which is not what I imagine Gill intended.
You're not wrong
Although I tend to steam my spinach.
As a sales rep
That's the most offensive thing I've read today. Am I supposed to buy that heap of sub U2 (Jesus F*cking Christ On A Bike Pimping Guns To Little Children With Mobile Phones On Loudspeaker how bad is that?!?!?!)crap because of your bigotry Five Centres?
Coldplay are so HR.
Not all sales reps are the same
Point taken Collibosher but i've experienced two of the longest days of my life in car journeys with two of the reps at my company. First one Norm said "You like music don't you? Pick what you like from my collection". It was Keane, Travis, Snow Patrol and Coldplay. He played them all in rotation from Swansea to Birmingham NEC and back. The day lasted forever.
The other rep Paul "collected" comedy cd's - collected being his expression. His favourites were Lee Hurst and Lee Evans. Can you imagine what its like to listen on cd to the visual gurning buffoon Lee Evans? Another long, long day.
Good God....
.... that sounds like hell!
HR?
What, are they what we used to call Personnel Officers in their spare time?
I might
Not really sure. Have bought the previous albums but am finding that the personality of the band is a mild turn off now. The Eno influence makes it interesting though. 1st single was ok but didn't blow me away.
You can't give it away
I got given it through work the other day and I still have no intention of ever hearing it. Life's too short.
I will give it to my Mum for her birthday.
No offence meant Collibosher
It's just my turn of phrase. I could easily have labelled it car coat rock or middle management rock.
You know, the Diamond Life or Brothers In Arms of today.
Now you're just going too far
...*throws middle managment application form & car coat in recycle bin*
It does actually amaze me that friends with similar musical tastes as my own rate Coldplay as serious artists. Have they not heard Elbow? DON'T BUY ANYMORE COLDPLAY, BUY ELBOW INSTEAD. EVEN IF YOU HAVE IT ALREADY. Shouted the small man on the internet.
Out of fairness...
...I gave their album a listen via MySpace as they are currently streaming it. Wasn't terribly impressed- I can't really see what Brian Eno added to the sound.
One thing I felt, though, was that whilst I was never a fan by any stretch, I would acknowledge that they could pen a catchy tune but this seemed to be lacking on the new album too. Perhaps that's just me...
Trousers vs Coldplay dilemma
My purchase of Viva La Vida tomorrow will be dependent on how much money I have leftover after buying new jeans. Ordinarily music comes first in the CDs/Clothes and food equation, but I really do need to own at least one pair of trousers without a giant gaping hole that makes them an affront to polite society. I expect that a lot of people who post on this blog would prefer to be arrested for indecent exposure, than be seen within a few feet of the new Coldplay album, but I like the band. Acts like this are easy to take for granted.
I’ve been listening to Viva la Vida periodically on myspace. In spite of it not being an immediate album, it already feels less murky and better conceived that its predecessor. My favourite track at the moment is the uplifting and life-affirming Lovers in Japan with it house music piano and funky military drum beat.
Coldplay have long grappled with a creative dilemma, which has grown as the group has gained in popularity. They naturally gravitate towards popularist stadium fillers, but are also keen to evolve their sound, which necessitates a measure of experimentation. Their most vocal critics would have damned them if they had made another album like the previous three and will be more than happy to damn them for stretching their wings a little.
Just spare a thought for the colleague of mine
who packed in his job a few years ago to run a Coldplay tribute band.
And he doing very well thank you, but it looks like he's a few new tunes to learn.
Available for booking now...
I will...
...and if there are 4 good tracks on it, as there were on each of the other LPs, then I'll be happy. I'm not expecting it to be the album of my year.
They are a soft target IMO, I'd rather a new album by them than by U2 or Radiodead. And I have all the Elbow albums thank you.
Casual buyers
People who don't read music magazines and don't usually buy CDs will eventually get around to buying it. As it will be all over the radio and on the TV they won't be able to ignore it. And eventually the thought will pop into their heads that they could buy this. And so they will. And it will be played for six months before being thrown to the back of a drawer and forgotten.
The thing is, these casual buyers will be numbered at around 9.5 million, while dedicated buyers will be numbered at about 0.5 million.
Coldplay, Radiohead - whats going on?
I know these bands are not Richard Thompson, Led Zep or Supertramp. But both have (and probably will continue to) banged out some great music. And to link liking Coldplay to someones job is just stoopid. Its just inverted snobbery if you ask me.
Is there a problem because they are too successful? Is a good tune and decent production job selling out? Does this mean I have to listen to Frank bloody Zappa to be cool? Does anyyone that reads Word magazine count as cool?
And Elbow are very good - have all of the albums and there's well produced tuneful stuff a plenty on them.
Rant over - never thought I'd have to defend Coldplay, Sales Reps and Middle Managers.
Being cool doesn't come into it...
It's just Coldplay strike me as music for people who don't have as much of an interest in music as perhaps 90% of the assembled throng who gather here, that's all.
It's wallpaper music, it's everywhere. They hear it a lot, it sinks in, it's pleasant and inofffensive, not challenging in the least. They buy it. No effort required. And so it continues.
But like what you like - I don't believe in guilty pleasures. If you like something, so be it. I'm not judging. I don't like Zappa myself.
I'm just making an observation.
No S, Sherl
An artist who sells more albums than anyone else that year will be in the (small) CD collections of people who don't like music as much as people gossiping on a music-focused website?
Just cos it sells doesn't automatically make it a shite album. Thriller, Achtung Baby, Automatic for the People, Nevermind, Revolver, Saturday Night Fever etc etc all sold to the masses.
But so did..... yeah I know... this might be decent....
Well i'm no fan of Coldplay either
but i have to agree with Leedsboys assertions that some of the anti Oasis/Coldplay/insert-popular-band-of-choice stuff that gets bandied about here from time to time gets a bit wearing. I honestly think that when you say that the stuff that Chris Martin et al peddle is 'for people who don't have as much of an interest in music as [word blog readers]' just smacks of snobbishness of some ilk.
I mean Five-Centres, i *do* know what you're getting at. And on a certain level i agree with the notion that most of the Parish are probably anti anything Simon Cowell has had hand/act/part in the production of and that most would give 95% of Europop a wide berth too!
I just despair, slightly, at the slight whiff of 'aloofery' that sometimes goes on here. And Coldplay knocking is a prime example of it. See also whenever David H fires up the Randomiser and how few people seem to be listening to anything remotely well known. Considering the popularity of, say, The Beatles on last.fm, there appears to be feck all around here listening to 'em.
I find it astounding. I can almost hear the wails of despair as somebody hits 'next' on the iPod
"aw bollocks - Superstar by Jamelia - i'll just say that a Django Reinhardt out-take came up"
Oh - and there's bog all wrong with Brothers in Arms...altho' maybe 'why worry' goes on too long
Yes
Coldplay are a soft target and linking jobs to musical taste is a bit silly. However, there's only one thing worse than be talked about when you have an album due out. So I'm shushing. Make it go away.
Yes
I'm buying it....I'll admit I quite like Coldplay....they are not musical geniuses, and maybe they don't try something new on every album, but I like some of their music.
Yes their music is overplayed, but is that Coldplay's fault?...The Beatles are played a lot but that doesn't take away from their music.
No, I am not comparing Coldplay to The Beatles, before there is a torrent of comments!!
Each to their own.
I have to say...
...that I have 'dissed' Coldplay mercilessly on occasion in this parish, but I did 'come across' a copy of the new album and thought I'd give it a listen.
And I have to say that, whilst it's not going to be on heavy rotation chez Waring, it was a hell of a lot better than I expected it to be.
The Eno influences are quite obvious (to me anyway),and (although I might have been looking for the parallels) it came across to me as 'Joshua Tree-lite' more than anything else.
Far less offensive than anything Keane have ever released.
Why is it being released on a Friday?
To ensure an extra three days sales and thus ensuring a number one spot? I would have thought it was a shoe in regardless. Or is it so it can be the only album released on that day?
I've heard it. It's okay. Reminds me of Eno's ambient albums of the eighties. It's music you put on in the background whilst you are doing something else, but there's nothing wrong with that, I suppose.
The new album will be alright
I am sure, as Fraser says elsewhere, and of course at the same time they are responsible for the end of rock 'n' roll as we once knew it, when it was 'dangerous', but then didn't music stop being 'dangerous' well before they came along. Generally though mainstream, highly popular music is not usually the most interesting music around, since to appeal to the greatest number consistently over time it tends to not take enough risks to break new ground. There are a few exceptions of course. But it can still be enjoyable. I like quite a few Coldplay tunes but they are derivative of commerically proven influences (plus some other less commercial ones) like old style Radiohead and Oasis, but then I like a bit of those influences' work also. 'Shiver', 'The Scientist' and 'Talk' I enjoy but overplaying does kill the appeal. That's my thoughts for what they are worth.
Dear Chris Martin
You seemed to be gaining your hairline back, tell me - is that the benefits of a macrobiotic diet or down to just having shitloads of cash?
I wonder...
Could he be under the trichologist? Is that why he's so touchy?