| THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS |
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| Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head |
| 2002 - Coldplay have managed to avoid the dreaded sophmore slump with this follow-up to Parachutes,.although I still cannot decide which of the two Coldplay albums is my favorite. This album may seem instantly chalked with hits due to the strong singles, but its complexity requires several thourough listens for it to grow on you. Its not a party album, but then I do not think Coldplay will ever make one. The rich landscape of instrumentation combined with Chris Martin's amazing voice make it a wonderfully textured masterpiece. With this album Coldplay have shed their comparison to Radiohead, and Martin is one of the best songwriters in rock today. The outstanding tracks are The Scientist, a beautiful piano-driven ballad that showcases Martin's songwriting; Clocks, again piano-driven but with a strong drum-beat moving it along; and Warning Sign, this album's slower version of Yellow. Let's hope that the rumours of this being the band's last album are false, because I am excited to see if they can continue their string of amazing albums. Rating: 4 1/2 Stars (Out of 5) |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers - By the Way |
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| 2002 - Having never been that big of a fan of the Chili Peppers, I was quite surprised as to how much I liked their new album, so much in fact that it is my pick for album of the year. While the singles may not be as strong as those from Californication, the album contains 16 solid tracks that reflect a mix of their last album with some of their earlier funk. This album proabably did not sell as well as Californication due to the Chili Peppers electing to present a more artistic and creative musical work, rather than bending over for the marketing division at Warner. Good for them I say, as we are rewarded with a great album. Its hard to pick any standout tracks, but my favorites are Universally Speaking, and Dosed, two ballads that could have easily been singles. The Red Hot Chili Peppers direction is looking better and better, lets hope they stick to this path. Rating: 4 1/2 Stars (Out of 5) |