COLDPLAY A Rush Of Blood To The Head (EMI) Rating: NNN
Rating: NNN
For A Rush Of Blood To The Head, Coldplay infuse their sissified acoustic-rock formula with a burst of energy. The Brits’ sophomore effort moves away from the one-note album of foot-shuffling that was Parachutes, offering variety in clean, sharply defined songs that are quite lovely. Sure, In My Place cops the falsetto-heavy hooks from Yellow in another tinkly, soaring, sickeningly sweet ballad that’ll have seventh graders swaying during slow dances, and album-closer Amsterdam threatens to induce a diabetic coma with its pretty-pretty organ-accented lilt. But then they explode unexpectedly with confident swagger. The early U2 rock bravado of some of their 80s-inspired tunes is great — adding a low-tech feel that saves Coldplay from their own sappy earnestness.