external monologue

Yeah, pretty much every song on A Rush of Blood to the Head is great, and "Clocks" and "Warning Sign" are two of my favorites. Other UK bands and albums worth looking into are Starsailor (Love is Here), Doves (The Last Broadcast), and Travis (The Invisible Band).

okay, so, coldplay is in. but just barely. i think i've decided that they fall into a sort of U2 quality band. that is, they're great pop music, and will probably always be very listenable, but probably won't ever be the most innovative kids on the block.

john, thanks for the recommendations. i checked out that starsailor album last year and couldn't get into it, and i've been a bit of a travis fan since "the man who." i've not heard the doves yet, but i'll see if i can scoop some mp3s.

I never thought they were too much of a Radiohead-ish band, more like Jeff Buckley. More vocal-centric instead of the mood music radiohead inspires

Yo,

Andy-man, I can't believe you'd put Coldplay in the same category as U2. Look, the rest of you (and us) lower-upper class music snobs (as opposed to the upper-upper class music snobs like Chris Ammons) need to just give up and admit that U2 is just a great band. They're catchy, forgivably pretentious, and just so damn likeable. It's ok. We can love them. We're allowed.

But on to the Coldplay thing, ya, the lead singer feels like a knockoff of Thom York, just like their occasional use of the piano, but Radiohead is so damn cerebral, and Coldplay, well, their poppy because their just going for the emotional catch.

JosiahQ,
you just proved my point man. that's exactly what i'm trying to say about Coldplay. like U2, they are, or are going to become, "a great band... catchy, forgivably pretentious, and just so damn likeable" as you said. but like i said, they're never going to floor us lower-upper-blah-blah-snobs the way radiohead or even the flaming lips are so capable of.

Bono once said something along the lines of how when they were coming up there were many bands who had the looks, the talent, everything but "it" and U2 had nothing but "it." There's just something about them that I will always love. Coldplay definitely has "it" too. And as for Starsailor, it was their live show that really drew me in. I was fortunate enough to catch them at the Cotton Club in Atlanta, and it was amazing. In my top three concerts easily, along with U2 and Over the Rhine.

Oh My,

Over the Rhine. I dont' think I've ever come across a band with a greater sense of their own importance. What a bunch of pretentious schlack. I'm sorry.

But back to the U2, damnit, as similar, at least in form, as they are to Coldplay, Coldplay has nothing, I mean nothing near the "sing-along" quality of U2. I mean, U2 hasn't just put out a few songs you just want to sing along to at the top of your lungs, they've put out dozens of songs that are just so bloody catchy and emotive and screaming great to listen to while driving down the road.

And dude, if Johnny Cash is willing to endorse them, it's gotta mean something!

Trust me, I'm not trying to down U2 in any way. They will probably always be my favorite band. I'm just trying to say that Coldplay is really good also. You're comparing two Coldplay albums to ten U2 albums, so of course Coldplay has fewer "sing-along" songs. A fairer comparison would be comparing Coldplay's albums to Boy and October, wouldn't it?

As for Over the Rhine, we'll have to agree to disagree. They've never struck me as anything but humble, and they seem to have a simple, sincere joy in playing music.

Oh, speaking of Johnny Cash, that song "The Man Comes Around" just blows me away.

John,

Ya, you should serious buy/download Johnny Cash's "American IV: When The Man Comes Around" album. It's incredible. A real gem. Cash is the man.

Omg thats right! Please come see me and my friends! ;)