The Strange Career of Coldplay

In one of the more interesting days in music in a while, both Coldplay and the White Stripes' new albums come out today. I've enjoyed both bands... I've listened to Coldplay more but think the White Stripes are a better band. Coldplay gets me every time on a few songs, "Shiver", "Clocks", "The Scientist", and "Green Eyes". Everything else is fine, nice, blah, how does it go again?, I'm not going to turn it off... Coldplay rarely makes me feel or think. Not that that's bad, but some what disappointing since they have written "Clocks" with that fantastic piano hook... but when Pitchfork (who are a bit hard on them) write about how "innocent and inoffensive" the songs are... you can't help but to think about it and say... they're right. Here is their review on Coldplay's new album.

The White Stripes on the other hand, just made good rock. It's simple yet interesting, in your face at times, sad and lonely at others, sentimental at others... and after listening to the White Stripes you can't help but hope that someday, one day, Coldplay will actually say something, and actually do something, and actually mean something. The talent is there to be more, just listen to "Clocks", "The Scientist", or "Shiver" for goodness sake, but the meaning or feeling or reflective thought in most Coldplay songs doesn't seem to be there.

So while the White Stripes continue to make interesting and moving music, Coldplay continue to make "innocent and inoffensive" music and then tease us with once or twice an album. I guess in the end, I think of the White Stripes like a John Irving; known and read by many, but not John Grisham. And while Grisham is fine to read, when the book is finished do you ever find yourself thinking about it a week or two later?