Coldplay tend to get a lot of stick compared to most bands and, although this is probably a natural reaction to the massive success they've had, it seems to be unwarranted and unnemcessary. They are extremely gifted band and have produced a number of consistantly polished albums.
A Rush of Blood to the Head, probably the most highly acclaimed of their albums, is a collection of stunning songs and Amsterdam is one of the best. It's a gentle, passionate tune based all around the interplay between Martin's vocals and piano-playing - and his heady falsetto combines beautifully with the sparse instrumentation.
It's music for a funeral because it's solemn and emotional but uplifting and positive. Martin's lyrics are a similar mix of the positive and negative: 'And time is on your side, it's on your side now', 'oh my star is fading'. This is the kind of music that can envoke mixed emotions with ease, and this is what makes it so perfectly poised. Not many artists can so easily straddle the line between joy and sorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment