(50) Sundays of Music: #21

#21: Coldplay - X&Y

The other day I looked at my list for this countdown (yes, I made a list) and when I saw that this week's selection was Coldplay, I smiled. After the "putting myself out there" week of posts, it seems fitting to end it with a selection from Chris Martin and company.

If I'm not mistaken, this is the first band to make a second appearance on the countdown. Another sign of foreshadowing because in the top 20, two bands make two appearances and you see four more appearances from bands you've already seen. So there's that.

But I have to be honest, this is one of those cds that made the countdown not for the entire cd, but for the songs on the cd. What I mean by that is I didn't have a moment where I put this album in my stereo and felt it. Instead, I got into Coldplay at one big time and figured out where the songs went later.

This release does hold significance because it came out during the time I noticed Coldplay. I remember going to a Circuit City and seeing this being advertised and thinking "oh that's from that band." So now you know my secret... I didn't get in to Coldplay until after X&Y.

I remember Frisco was actually into them first. I was sitting in his room just before we were set to move up to Auburn to start college and he played a song that started off "When you try your best but you don't succeed/ when you get what you want but not what you need / When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep / stuck in reverse." I was blown away. I know it sounds corny because "Fix You" has gotten immensely popular since then, but it just hit me. Not to spoil anything, but I would go on about Coldplay's lyrics, but that's for another selection.

I hate to overdo it, but "Fix You" is obviously a stand out track. I remember one time on campus I was listening to it in my headphones and I was sitting down during the beginning and when the song picked up I started walking like I was in a music video. Lame, I know. But I enjoyed it.

My other favorite is "Talk." I remember going to California one summer, trying desperately to get my brother to give Coldplay a chance and they had the "Talk" music video on demand. It was kinda weird, but I love it. For how slow and sentimental the band can be, this was one where they showed how instrumentally talented they are. It also helps that the beginning lines "Oh brother I can't, I can't get through / I've been trying hard to reach you, cause I don't know what to do / Oh brother I can't believe it's true / I'm so scared about the future and I wanna talk to you" make me think of Shedrick.

After the Haiti earthquake, the guys got together and did an acoustic performance of "The Message" that I felt was excellent; "What If" was overplayed during an emotional time for one of my relationships; "Swallowed in the Sea" is a staple for my friends and I; and the hidden track "Til Kingdom Come" is... sweet.

So "X&Y" will always hold a special place in my heart. It introduced me to one of my favorite bands of all time.