Not only is it 2005вЂ™s biggest album, itвЂ™s also one of its best. But you shouldnвЂ™t be ashamed to enjoy X&Y. It shouldnвЂ™t work, but does, beautifully.Д¬oldplay are now so obscenely successful that for many theyвЂ™ve become a guilty pleasure. вЂњTalkвЂќ, above all, which builds upon KraftwerkвЂ™s вЂњComputer LoveвЂќ refrain with New Ordered flair, is the perfect example of MartinвЂ™s intent. But beneath stadium-slayers like вЂњWhite ShadowsвЂќ and вЂњLowвЂќ pulses a healthy experimental zeal of which Brian Eno, whose productions Martin admits influenced the sleek feel of X&Y, would surely approve. They scrapped most of their first, more electronic attempt at this album because it lacked soul, retaining a few prized cuts for b-sides. Wracked with Chris MartinвЂ™s self-doubt, Speed of Sound and Square One are precision engineered to peak, dip, rush, and resolve with. It is the emotive, melodic rock of their previous records writ stadium-size. The Guardian dubbed Coldplay once as grindingly tedious, I donвЂ™t find them tedious, and if someone put them on, I wouldnвЂ™t scream out turn that shit off, but after reading a lot about Coldplay, it always shocks me that it a sort of a guilt trip. ItвЂ™s clear Coldplay wanted to advance musically without alienating their audience. ColdplayвЂ™s third album embraces their destiny to become the worldвЂ™s biggest band. вЂX&YвЂ™ is the last album I brought from Coldplay, I do like some of their newer songs, I have heard enough of them in my daughterвЂ™s car. Nevertheless, thereвЂ™s plenty on X&Y for ColdplayвЂ™s insipid disciples Snow Patrol, Keane and Embrace to Intriguingly oblique at best, trite at worst (see вЂњSwallowed In The SeaвЂќ), if itвЂ™s broken, lost or vulnerable, Chris is still your man to sing about it. You can well believe Chris Martin when he claims songs such as вЂњFix YouвЂќ and вЂњA MessageвЂќ were вЂњsentвЂќ to him almost fully-formed, as if dispatched by some divine tunesmith, for ColdplayвЂ™s deft mastery of melody and emotion, that chiming melancholic euphoria, is frankly awesome.ДЄs a lyricist, family man Martin certainly has lots to scribble down these days but, alas, heвЂ™s no Morrissey.

An unabashed epic of Joshua Tree-sized proportions glazed with a woozy Kid A-like synthetic veneer, its first seven songs are the finest the band have written, which says something of their calibre. Their momentum is such that even if X&Y contained several stinkers (it doesnвЂ™t, but could lose a couple of mawkish later tracks) it would still top charts everywhere, selling squillions.Д¬all them what you like вЂ“ the housewivesвЂ™ choice, the Tim Henmans of rock вЂ“ but make no mistake, X&Y is an exceptional pop record. Soft, strong, and very long, ColdplayвЂ™s third album finds this remarkable band cruising into their prime, playing to their strengths and at the same time taking, for them, a few considered risks.

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