MOG

I like Coldplay, and I don't care who knows it.

People tell me I shouldn't, they tell me they're Radiohead-lite for teenage girls, their lyrics are terrible, Chris Martin is a pretentious, prepubescent prick. And I just don't care.

Of course I had heard "Clocks" and "Yellow" on the radio, but it all started with the 2003 World Series. My family's beloved New York Yankees were playing the upstart Florida Marlins, and lost the title in Game 7. We sat in front of the TV in shock, trying to come to terms with our shattered baseball dreams. And slowly, as the Yankees left the field in slow motion, "The Scientist" began. I was transfixed from the beginning. "Let's go back to the start" resonated with me all too well at that moment.

I was about 12 then, just beginning to discover music. "A Rush of Blood to the Head" was the first album I can honestly say I got into. I listened to it non-stop for months, memorized every word, every guitar chord, every drum fill. I found a quite literal bittersweet symphony in every song. Even to this day, it remains one of my favorites.

Then I went back and discovered "Parachutes". A very different Coldplay existed on this album; gone was the confidence and shimmering bravado from "A Rush of Blood...", heartbreak and darkness reigned supreme. This band, I thought, can do no wrong. They had created two nearly perfect albums, classics even, in their entire career.

But as the release date of "X&Y" grew nearer, I finally became aware of the backlash. I didn't even know who Radiohead was at this point in time, so those comparisons fell flat. But when you hear over and over that "This band sucks" without any real reason given, you begin to doubt yourself and your music.

"X&Y" just seemed to add fuel to the fire. I remember exactly where I was when I first heard "Speed of Sound" and remember thinking, This is just like Clocks.... I was disappointed, but I didn't hate it. Some excellent songs are on that record, but it seemed to get buried with all the hate the band received.

Screw the Radiohead comparisons. I'd choose them over Coldplay any day, but I just don't understand why they're grouped together so often, especially in the aftermath of Kid A, etc. The fact that Coldplay just released "Violet Hill" as a free download doesn't help their cause either. Chris Martin's falsetto may get annoying, but can't you say the same thing about Thom Yorke's? Songs about heartbreak and despair in general wear on one's ears eventually, no matter who's singing.

I'm not sure where I stand on "Violet Hill" right now. I've listened to it several times....I like it, but I don't know how much, if that makes any sense. I'm glad they've turned up the volume of Jonny Buckland's guitar, at any rate. It's too early to tell whether Coldplay is going to succeed in their supposed new direction. I hope Brian Eno has done well with them, and I hope that "Viva la Vida..." will surprise everyone and be awesome, despite a terrible title and cover. Draw your own generalizations if you must about me, but before you judge Coldplay, try something different. Listen to "Parachutes" or "A Rush of Blood to the Head" with as open a mind as possible. If you still don't like it, I understand, fair enough. I'll stick with this band.