Reviews

There is a fine line between sincerity and sap. London's pop icons Coldplay may be the latest "biggest band in the world" to derive from green pastures, but their current effort, X&Y , is anything but grandiose.

It was supposed to be their experimental record. Singer Chris Martin beamed to salivating journalists about the songwriting process, dropping names like Eno and Bowie with wide eyes and full confidence-but the finished product was a complete turnaround from the first draft. Somehow Martin and Capitol Records got cold feet, scrapping any trace of edginess or unconventional chord progressions. All that remains is the same formula used since their fluid, folksy debut, 2000's Parachutes .

It's not that their set method is particularly intolerable; it is just typical and uninventive. Their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head , showed some slight progress with a larger budget and a more frightening political world. Songs like "Politik" and "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" illustrated their accomplishments with musical improvements like dissonance and dynamics-elements that make compositions somewhat interesting. Their success since has ballooned to astronomical proportions, yet their product still remains predictable.

X&Y is about as tame as one can get-even with protective goggles and kneepads. It begins with the haunted, "Square One," that asks "You're in control, is there anywhere you wanna go?" Martin's subject must not give an exciting destination, for his usual acapella introduction is met with the expected percussion of Will Champion; taking the listener to a quiet evening avoiding jaywalking.

They almost seem to be backtracking. The single, "Speed of Sound," is so reminiscent of "Clocks," the two could be looped together in unison. "Talk" and "The Hardest Part" would have fit easily on A Rush of Blood , with their melodramatic refrains and fade-outs. There is nothing new here.

However, as much as Coldplay flee from controversy, they will always relish in their knack for sentimentality. It is what keeps them a guilty pleasure. The second track, "What If," tugs at the heartstrings as Martin ponders love's cruel hypotheticals. "Fix You" highlights Jon Buckland's guitarwork as Martin's voice is split into his own chorus.

The ultimate tearjerker comes at the bonus track, the unforgettable "Kingdom Come." Written for the late legend Johnny Cash, its beautiful chorus and lyrics appeal to any lonely soul in existence. If only X&Y could match the poignancy of its ending.