Review Summary: Parachutes lands successfully as a great debut album by the British quartet!
I believe debut albums come in one of two ways. Sometimes they hit the mark and sometimes they miss their target completely. I go with the former for Coldplay's debut album "Parachutes" released in July of 2000. It's amazing how it's been 13 years since this album was released and I still feel it's one of the group's best. Of course we all remember the hit singles Yellow, Trouble, Don't Panic, Shiver (a minor hit), but this album works as a whole. A stunning debut album that will be looked back upon fondly.
"Don't Panic" opens the album with a simple chord structure that builds to a climax during each chorus ("we live in a beautiful world"). The song has a slightly sedated feel, but it gives the listener a sense of hope. There are so many problems with the world but it's still a beautiful place. This is the second shortest song on the album, the first being the title track. While it's not a bad song, I feel as though it could have been left off the album or replaced with Life Is For Living at the very end. Interestingly enough, this album was dedicated to the death of Will Champion's mother.
I always feel that obscure tracks that don't receive airplay are sometimes the best songs on an album. "Spies" for example opens with Buckland's haunting guitar, giving way to Martin's rhythmic strumming. I don't think people give Chris enough credit for his guitar playing. I find it unique because he uses alternate tunings for most of his songs and lets the higher strings ring out more. By the chorus the whole band breaks out into a musical frenzy with Chris using his typical falsetto. Apparently China banned this song because of the title and lyrics in the song.
"Yellow" is a song that still makes me tear up when I hear it. I still picture Chris walking along the beach singing the song in the video. Once again, he uses an alternate tuning that brings out a brighter tone in the chords. It's obvious why this was the band's first big single and deservingly so. Even in the coda, Martin takes the lyric ("look how they shine for you") and turns a major chord into minor. It's nothing short of spectacular. He does this often to great effect in "Spies" as well. ("The spies came out of the water", in this case it's minor to major at the end of the song.)
"Trouble" was another hit single and it has a melancholy feel to it. The arrangement is quite sparse and is one of the few songs where piano is at the forefront (besides "Everything's Not Lost"). Sometimes this can be tedious, but Coldplay knows how to engage the listener. It starts off quietly but breaks out of its shell in the chorus, ("I never meant to cause you trouble") before returning back to the verse. By the end, we are left with only Martin's painful voice and piano ("They spun a web for me"). While the lyric is obscure, it's convincing in Martin's falsetto.
Two other cuts worth mentioning are "High Speed" and "We Never Change." The former is spacey in sound and it's the closest they ever got to sounding like Radiohead. It's completely different from the rest of the album, and Buckland's dissonant chords make you feel stuck in the bubble that Martin sings about. "We Never Change" shows Martin's growth as a songwriter. Once again, Martin lowers his highest string and alternates between major and minor chords. His barred chords are interesting in that he uses his thumb on the lowest string. Similar to "Trouble," the song starts off timidly until the ethereal chorus. ("We Never Change Do We?") The piano even enters during the bridge and it's brilliant. This is what makes it one of the best cuts on the album.
The other cuts, ('Shiver," "Sparks," and "Everything's Not Lost/Life Is For Living") are worth checking out as well! They aren't classics, but they each bring a distinct feature to the album. "Shiver" is a ballad that rocks out a bit during the intro and chorus. "Sparks" (used in Wedding Crashers) is like "Don't Panic" in that it can be sedating, but overall has a pleasant feel to it. Initially I found Martin's singing to be mediocre at best, but over time I've realized how unique of a singer he is. In "Sparks" he's using his low range, but falsettos during the chorus. "Everything's Not Lost" is a great finish to an album and by the end of the song the band is in full motion. Coldplay is almost begging you to sing along with them and eventually it turns into an anthem ("Come on yeah, sing out yeah, everything's not lost"). The hidden track is "Life Is For Living" and while it's optimistic, it doesn't do anything for me. I much would have preferred if they ended the album with the fading notes of "Everything's Not Lost." If they were daring enough they could have ended it on a minor chord (different than the major in Sergeant Pepper).
Although the band looks back on this album with disdain, it's a great debut album! In some ways they would peak with their next album, "A Rush Of Blood To The Head." However, there's something very intimate and relaxing about this record that will keep making you come back for more. They are currently in the process of recording a new album as we speak, and it's amazing how many turns they took from Parachutes to Mylo Xyloto. I guess we do change after all.
Grade: A- ****1/2
