378 of 1001 Albums: Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head

A Rush of Blood to the Head was an album I always had liked the singles I had heard from, but I had never listened to the album all the way through to know just how good the album is. There are songs less memorable, but ever song really is tremendously crafted to fit where it is on the album from beginning to end. Whether you're listening to the bigger hits like "Clocks" or listening "A Whisper" it's difficult to dislike the song.

History: The album was released in 2002 almost a year after the September attacks in 2001. This left much to be spoken about for the band on this album. Mostly though the band wanted to put out a positive vibe for fans with this album. They maintain the serious nature very well in combination with that. The album also garnered much critical attention with the band getting nominated for Grammy's and other awards. To this day this album is considered a classic in the music world alongside albums like Dark Side of the Moon and Rio by Duran Duran.


Vocals: Christ Martin's vocals don't have anything spectacular about them, but it is more so his ability to stay in pitch and convey a lot of emotion with his vocals that have always drawn me in. For some reason some of my favorites like "In My Place" or "Green Eyes" is where he really fuses in the passion to the lyrics. The lyrics also vary so much, but there is a consistent tone to establish the themes.

Instrumentals: Probably the most prominent instrument that most will notice about the album is the piano like on songs like "Clocks" and "The Scientist". It has a remarkable range that shows as many emotions as Chris Martin's vocals. The way the other instrumentals tie into the album as well build up the songs in an epic manner or keep it calmer with the more romantic based songs.

Recording: This album was released in 2002 and while that may not seem like a long time ago, I was only in the 8th grade, and probably wasn't even 14 at the time the album came out. It has aged well and does uphold over time with the sound. I would say this album sounds even more modern than some of their other more recent albums. Alongside that the lyrics are as memorable ever, and there is something about the emotions that still resonates today.

A Rush of Blood to the Head is one of my favorite albums. I hadn't heard the whole thing all the way through till now, but I grew up hearing more and more from the album over time. A lot of songs on here still remain some of my favorites, and I still get The Scientist stuck in my head from time to time. I even found myself listening to it on my mp3 player the other day.

Rating 10 of 10.