The Null Device

X&Y

Oh dear, the artwork for the upcoming album from adult-contemporary band Coldplay doesn't half look like one of Peter Saville's early works: (via xrrf)

I wonder whether this (and the album's somewhat mechanistic title, "X&Y") means that the band, known for their unchallenging and somewhat schmaltzy easy-listening balladry, are attempting to go for a cold-and-detached aesthetic; perhaps to appeal to nostalgic late-thirtysomethings who grew up listening to Factory Records bands but have since mellowed somewhat. Mind you, if they take it too far, it could alienate their fanbase (ironically enough, the band they were groomed by the press to replace after they went too weird, Radiohead, did something much like that). Then again, I'm sure the band and their label know which side their bread is buttered on. Perhaps this means is that there will be a veneer of retro-fashionable electronic glitchyness grafted over the usual reassuringly saccharine core of ballads.

There are 6 comments on "X&Y":

Posted by: Belinda http://mingabelle.net Mon Apr 4 21:12:09 2005

I always approve of picking on Coldplay. Hoorah!

Posted by: toby http:// Mon Apr 4 23:13:33 2005

Looking at both the artwork and the title, I think they were going for something that said 'male and female'.

Posted by: threeze http://neuralvoid.com Mon Apr 4 23:20:01 2005

screams spectrum to me

Posted by: Graham http://grudnuk.com/ Tue Apr 5 03:43:14 2005

Suddenly I want to crack out "Appetite for Destruction".

Posted by: acb http://dev.null.org/ Tue Apr 5 08:06:48 2005

Oh, the artwork's good, and the song titles aren't too bad. It's a pity they're attached to bloody Coldplay songs, though.

Posted by: glory http:// Wed Apr 13 20:54:31 2005

looks like someone pointing a gun to my head :D

cheers!

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