A Rush of Blood to the Head
~ Release group by Coldplay
Wikipedia
A Rush of Blood to the Head is the second studio album by the British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 26 August 2002 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom, and a day later by Capitol in the United States. The album was produced by the band and Ken Nelson, and makes greater use of the electric guitar and piano than the band's debut album, Parachutes (2000).
Recording of the album began after the band achieved worldwide popularity with Parachutes and the single "Yellow". A Rush of Blood to the Head topped the UK Albums Chart upon its first week of release in the United Kingdom, becoming the eighth best-selling album of the 21st century in the country. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has since certified the album 10× Platinum for its accumulated sales of 3 million units in the United Kingdom, while over 17 million copies were sold worldwide. The album spawned the hit singles "In My Place", "The Scientist" and "Clocks". "God Put a Smile upon Your Face" was also released in select regions, but was significantly less successful in comparison.
A Rush of Blood to the Head has been critically acclaimed, and the band received three Grammy Awards for the album at the 45th Grammy Awards; Best Alternative Album, which was the band's second win in a row, Best Rock Performance for "In My Place", and Record of the Year for "Clocks" at the 46th ceremony. In 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included it on their 200 Definitive Albums list. In 2010, it was among ten albums nominated for the best British album of the past 30 years at the Brit Awards, and one of ten classic album covers from British artists commemorated on a UK postage stamp issued by the Royal Mail. It has appeared on several editions of Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Multiple publications have listed A Rush of Blood to the Head as one of the best albums of the 21st century.
Album
Relationships
| artist & repertoire support: | Dan Keeling (formerly A&R, now managing director with Island) |
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| associated singles/EPs: | Clocks God Put a Smile Upon Your Face In My Place The Scientist |
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| included in: | Coldplay 4 CD Catalogue Set Parachutes / A Rush of Blood to the Head / Live 2003 DVD |
| part of: | Rolling Stone: 100 Best Albums of the 2000s: pub_2011-07-18 (number: 21) (order: 21) Brit Award for British Album of the Year (winners) (number: 2003) (order: 23) Albums of the Year (SPIN magazine, 2003-01) (number: 26) (order: 26) Absolute Radio's The 100 Collection (number: 47) (order: 47) Grammy Award: Best Alternative Music Album nominees (number: 2003 winner) (order: 65) Mercury Prize Shortlist Nominees (number: 2003) (order: 125) Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2020 edition (number: 324) (order: 324) Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2012 edition (number: 466) (order: 467) Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2003 edition (number: 473) (order: 474) |
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CritiqueBrainz Reviews
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Perhaps unsurprisingly, Coldplay's new album A Rush Of Blood To The Head is a consolidated evolution from their comparatively naive debut, Parachutes. The die-hard Coldplay fans looking for another Parachutes and the bloodthirsty critics who demand to see some progression will all walk away happy.
A Rush of Blood to the Head is inimitably Coldplay; Chris Martin's familiar vocals, the band's signature harmonies, strings and piano are all there but disarmingly there is a lot more to this album. It's undoubtedly the album we all expected but it's also smarter; more poetic, more mature.
"Politik", the album's opener makes for a driving, imposing start with Martin's distinctive vocals reverberating eerily above urgent piano chords. It's unusually dramatic for a band once dubbed by ex-Creation mogul Alan McGee as "Bedwetters". The second track, the first written post-Parachutes and sounding like a refugee from that album, is the grower "In My Place". It's a fantastic pop tune that justifies Coldplay's status as one of UK's most exciting bands.
The haunting, surprisingly cynical theme that originates in "Politik" is continued in "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" which sees the band at full stretch, lyrically as well as musically. You can sense them pushing themselves to prove to the world that there is a lot more to Coldplay than chart friendly singles.
Then, mid-album, they let all their hard work go to waste with the insipid, vanilla tracks "The Scientist" and "Clocks". They pass you by and fail to raise even the smallest emotion. Daylight" and "A Whisper" find the band back at their best with epic, yet simple melancholic tunes. Here repetitive choruses and hypnotic, violin sounding guitars take the listener on an exciting journey that you wish wouldn't end.
Coldplay are a band very much in touch with their emotions, which frequently works in their favour. Martin's heartfelt, passionate vocals on the piano driven "Warning Sign" transform a song which in other hands could descend to the pathetic: "Come on in, I've got to tell you what a state I'm in...The truth is I miss you"
Despite a couple of weak moments this is asuperb album that might just capture your heart and your imagination. Don't struggle; enjoy a rush of blood to the head.