Coldplay
Parachutes

THE REVIEW

"Parachutes" was released on July 10, 2000, and it's the first album by the English band "Coldplay". The album is divided into 11 tracks characterized by a deep sonic continuity mainly focused on the Brit Pop and Pop Rock genres. This album received excellent feedback from critics and the public, managing to reach number one on the UK chart and bringing a lot of fame to the band. Four singles were released: "Shiver" (#35), "Yellow" (#4), "Trouble" (#10), and "Don't Panic". But let's move on to the track-by-track analysis.

Don't Panic Coldplay's debut album certainly doesn't start in the best way, in fact, perhaps in the worst. A short track full of optimism (especially highlighted by the numerous repetitions of the line "we live in a beautiful world") but too repetitive. The fourth and last single from the album turns out to be boring and unoriginal... RATING 4

Shiver The second track immediately starts with a sweet and cheerful melody well executed with the guitar, which gradually transforms into a fairly energetic rhythm. The lyrics talk about unrequited love between two people: this is the cause of the "shiver" that gives the title to the piece. One of the first songs composed by the band, it is certainly one of the catchiest and poppiest tracks on the album; not surprisingly, the song was chosen as the first single. Very beautiful... RATING 8.5

Spies Without a doubt the darkest song on the entire album, it's characterized by a verse constructed with acoustic guitar notes in the Radiohead "style" and a chorus accompanied by electric (guitar) notes. "Spies came out of the water"... Who are the spies that trouble Martin and company? The lyrics also best convey the almost ominous nature of the song. The ideal soundtrack for night travel, in a car, on a deserted road... RATING 7.5

Sparks A song on more or less the same line as the previous one but completely devoid of rhythm changes. A quite soporific ballad that is negligible compared to other tracks... RATING 5.5

Yellow The song that brought Coldplay to prominence at home and abroad. It is definitely the best track on the album and was rightly chosen as the second single. The song is based on a dreamy guitar riff accompanied by the drum in pure Brit pop style; one should also consider Chris Martin's excellent vocal performance. It was the singer himself who decided to title the song "Yellow" after taking a look at the yellow pages. The lyrics are a sweet veneration of the wonders of the beloved woman compared to the twinkle of the stars... RATING 9

Trouble Another very important track for Coldplay's career. The third single from the album is a ballad built on a famous piano riff, considered by many a true masterpiece. Actually, Coldplay have written better stuff, but this track has a mysterious atmosphere derived from the perfect piano sound and why not... also determined by a very expressive video showing Chris tied to a chair on a cold night. The lyrics seem to represent a real apology to someone we acted wrongly towards, causing them harm... RATING 8

Parachutes A brief interlude very sweetly sung by Chris that introduces the second part of the album

High Speed Perhaps the most rock song on the album: leaving aside the ballads' falsettos and the joyful atmospheres of Yellow and Shiver in favor of greater strength in the singing, especially in the chorus. This song's style goes in the direction of the alternative rock that made Radiohead famous. A good song that certainly doesn't fall short compared to other great tracks on this album... RATING 7

We Never Change Back to listening to a ballad. A decent song made precious by the expressive qualities of Chris Martin's sweet voice which manages to bring value to an overall not exceptional song. The lyrics talk about the desire to live best and the importance of staying oneself... Ideal for those who want to give themselves a moment of tranquility and reflection... RATING 6.5

Everything's Not Lost Simply a gem to treasure: a worthy conclusion to this album; if it had been released as a single, it would surely have become a Coldplay classic. The song starts slowly, with Chris's voice accompanied by piano notes, then the chorus arrives, and the magnificent electric guitar sound joins to craft new melodies. In the last part, the song transforms into a joyful melody when Chris sings "Singing out ah ah ah yeah", followed by the rest of the band. The lyrics emphasize that even if you find yourself in a difficult situation, not everything is always lost. The ideal soundtrack for a happy ending... RATING 8.5

Life Is For Living A brief hidden track at the end of the previous track: a nice little song that would have certainly deserved more effort from the band in its development; but, unfortunately, it wasn't so. Perhaps it would have been better to close grandly with "Everything's Not Lost", as this leaves somewhat of a bitter aftertaste... RATING 6