Coldplay's latest full of hot hits

After Coldplay's first album, the critically acclaimed commercial success Parachutes, it was hard to imagine where the band would, or could, go. For many, Parachutes represented a beacon of hope in the murky cesspool of unoriginality that has plagued pop music for years. Those who got past writing Coldplay off as "that 'Yellow' band" likely found themselves refreshed and excited by the depth and potential that Coldplay demonstrated on Parachutes. \nIt was easy, then, to nervously await the band's sophomore release, A Rush of Blood to the Head, hoping that Coldplay would not disappoint expectation. To do as well would have been a success. It was hard to hope for much better. \nBut it is better -- much better.\nWhat stands out most when listening to Blood is that it never lets up. Coldplay's knack for writing hypnotic, mid-tempo rock tunes and haunting falsetto ballads only fortified in the time since Parachutes. Coldplay still has all the raw emotion, angst and beauty the musicians hinted at on Parachutes, but now they've figured out how to do it with grace and timing. \nWhile Parachutes' sedated pace and mellow tones often taxed its accessibility, Blood is able to maintain energy from the beginning. The wailing ballads soar higher and the rock tunes come on with more force. Singer Chris Martin takes his voice to places it almost seems like it shouldn't go. But that's the real beauty: a teetering balancing act of vocal vertigo that supplements the atmosphere of the entire album, stuff that recalls the likes of Jeff Buckley and Thom Yorke. \nA Rush of Blood to the Head is undoubtedly one of the best new albums I've listened to in a long time. Part of me even wants to give it a 10, but it's too soon to tell. Maybe two or three years from now I'll have that certainty, maybe not. Either way, I can't help but feel confident that this is only the beginning for Coldplay and that many more great albums are yet to come.