Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Parachutes from Coldplay, the first album from the band. Due to music being very opinionated, I brought my cousin Robert on board with me to assist with the review, as well as MJ from Screaming Dandelions. She writes poetry, gives commentaries, and posts photography. Her stuff is remarkable, so be sure to subscribe!
In green is my opinion. This album is one that I have been listening to for quite a while. I also own Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto album, which I will refrain from mentioning, as it’s opposite of what we hear on Parachutes.
In blue is my cousin Robert’s opinion. Robert has heard many of these songs countless times on the radio and at work. He believes this album showcases Coldplay at their finest.
In purple is MJ’s opinion. She is a fan of Coldplay and she’s excited to be a part of this review.
Not interested in this band or familiar with them? These reviews will you give you a taste of their music. Let’s start our track-by-track review.
Don’t Panic
Don’t Panic sets the tone for the Parachutes album: mellow. The guitar in Don’t Panic is fresh and clean sounding, and Chris Martin gives the listener a preview of the range of his voice. The song is a nice little tune, a great way to ease the listener into Coldplay’s debut album.
Don’t Panic is a really mellow song. I like all the different sounds that are packed into it, and the guitar is comfortable for everyone to hear. It is not heavy at all. The vocals are also great and calming to listen to.
Even though I am a fan of Coldplay, this song isn’t one of my favorites. The instrumentals are decent and the vocals are fine, but there’s really no context to the song. It repeats a lot of verses and there’s really nothing to look forward to. Overall, Don’t Panic is not their best, but not their worst.
Shiver
The drums and guitar in Shiver work with Chris’s voice like peanut butter works with jelly. The music is controlled very well, and Chris doesn’t cease to hit the high notes that seemingly come out of nowhere. The tempo changes were handled masterfully, which gives the listener a bunch of variety in a single song. The last minute of Shiver is sung with intensity and passion, serving as a great climax to a great song.
FINALLY! A LOVE SONG I CAN RELATE TO! Anyway, Shiver is one of my favorite Coldplay songs. The guitar work in this song is wonderful. Chris’s voice is great, and I love the meaning of Shiver because there was a girl I liked in high school but she never noticed the attention I was giving her no matter what I tried. Maybe someday I will get her, or perhaps there is someone else waiting. Love is always a mystery, but this song does give me hope for a great future. My advice to the viewers is this: If there is a girl you love, do not be shy, always be aggressive, and do not waste your chases. Remember, all they can tell you is a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
I love the beginning of Shiver. Those first 10 seconds of acoustics is what got me hooked. After that, the electric guitar and the drums were flawless. The transition of tempos are smooth and the vocals are spot on. The lyrics are good as well, and the instruments work together to make an overall really good song.
Spies
Spies is put together unconventionally, yet it still sounds great. Chris’s voice is eerie and on point. The fact that he is singing strong lyrics enhances the vocal aspect of the song. When the band comes in, Spies takes off. The guitar adds a lot to the song, fitting the engaging story of Spies. This track is relaxed, deep, and very creative on Coldplay’s part. Spies is a fantastic song.
I love how acoustic this song is in the beginning, and how the tempo picks up for the rest of the song. This is another feel-good track, and it is great to listen to at any time of the day. I also love the ending of Spies because you really get to hear how great acoustic guitars sound and why many artists use it.
The introduction of Spies has a nice mysterious tone to it that I immediately caught onto. The vocals only added onto this theme, per say, a perfect addition. The electric guitar tied in beautifully to create a beautiful song. The lyrics make an interesting story and the acoustics compliment every component. Definite thumbs up.
Sparks
Sparks has a steady rhythm, guided by punctuate acoustics. Chris’s singing is melancholy, pairing well with the music. As I said with John Mayer’s Belief, there is a drop in the song, not in a dubstep sense, but in the sense that I always anticipate the chorus (sure, it doesn’t repeat, but I’d still consider it a chorus. Bite me). Sparks is a relaxing song, well put together and memorable.
Sparks is another Track 4 I can say that I enjoy listening to. It is a great slow song, and the guitars sound beautiful. This song can really get into your soul and make you feel calm and relaxed. This is one of those songs I can just sit back and relax to. Chris’s voice is great once again, and it is very mellow.
I love the acoustics in Sparks. The vocals are alright, I’ve heard better from the singer, but decent nonetheless. The song has a nice, steady flow to it that I enjoyed. The lyrics are the perfect fit for the song. The thing I love about this song, again, is the acoustics above anything else. I would look into Coldplay if this was the first song I heard.
Yellow
I don’t know what it is that makes Yellow so great. Everything about it is well done. It’s a song that I can easily have on repeat and not have anybody complain about. Yellow is one hell of a success, and I don’t even know why. It’s candy for the ears. What else can I say?
Yellow is a song everybody knows and loves and there is a reason why. Everything about this song sounds great and no matter how down you feel, this song can always lift you up and make you feel better. The vocals really show how great Chris’s voice is and the guitar work is wonderful. This song is also great when performed, well written, and I know I look dang good in Yellow! Yellow is a happy and bright song to listen to, and anybody can easily fall in love with it which is why so many people do.
Yellow is probably my third favorite song in the world. Ever. I’ve had this song a while and absolutely love it. I love the acoustics, I love the vocals, I love the lyrics. Everything about it is just perfect.
Trouble
The piano, the bass, the guitar, Chris’s voice, all of it is top notch. Trouble is a heavy song, full and complete in its sound and delivery. This track is a great follow-up to Yellow, its stellar lyrics and pure sound serving as a cool-off from the more upbeat Yellow. Trouble is a great display of what music is supposed to be: instruments making sounds.
I absolutely love how this song uses the piano for the melody of this song. It sounds beautiful, and it tells you the mood of the song. Trouble reminds me of being on a tropical island with just me and a girl enjoying our lives with nothing to worry about. It is by far one of my favorite songs on the album, and it is another well written song.
Right up there, Trouble is probably my eighth favorite song. Though I’m not a huge fan of piano, I love it in this song. The vocals go beautifully with the instrumentals and the lyrics are what really appeal to me. Definitely a favorite.
Parachutes
Parachutes is a nice little track that serves as a transition to the latter area of the album. The acoustics are well done. I wouldn’t return to it individually, but as a part of the album, Parachutes is a nice transition song.
I always hate how songs that sound like they would be great only last 0:30-2:00 because they always make you want more, and that is what this song does. The way it cuts off at the end is awkward, and it just makes you want more. I never understand why bands do this, but I guess they always have a good reason why, especially since it has the same title as the album, which also confuses me.
The acoustics in Parachutes are what I love most about this song. The vocals are alright, the lyrics are decent, but the acoustics are the best part. This song is somewhat short and I think it could have been a bigger hit had it been longer.
High Speed
High Speed is anything but what its name implies. This song is mellow, but it has a bit of an edge to it. It takes its time, the instruments adding a lot between Chris’s vocals.The music is captivating and relaxing, strong and mysterious at the same time. And might I add: ‘dat bass.
You would think since this song is called High Speed, it would be faster and heavier-sounding right? WRONG! High Speed is another song with slower tempo and a kick-ass bass sound to it. It is yet another track that really digs deep into your soul, and you can thank Chris Martin’s voice for that. High Speed is another great song on the album, and another favorite of mine.
High Speed is a difficult song for me in that I like this album even though it’s more laid back, but I just didn’t connect with anything in this particular song. The instrumentals are too mellow and the vocals don’t help that notion. Overall, High Speed is not my favorite.
We Never Change
I really like the guitar on this track. The acoustics are brilliant, the lyrics are honest, and the music is relaxing. We Never Change is a chill song which is easy to recline to comfortably.
We Never Change is another slow song that I have fallen in love with and I like how deep it is. It is another song I can chill out to, and the guitar just sounds so mellow. The message this song tries to communicate is true, and it is very rare that you get songs with great meanings in today’s world. Thankfully we have bands like Coldplay that come up with songs that have meaning.
We Never Change is also a tough song because I like certain components of it more than others. I really don’t care for the instrumentals, as I wish they were more upbeat or at least had more acoustics. However, I did like the vocals and especially the lyrics.
Everything’s Not Lost
This song’s melody, aided by the piano and guitar, is a grand success. The meaning of the song is a strong one, very clear in its intentions. This is a Coldplay anthem, defining who they are and telling the listener: We’re done, but this is us, and we’ll be back for more. Unfortunately, more, years down the line, meant Mylo Xyloto. This track is a great way to end the album.
Here we are the final track to such a wonderful and deep album. Once again I love the piano because it successfully sets up the mood of the song. There is so much depth to it and you do not see that all the time. The guitars are awesome and the drums and bass are also great. This song is a masterpiece, and it shows how talented this band is. This song is really uplifting and no matter how terrible your life is getting, no matter how depressing life may be, and no matter how much stress is on your shoulders, this song tells you to just get rid of all that crap and remember you still have a wonderful life ahead of you to live. Life will always get better, and YOU just have to make it that way. I love how fast this song gets right before the pause, and then you receive this nice little segment to end the song. This song is a wonderful way to end such a great album, and as usual I thank you all for reading this review. I now have to go to the music store and pick up some Coldplay albums (FINALLY) so until next time, keep on rocking and…. shoot I cannot think of a pun. Consider yourselves lucky. Not having a pun though does make me shiver, but I will be ok and Yellow!
I really liked the vocals and electric guitar in Everything’s Not Lost, including the lyrics. I think the piano could have been toned down a bit, but other than that it was a decent song. Again, it’s not my favorite from them, but not the worst.
My Top 3
Spies
Yellow
Trouble
Robert’s Top 3
Shiver
Everything’s Not Lost
Trouble
MJ’s Top 3
Spies
Yellow
Trouble
Parachutes is THE Coldplay album. This is a great experimental, mellow album that can be played without feeling the need to skip tracks. It is exceptional all around, and a definite must have for any music-enthusiast’s collection. This Filet is a fresh one. Coldplay no longer makes music up to this caliber, but we can still enjoy this album nonetheless. Pick it up. You won’t regret it!
~Juck
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