This album to me is the album I wrote my second novel to and although I know not everyone is a Coldplay fan, to me they are part of my life's soundtrack. Interestingly enough this album, which was their third studio album ,was released the day before my 28th birthday on June 6 2005 and I used to walk around Edinburgh blaring it out on my iPod, lost in a world of the book I was writing.The album cover is a combination of colours and blocks, which is a representation of the Baudot code, which was the predecessor to the International Telegraph Alphabet.
My love of Coldplay dates right back to their first album, Parachutes, and they are one of those bands where the name is enough for me to purchase their music. I think the jukebox already has a few Coldplay songs in and I think with this album, every has means something to me and belong to the world of my book's characters. All of the characters spend much of my novel looking at their own demons and taking chances on trying to break away from their supposed portrait they give to the world.
The second verse in the second track of the album, What If, contains the lyrics Every step that you take, could be your biggest mistake, It could bend or it could break, that's the risk you take." Those lyrics hit me as life is about taking risks; especially as a writer, because you are letting others inside your head and it can be a very personal place to invite people into. I don't know some may say that I am still hiding as a writer as I haven't as yet published my novel!
Anyway enough about me - here's the breakdown of tracks
1. Square One - Not released as a hit, Square One for me is about looking to the future and taking the chance to be discovered. From a writing point of view it talks about the first to the last page, which makes sense; although I tend to write as I feel it and then decide the order.
Square One
2. What If - this just hits you for all the reason above - it is a beautiful melody with a very clear opening of Martin and his piano playing. Sometimes I think this is a love song and other times it could be anyone questioning their place in the world.
What if
3. White Shadows - Throughout this album, there is a computer generated sound that hadn't been present in early album. Coldplay cited being influences by 1970 pop and artist like Brian Uno and David Bowie. Uno played the synthesizers on this track; however it is reported that David Bowie turned down the opportunity to work with Coldplay as he wasn't happy with the material offered to him.
White Shadows
4. Fix You - a song which is sad and uplifting at the same time. It is probably one of Coldplay's best known tracks because the lyrics express emotions everyone can understand and relate to when they watch people they love go through heartbreak. A funny story for me was I went to see Coldplay in September 2009 at Hampton park and I recorded them singing this song as it is one of my favourite songs, but unfortunately all you can hear is me trying to sing along with the track too. It is very funny but very hidden from public consumption.
Fix You
5. Talk - Bringing the temp back up and using the main riff (with permission) from Kraftwek, a German electronic music band from its song Computer Love, the track was meant to be first single from the album but when they were all a bit spooked at the thought of release so they scraped the idea and the song nearly got forgotten about. The song was eventually as a single in December 2015.
Talk
Again going back to my own writing; they talk about a missing jigsaw piece which again spoke to me as my first attempt at writing a book was named that. It was a piece of writing that really should stay unread as it is mainly my attempt to try and make sense of losing my mum at 16. However, the interesting thing is that there is a bit character in this story; which is my main character in the book I am busy working on.
6. Speed of Sound - the lead single off the album built around a piano riff and influenced by Kate Bush's Running up that hill, it reached number 2 in the British Chart and was named as Best Single at the 2006 Brit Awards.
Speed of Sound
7. A message - If you have never heard this song, please listen to it as it is a lovely track about being there for someone and the point that you don't have to be alone.
A Message
8. Low - not a lot to say about this one. Good tune though.
Low live @ Glastonbury
9. The Hardest Part - This is a piano-based ballad song, it begins with a piano melody, followed with electric guitar lines that accompanies slow-tempo. Released as the fourth single from the album, its lyrics appeal to my characters and me about letting go. Sometimes as a writer you need to let go of the prose that circles your head night after night. I am telling you writing a novel is like having a whole world inside of you that is as vivid and bright as the real world.
The Hardest Part
10. Swallowed in the sea - Another love song with clever lyrics. I like the idea of vastness of the sea and the idea of being moulded throughout the look. I think, when I look back on the initial writing phase - I was lost in my sea of worlds and I had friends who lucky kept me going and bringing me back into reality.
Swallowed in the sea
11. Twisted Logic - again not a lot more to say than what I've said already. This just describes my method of writing.
Twisted Logic
12. Till Kingdom comes - this was the hidden track on the CD and was originally meant to be a duet between Johnny Cash and Chris Martin, but unfortunately Cash died before this could happen. This is another great tune that is very upbeat.
Till Kingdom Comes
Some say that X&Y wasn't as critically pleasing as the first two album, however, this album had by 20131 sold over 13 million copies. Now if I can ever get my book published and sell over 13 million copies I won't be complaining. I had forgotten how linked this album is to my writing and perhaps I need to go back on the walks around Edinburgh listing to this so I can achieve my dream of being a published author.
Written by: Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, Will Champion
Album: X&Y
Released: 2005
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