Coldplay, 'Parachutes'

Oasis might have felt differently but in 2000, a full six years on from Kurt Cobain taking his own life, rock music was still on the road marked noisy. The Gallagher brothers claimed that ‘Live Forever’ was a direct response to grunge but Coldplay shifted the landscape over to contemplative rock far more effectively. For the most part, Oasis included, the majority of bands with a guitar in their midst were concentrating on the sounds their instruments made and left their voices literally trailing behind. And that’s why ‘Parachutes’ is arguably this decade’s definitive debut album.

The record starts – surprise surprise – quietly and without bombast. But in the space of three minutes Coldplay announce their arrival in stunning fashion. ‘Don’t Panic’ (later to be found on the soundtrack to ‘Garden State’, the filmic equivalent of this album if ever there was one) enters your head and heart and will remain there for the considerable future. ‘Parachutes’ deals with love lost and found and never forgets that the heart must be close by at all times.

The record is relentless in never letting up: ‘Shiver’ and ‘Trouble’ are far more than obvious singles, both containing memorable hooks and nagging choruses. ‘Spies’ introduces us formally to the world of Coldplay’s strings and points to Chris Martin’s vocal range and Jonny Buckland’s staggering guitar work. The duo combines just as efficiently on ‘High Speed’, remarkable for you feeling nervous for Martin (“before my head explodes") and then exhilarated in the way in which he refers to “living inside a bubble”. Naturally, a classic arms aloft anthem is provided by ‘Yellow’ – and your heart will soar when hearing “ I drew a line/I drew a line for you” two and a half minutes in – and final track ‘Everything’s Not Lost' is perfectly positioned. The piano is in place, Martin is “counting up his demons” and The Beatles themselves would have gladly lent their name to the tune’s epic nature. You might read it as a modern day retelling of ‘Hey Jude’ but the conclusion is clear: the baton is being passed on down. Definitely. Not Maybe.