10 Reasons Why Coldplay’s LeftRightLeftWhatever Is the Best Rock Album Ever

05.16.09 Culture, Observations 7 comments

1.) The Free Download. After trying to download the album five different times, without success, I realized something: who in their right mind wants the album right when it’s available, anyway? Coldplay must be in tune with the ‘right-now’ culture that expects things on demand. And being the rock-and-roll stars they are, they threw up their collective middle finger at their fans, essentially saying, “You’ll just have to wait!”

2.) Singing Style. Everybody knows whining is a mainstay in rock-and-roll music and Chris Martin brings the whine like no one else. He has perfected this art, to such a degree that his singing style is no longer predominately characterized as falsetto, but whinesetto.

3.) Coldplay Gets Rock-and Roll. As rock music has evolved over the decades from the rebellious, anti-authority, in-your-face anthems that began with yelling “Roll Over Beethoven” and “tell Tchaikovsky the news” to the current decade’s emoting of one’s inner feelings, Chris Martin captures the pinnacle of rock music today, summed up beautifully in this lyric: “That was when I ruled the world, ooooh.”

4.) The Live Album. A popular “live album” is the apex of achievement for a rock-and-roll band. Is there any better way to say this live album is worthy of the anthills of rock history than ‘free of charge’?

5.) Piano Rocks! The piano has always been known as the greatest rock-and-roll instrument. And Chris Martin rocks the piano like no other of this age.

6.) The Heart. At the end of the first song Chris Martin asks, “Is everyone okay?” And at the beginning of the 5th song,  “Everybody feeling fresh and ready to go?” While such niceties are atypical for a rock band this refreshing concern for the audience proves the true heart of the band is with the people. I only wished he had waited to hear my response… oh, well: “Thanks for asking, Chris, I’m doing great, how are you?”

7.) Killer Songs. The second track, ‘42′, is not only a one-up, but two-up from U2’s song, previously considered one of the greatest live rock songs, ‘40′.

8.) The Intangibles. Inarticulate mumblings, ooohs, o-wow-o-os, and la la las are prevalent throughout the songs on LeftRightLeftWhatever.

9.) Brilliantly Out-of-Place. The song Death Will Never Conquer, complete with harmonica solo, is so adorably out of place that you have to love it. ‘Nuff said.

10.) Fix You & Cleverness. Excellent crowd participation and singing on track #8, Fix You. Chris sings a line about “A Coldplay Show” while at, or listening to, an actual Coldplay show—lyrically, so clever.