X&Y

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Customer Review: 2nd copy
Lost my 1st...Not sure how! They just keep getting better and better in my opinion. If you like this one you HAVE to get Viva La Vida!
Customer Review: Average
6/21/08 Before you read this review check out Coldplay's latest CD "Viva la Vida". It is light years ahead of this CD "X&Y". I guess I am so addicted to Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and other great bands of the 70s-80s that Coldplay falls flat on it's face for me. Or, my expectations of "almost uniformly" stellar British rock bands is unrealistic. As most people do when listening to music, one finds that you do compare the new with the old. And so, in fairness to the change in technology and my own personal taste, I compared this band to my current favorite in world rock music, the astonishing rock-your-rear-off Afro Celt Sound System Band whose singer Iarla O'Liondird's vocal range is so utterly astounding. (Even Josh Groban plays AFCSS at his live concerts). After listening four times to this CD "X&Y", I still found Chris Martin's nasal, and at times, irritatingly whiney voice boring and monotonously repetitive. He is up and down his vocal range over and over on nearly every song. About midway through the CD it felt like I was listening to the same song over and over with musical variations. For me the song lyrics were mostly juvenile and often trite. Especially on the song "X&Y". HOWEVER, Their band members' musicality and instrument talent is undeniable. For this reason I can say I somewhat enjoyed the CD. Overall, if I have to pick a listen to again, maybe, these songs merit a redux: "White Shadows"; "A Message"; "Low".

One of the hardest things about choosing the independent route for any artist is how to get your product out to the masses. Rejecting the road the big labels have paved (and blocked!) means that you retain control over your product, but it also means that all of the advertising techniques used by the big guys to flood the market with the latest hit are not available.

It used to be that independent musical artists could start with their local scene and create an in to bigger fame that way, a sort of osmosis effect. However, the modern era has seen a huge rise in conglomeration, where most radio stations, even those touted as local, are in fact owned and their programming controlled by corporations. Like the big labels, these media giants have business, and not necessarily quality, governing the bottom line.

Without being able to count on a lot of local support in the form of airplay, independent artists are now forced to rely on the other tool to get their message out: touring. Again, the life of an indie group in this area is made more difficult due to the lack of support. Venues need to be sought out and sealed by the band or individual themselves, and events are hard-won.

Battle of the bands competitions and side stages at major music festivals have also proved to be effective marketing tools for the promotion of a bands music. It may take a lot of time and effort, but a relentless touring schedule may be the only avenue left for an indie band to make their mark.

Greg Aldrich is the CEO of InBlaze Entertainment, and owner of the Indie Update blog, IndieUpdate.com. He has a passion for helping independent artists and getting the word out about great indie music. This is a sample article from the IndieUpdate blog.

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