A Rush of Blood to the Head

Infobox Album
Name = A Rush of Blood to the Head
Type = studio
Artist = Coldplay


Released = Start date|2002|08|26
Recorded = October 2001–May 2002
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 54:12
Label = Capitol, Parlophone
Producer = Coldplay, Ken Nelson
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:t1abqj3qojfa~T1 link]
* "NME" (9/10) [http://www.nme.com/reviews/6656.htm link]
* Pitchfork Media (5.1/10) [http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/16250/Coldplay_A_Rush_of_Blood_to_the_Head link]
* PopMatters [http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/c/coldplay-rush.shtml link]
* "Q" Rating|5|5 Sept. 2002, p.98
* "Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/coldplay/albums/album/171751/review/5943034/a_rush_of_blood_to_the_head link]
Last album = "Mince Spies"
(2001)
This album = "A Rush of Blood to the Head"
(2002)
Next album = "Live 2003"
(2003)
Misc =Singles
Name = A Rush of Blood to the Head
Type = Studio
single 1 = In My Place
single 1 date = August 5, 2002
single 2 = The Scientist
single 2 date = November 4, 2002
single 3 = Clocks
single 3 date = March 24, 2003
single 4 = God Put a Smile upon Your Face
single 4 date = July 14, 2003

"A Rush of Blood to the Head" is the second studio album by English alternative rock band Coldplay, released on August 26, 2002 in the United Kingdom by record label Parlophone. Produced by the band and British record producer Ken Nelson, the recording of the album began a week after the September 11 attacks in the United States, which gave the band a fresh perspective in the songwriting. The songs featured in the album have a greater use of piano and guitar than Coldplay's debut album, "Parachutes".

The album was a commercial success, debuting at number one in the United Kingdom and later placing at number seven of the country's 20 biggest-selling albums in the 21st century. The British Phonographic Industry has since certified the album eight-times platinum for its accumulated sales of over 2.6 million units. The album has spawned the hit singles "In My Place", "The Scientist", "Clocks", and "God Put a Smile upon Your Face". "A Rush of Blood to the Head" has been praised by the critics, considering it better than "Parachutes". It won the 2002 Grammy for Best Alternative Album and Record of the Year for the song "Clocks", becoming Coldplay's largest hit to date.

Background

Coldplay became popular in Europe and overseas with the release of their debut album, "Parachutes", and one of its singles, "Yellow". [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/reviews/album_review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1242166|title=Parachutes: Coldplay|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|accessdate=2008-09-14] The album debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number one, and the single gave the band their first taste of fame in North America. Despite this, while recording "A Rush of Blood to the Head", the band did not feel sophomore slump pressure. However, when they began to open to press about their new work, things started to scare them: "Everyone's been saying, 'What do you think about the pressure?'"cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/artists/interview/1456997/08132002/coldplay.jhtml|title=Coldplay: Going Out of My Head|last=Cumberbatch|first=Franklin|date=2002-08-13|work=VH1|publisher=MTV Networks|accessdate=2008-09-14]

The band started recording the album in London a week after the September 11 attacks in the United States, during which their songs "garnered larger audiences".cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451517/20011217/coldplay.jhtml|title=Coldplay Ready Second Album As 'Trouble' Heats Up|last=Moss|first=Corey|coauthors=Cornell, Jeff|date=2001-12-18|publisher=MTV|accessdate=2008-09-03] Since the band had never stayed in London before, they had trouble focusing. So they decided to relocate in Liverpool, where they recorded some of the songs on "Parachutes". Once there, vocalist Chris Martin said that they became obsessed with recording.

"In My Place" was the first song recorded for the album. The band released it as the album's lead single because they saw, being one of the songs left after "Parachutes", importance in it, which was to record another album and think they could still write songs. Martin said: "Three months after "Parachutes" took off, we went through a strange period of not really knowing what we were doing. One thing kept us going: recording 'In My Place'. Then other songs started coming." The band wrote more than 20 songs for the album. Some of their new materials, including "In My Place" and "Animals", were played while on tour. [cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1439294/20010212/coldplay.jhtml|title=Coldplay Warm Up On U.S. Tour Opener|last=Nelson|first=Chris|date=2001-02-12|publisher=MTV|accessdate=2008-09-14] The album's title was revealed through a post on the band's official website. [cite news|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1475357|title=Coldplay Sets Album Title, June Gigs|last=Luerssen|first=John D.|date=2002-04-25|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|accessdate=2008-09-14]

Recording

Following the release of "Parachutes", the band started recording "A Rush of Blood to the Head" the week after the September 11 attacks in the United States. In Liverpool, it was just vocalist Chris Martin and guitarist Jonny Buckland working on the weekends. By every Monday, they would present to their band mates something they had developed. While "A Rush of Blood to the Head" was nearly completed, Martin went into the studio late one night and wrote the riff that popped into his mind. This came special to the band as soon as Martin played it to them. Unfinished, however, they thought they had no time to complete it for the album, which had already 10 completed songs. So they recorded a demo version of the track that was later titled "Clocks"; it was filed, together with other unfinished tracks, under a CD marked "Songs for #3", which was projected for the band's third studio album.cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484768/20040202/coldplay.jhtml|title=Road To The Grammys: The Making Of Coldplay's 'Clocks'|last=Wiederhorn|first=Jon|date=2004-02-02|publisher=MTV|accessdate=2008-09-16] cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/story-of-the-song-clocks-coldplay-2002-876537.html|title=Story of the Song: 'Clocks', Coldplay (2002)|last=Webb|first=Robert|date=2008-07-25|publisher=Independent.co.uk|accessdate=2008-09-16]

Eventually, Coldplay completed "A Rush of Blood to the Head" by June 2002, and was ready to hand it over to their record label, Parlophone. However, the band thought their output sounded "rubbish". Unhappy of putting something they were completely unsatisfied with, the band had reached an agreement with the label to postpone the release of the album.

Subsequently, there were many songs discarded because, according to Martin, it best fit to "Parachutes". For him, making the likes of "Parachutes" was not anymore interesting to them: "It would have shown that we're happy to sit back on what we'd done, and we're not. For us it was important to progress and try to improve upon our abilities as musicians." Always in search of perfection, however, this encountered the band sometimes with "practice sessions ended abruptly with one or more members of Coldplay threatening to quit".cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1457204/20020827/coldplay.jhtml|title=Coldplay Bleed For Beauty On A Rush Of Blood To The Head|last=Wiederhorn|first=Jon|date=2002-08-27|publisher=MTV|accessdate=2008-09-16] After headlining 2002's Glastonbury Festival, Coldplay returned into the studio to work "Songs for #3" out. Phil Harvey, the band's manager, heard of "Clocks" and urged them to rework it immediately: "No, you must do that song now 'cause you're going on [in the lyrics] about urgency, and you're talking about keeping this song back. That doesn't make sense."

Martin has claimed that the album's title track is a homage to American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, whom he considered as one of "the greatest ... men with just guitars". [cite news|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1611108|title=Cash 'Comes Around' On New 'American' Album|last=Orshoski|first=Wes|date=2002-08-16|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|accessdate=2008-09-15]

Cover

The cover art for "A Rush of Blood to the Head" was designed by photographer Sølve Sundsbø. Before Martin knew of the image, Sundsbø was hired by fashion magazine "Dazed & Confused" in the late 1990s. The magazine's editor wanted him to produce something with a "technological feel, something all white". As an artist, he tried to do "stuff that hasn't been done before, which is virtually impossible"; he suggested taking shots using a three-dimensional scanning machine.cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2008/feb/14/photography.art|title=Sølve Sundsbø's best shot|last=Benedictus|first=Leo|date=2008-02-14|work=The Guardian|accessdate=2008-09-10]

The model for the shot wore an all-white makeup because it produces the "best results"; however, for the image, the model also wore a twill-colored cape. The computer could not read the colors so it was replaced with spikes, and the head in the image was chopped because the machine only scanned 30 centimetres. The editor of the magazine liked the image and eventually featured it in one of their publications.

Martin saw the image in the magazine. He approached Sundsbø and asked him to use the image for the cover image of "A Rush of Blood to the Head". For the album's singles, Martin asked Sundsbø what he could do; the latter suggested scanning the head of each member of the band.

Music and lyrics

listen|filename=Coldplay - Clocks.ogg|title="Clocks"
description=The musicscape of "Clocks" is mainly built around a piano riff.|format=Ogg

The album dominantly features songs with guitars and piano used. There are tracks that have been considered far from nü-metal, but are more "turbulent" than Coldplay's previous works. The album includes "guitar-pop", ballads, and acoustic songs. However, the U2-esque epic rock of the album's opening track "Politik", the piano-driven "Clocks", and the loud guitars of "A Whisper" were seen as an extension of the band's musical range. [cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/music/2002/08/26/rush_of_blood.shtml|title=Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head|date=2002-08-26|work=BBC Music|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=2008-10-02]

Recording the album after the September 11 attacks gave the band a fresh perspective: "The new songs are reflective of new attitudes. [They tell listeners] not to be frightened. Anybody can achieve whatever they want to." Most of the song lyrics are about urgency. Martin has commented that previous songs were more relaxed since they were in a comfortable state of mind: "Perhaps there's a bit more urgency on some of these songs. And that's born from all the places we've been and the thing's we've experienced." Martin has also explained, in relation to the theme of urgency, that the album's title means "doing something on impulse". Some songs featured in the album are about relationships. They are based on reality; however, they were written with fictional twist, according to Martin. There are songs also that are like fairy tales, with a beginning and an ending story.

Release and reception

The album was made available in August 2002, two months after its original release date. Record label Parlophone released the album on August 26 in the United Kingdom. It was released on August 27 in the United States through Capitol Records.

"A Rush of Blood to the Head" has earned the band several awards from domestic and international music press. In 2002, it was awarded Best Album at the "Q" Awards. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2328003.stm|title=Q Awards 2002: Winners|date=2002-10-14|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=2008-09-15] In the same year, the band won two at the Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song "In My Place".cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=Coldplay&year=0&genreID=0&hp=1|title=Grammy Awards Winners|publisher=The Recording Academy|accessdate=2008-09-15] In 2003, it won Best British Album at the BRIT Awards, and the following year, the band earned their first Grammy Award for Record of the Year for the song "Clocks". [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2655109.stm|title=Brit Awards 2003: Winners|date=2003-02-21|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=2008-09-15]

The album also received other accolades. It was chosen in 2002 as "Billboard" magazine's Critics' Choice, which is a pooled Top 10 favorites of the magazine's staff and freelance writers. [cite news|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1782579|title=Coldplay's 'Blood' Is Billboard's Critics' Choice|date=2002-12-20|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|accessdate=2008-09-15] The following year, it was ranked number 473 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. [cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/5|title=The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |date=2003-11-18|work=Rolling Stone|pages=5|accessdate=2008-09-15] In 2007, The National Association of Recording Merchandisers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame released a list of what they term "The Definitive 200 Albums of All Time"; "A Rush of Blood to the Head" ranks at number 65 on the list. [cite web|url=http://www.rockhall.com/pressroom/definitive-200|title=Definitive 200|publisher=The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum|accessdate=2008-09-15]

Critical reviews

"A Rush of Blood to the Head" has since received acclaim from European critics. Many of them complimented the album in various aspects, and felt it is better than "Parachutes". Alexis Petridis of the "The Guardian" newspaper wrote that the band's "new assurance is everywhere" in the album, and that "the timidity of "Parachutes" is nowhere to be found" in it. He concludes, "It sounds like an album ready to take on the world, and win." [cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2002/aug/16/popandrock.artsfeatures|title=Coldplay: A Rush of Blood to the Head|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|date=2002-08-16|work=The Guardian|accessdate=2008-09-16]

The album has also been lauded among international critics, the same as it did in Europe. Kelefa Sanneh of "The New York Times" praised the album, commenting that it is "one of the year's best albums" and describing it as "sparser, stranger and even catchier than its predecessor".cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06EED7113AF937A2575BC0A9649C8B63|title=POP REVIEW; Vertigo From the Falsetto and 'Parachutes'|last=Sanneh|first=Kelefa|date=2002-08-14|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2008-09-15] "Rolling Stone" magazine's Rob Sheffield, who was less happy with "Parachutes", said that "A Rush of Blood to the Head" is a nervier, edgier, thoroughly surprising album", adding, "But where "Parachutes" was the clumsy diary of a high-strung kid, "A Rush of Blood" sounds more like a band with the confidence to test its own limits." [cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/coldplay/albums/album/171751/review/5943034/a_rush_of_blood_to_the_head|title=Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|date=2002-08-26|work=Rolling Stone|accessdate=2008-09-16] MacKenzie Wilson of Allmusic echoed the above comments saying that it is a "strong album". Wilson, who compliments Martin for his "sharpened" falsetto and refined "haunting delivery" and Buckland for his "riveting guitar work", notes that "regardless of the band still being in their mid-twenties, they've made an amazing record". [cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:t1abqj3qojfa~T1|title=A Rush of Blood to the Head: Coldplay|last=Wilson|first=MacKenzie|work=Allmusic|publisher=Macrovision Company|accessdate=2008-09-16] Emma Pearse of the American newspaper "The Village Voice" has the same sentiments, stating that is it "a little edgier, trancier, and more conversational" compared to "Parachutes". [cite web|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0238/pearse.php|title=New Shapes and Colors|last=Pearse|first=Emma|date=2002-09-17|work=The Village Voice|accessdate=2008-09-16]

Commercial performance

"A Rush of Blood to the Head" debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, moving 273,924 copies.cite news|url=http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?storycode=1033488|title=The 20 biggest selling albums of the 21st Century|last=Jones|first=Alan|date=2008-03-12|work=Music Week|accessdate=2008-09-15] The British Phonographic Industry has since certified the album eight-time platinum for its accumulated sales of over 2.6 million copies. [cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=31350|title=Certified awards|publisher=British Phonographic Industry|accessdate=2008-09-15] With the subsequent release of "Clocks" and "The Scientist", the album spent over one year on the chart. "A Rush of Blood to the Head" has been placed at number seven on the list of United Kingdom's 20 biggest-selling albums of the 21st century, published by the British trade paper "Music Week".

The album debuted at number five in the United States with 144,000 copies initial sales, stronger than its predecessor, "Parachutes", which debuted at number 189 in December 2000. [cite news|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1662280|title=Dixie Chicks Make Their 'Home' On Top|last=Todd|first=Martens|coauthors=Ellis, Michael|date=2002-09-05|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|accessdate=2008-09-15] It has since been certified four-time platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for accumulated shipments of over four million units. [cite web|url=http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&artist=Coldplay&format=&debutLP=&perPage=25|title=Gold and Platinum|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|accessdate=2008-09-17] It has also been certified five-time platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association, having an accumulated shipments of over 350,000 units, [cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-albums-2004.htm|title=ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2004 Albums|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|accessdate=2008-09-15] and four-time platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association for shipments of over 400,000. [cite web|url=http://www.cria.ca/gold/1103_g.php|title=Gold & Platinum Certification|month=November|year=2003|publisher=Canadian Recording Industry Association|accessdate=2008-09-15]

Track listing

# "Politik" – 5:18
# "In My Place" – 3:48
# "God Put a Smile upon Your Face" – 4:57
# "The Scientist" – 5:09
# "Clocks" – 5:07
# "Daylight" – 5:27
# "Green Eyes" – 3:43
# "Warning Sign" – 5:31
# "A Whisper" – 3:58
# "A Rush of Blood to the Head" – 5:51
# "Amsterdam" – 5:19

Credits

;Production
* Produced by Coldplay and Ken Nelson
* Engineered and mixed by Coldplay, Ken Nelson and Rik Simpson
* Additional production and mixing by Mark Pythian;Personnel
* Chris Martin: Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards
* Jon Buckland: Guitars
* Guy Berryman: Bass
* Will Champion: Drums, Percussion
* Strings: Susan Dench, Richard George, Peter Lale, Anne Lines, Laura Melhewish, Leo Payne, Audrey Riley
* String arrangements by Coldplay and Audrey Riley

Notes

References

*

succession box
before = "Imagine" by Eva Cassidy
"Elephant" by The White Stripes
title = UK number one album
years = September 7 2002 – September 20 2002
April 26 2003 – May 2 2003
after = "Feels So Good" by Atomic Kitten
"American Life" by Madonnasuccession box
before = "Escape" by Enrique Iglesias
title = Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
years = 2 September 2002 - 8 September 2002
after = "" by Elvis Presley