Coldplay – X & Y

Observations

Just picked up the new Coldplay — X&Y. I’m pleased that Coldplay, or the label, or the suit that makes these decisions kept the FBI anti-piracy warning very small, nearly unreadable, on the disc and case. Especially, there is not the gimcrack FBI seal that I’ve seen on a few albums. These things make me want to *not* buy music.

Oh yeah, the music is enchanting, the melodies are well-crafted, the lyrics are keen. It is good. That is to say, it is just, pure, and lovely. It is of good report and I shall think on it for quite some time to come.

…Oops, just caught the gimcrack FBI seal on the back of the case. Well, it’s small and unobtrusive (that is, it doesn’t take up 1/4 of the “behind the disc” space and isn’t in colour…ugh).

MG, a graphic designer responds: “Indeed. That FBI notice is a designer’s nightmare. It’s like someone painting a huge ‘do not touch’ sign right into the Mona Lisa before hanging it back up in the Louvre. It’s really disgusting, and I’m sure it’s not effective enough to justify making it that much more difficult on the eyes of so many brilliant designers and the album consumers.”

(It’s sad that a quick comment on such a beautiful record has degenerated into a discussion of the FBI anti-piracy seal.)


I don’t know what it is but I’m going to go with “the weather.” For two days, we’ve been able to hear almost every jet aircraft that flies overhead. Normally, you’d see the planes by their vapor trails and not hear them. Now you can’t see them but you can hear them. Really, it’s uncanny. But it’s been hot and humid for exactly that long so the things coincide and that would be the only logical explanation anyway. How fascinating!