X&Y

Recording in eight studios on two continents over the span of 18 months, Coldplay worked their asses off to make their third record—and it shows, especially if you’ve got a kickin’ stereo. (The budget for violins alone must’ve broken the bank.) The first single, “Speed of Sound,” is surprisingly peppy for this parka-wearing band, but much of the album is midtempo numbers that build, then throw you headlong into a wall of guitars. Once again Chris Martin’s voice cuts through the slick production and steals the show, aching with worry on tracks like “What If” or cooing romantically on the love letter “A Message.” Filled with more earnest sentiment than a greeting card writers’ convention, X&Y’s lush rock won’t make you strip off your clothes and screw—but it might fool your girlfriend into thinking you really love her.