Elevated ballads for the new millennium

Recorded in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, A Rush of Blood to the Head is driven by tenderness and urgency. The simplicity of the band’s melodies, the suppleness of Chris Martin’s vocals, and the grandness of the arrangements make “The Scientist” and “Clocks” resilient anthems for a new millennium. While the atmospheric “Daylight” and “Warning Sign” look back to the weightless space balladry of David Bowie and Pink Floyd, “In My Place” is a gentle, slow motion march that seems to stop time.