Pro Wrestling and Number 89

One of the few TV shows I go out of my way to see on a weekly basis is Professional Wrestling, particularly the WWE. I've watched wrestling since 1999 when my wife suggested we begin watching it together. Initially, wrestling didn't really make sense to me as it seemed like a bunch of guys running all over the place and yelling randomly. But the more I watched, the more I became hooked on the outlandish personalities, crazy conflicts and high risk physical stunts. Granted, the fights are fake and the stunts are planned but I've always been a sucker for stunt shows (seen one everytime I've been at Universal Studios. It's been a while though, the last time I was there it was the Miami Vice stunt show).

I got into wrestling just in time to watch it's popularity peak and nosedive. It's hard to say what happened, it seemed like the bubble just burst. Many of the popular wrestlers left or reduced their appearances due to injuries (Stone Cold Steve Austin), age (Hulk Hogan) or just plain found something else to do (The Rock). With the lack of main eventers available and a dumb marketing move (splitting the roster into two shows Raw and Smackdown) the audience dwindled while WWE ran out of fresh ideas and talent. These days, they seem content to recycle the past endlessly.

Still, I enjoy watching wrestling periodically and actually liked Monday night's Raw more than I thought I would. Some things happened which I never thought would, such as Rob Van Dam (Mr Monday Night, Mr Pay Per View, The Whole Dam Show) finally winning the world championship. I've been a fan of Van Dam for a long time and was happy to see him finally hold the title. Also, Degeneration X returned with Shawn Michaels and Triple HHH crotch chops and all. While it was a little embarrassing watching these guys act as if they were 10 years younger, DX was one of the most popular wrestling stables ever. It'll be interesting to see who else they recruit for DX this time. Lastly, I got to hear the much maligned John Cena get something close to a pop for the first time in months. A promising wrestler with a catchy gimmick, Cena was rushed to the main event level faster than his skills could develop. As a result, Cena has suffered a huge audience backlash because both his gimmick and wrestling moves became really predictable. I feel badly for Cena as he portrays a "face" (good guy) and clearly gives 100% in putting on the best show he can, but every move he makes is met with a loud chorus of boos. Unfortunately, Cena has crossed the one line wrestling fans can't forgive: being boring.

Speaking of boring, this sort of brings me to Number 89:

Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head (2002)

Wow, a CD on my list not from 1970-something. It's actually from this century! Coldplay is the latest band to decend from the family tree (Joshua Tree?) of U2, though Coldplay takes their nod from one of that band's lesser known albums The Unforgettable Fire. When U2 recorded that album, it seemed like a sidestep in their career as it was heavy on atmospherics and lacked punch. The album was an artistic success, but it was no mistake when U2 tightened their sound on the next album and became legendary rock stars.

So The Unforgettable Fire seems like an unlikely candidate to inspire future generations, but Coldplay seems to have swallowed that album whole. Slow, steady rhythms, echoing keyboards and slow building guitar lines topped by emotive vocals define the Coldplay sound. Where Coldplay differs from U2 is while U2 lunges for bracing, anthemic melodies Coldplay gets swoony and winsome. To put it briefly, they make modern rock ballads. A lot of them. CD's full of them.

A Rush Of Blood To The Head is Coldplay's second album, it comes between their much acclaimed debut I haven't heard (Parachutes) and their bloated, limelight hogging third album I did hear (X&Y). There is a consiseness to the songwriting on "Rush" and many of the songs are catchy and memorable. Most people know Coldplay by the main hit single, "Clocks". "Clocks" is the song which made me (and many others) interested in Coldplay, with its ethereal atmosphere, skipping beat and fugue like keyboard riff (hope I used fugue right) . Many a PBS pledge has been made to the sound of "Clocks". The song I really like on this album is "The Scientist", a yearning piano based ballad that gives the feeling of finding strength in the face of hardship. Another song that I enjoyed is "God Put A Smile On Your Face". It's a rare happy song from a band known for being mopey. It's also one of the few songs on the album to not be a ballad.

Other good songs includes "Green Eyes", a guitar strummed ballad that sounds like an allergy commercial. Also the radio hit "In My Place" stands out, particularly when you're waiting for a seat at Red Robin restaurant eagerly anticpating a huge burger. Hmmm...Burger.

I find the music on this album strikes a mood that feels like musical purgatory. It has enough going on to keep you awake but doesn't make you want to move. You can consider them the band that stole Radiohead's thunder, the band whose hits make no sense ("Yellow"? Just don't get that song) , the band who married Gwyneth Paltrow, but the one thing you can't consider them is boring. Well, maybe a little bit. But still very good.

...And that's the bottom line, 'cause Stone Cold said so!