CD: "X & Y" by Coldplay; Capitol Records.

Released: June 7.

Style: Rock.

My take: It seems that every decade has that one European band that takes a trip to America and consequently earns the title of "European Band of the Decade." The Beatles did it in the '60s, the Clash in the '70s, U2 in the '80s, Oasis in the '90s — although some would argue Radiohead deserves it more because of its innovative and creative edge, and that record sales don't equal greatness.

Coldplay seems to be the front-runner for the title in the 2000s, with two previous highly acclaimed albums, multiple Grammy nominations, awards and many music journalists saying they are this generation's U2. (Although Coldplay hasn't recorded anything with the impact of "The Joshua Tree," but I digress.)

However, Coldplay is different from the previous "Band of the Decade" titleholders because unlike them, Coldplay doesn't rock; you won't find a punishing riff, driving beat or crazy solo anywhere in its music. What you will find are poignant lyrics stemming from lead singer and main songwriter Chris Martin's emotions, backed up by the band's melancholy approach to instrumentals. It's a formula that brought them Top 40 success, so why all of a sudden ditch it?

That's the logic the British foursome used while recording its newest album, "X & Y." However, much like everything else, you can never truly repeat the recording of an album, especially when you're a star like Martin, who has been thrust into the life of a rock star because of his marriage to Hollywood A-lister Gwyneth Paltrow, a baby named Apple and playing Good Samaritan as the celebrity ambassador to many charities worldwide. You can find a list on the last page of the album's liner notes.

While the fame certainly will help sales of this album, it surely didn't help the recording of it. The beauty of Coldplay's last two albums was that it was an open letter to the downtrodden music fan written when Martin was feeling blue or about three inches tall. Unfortunately, fame and rock star status have stretched the band out to dimensions past the point where it can become that small again in the eyes of the public.

Not to say that "X & Y" is a bad album — that is simply untrue because there is lots of appeal. Lead single "Speed of Sound" is a song written and recorded in the vein of "Clocks," from the previous album. While nowhere near as thrilling, the track is still lots of fun (in a Coldplay sense, anyway) to listen to. "White Shadows" has the makings of a second hit single, with its driving backbeat and more footloose vocals and instruments; "Twisted Logic" is the product of Coldplay following a Radiohead blueprint to the letter. The album's best track is the hidden "Till Kingdom Come," by far the most carefree song on "X & Y" and about as light as Coldplay's ever gotten.

If Coldplay were a person, he'd be the mature-but-wants-to-be-young-again type. That is obvious here on "X & Y," because while the band's best stuff was in its younger days, that time waved bye-bye a long time ago. For the next album, Coldplay needs to realize it is not the Little Band That Could anymore, but instead the Big Band That'd Better.