I can't deny it - I was absolutely obsessed with Coldplay's first album, "Parachutes." Every weekend morning without fail that CD just had to be playing in my kitchen. Sure, some people say Coldplay is a whiny, one-note group just stealing material from Radiohead. But two years after their debut release, the group has stunned their listeners yet again and silenced their critics with "A Rush of Blood to the Head."

The U.K. band's sophomore effort is more fully realized than "Parachutes" - and believe me, I thought it would be impossible to improve on that album. Instead of just being a soundtrack to a rainy morning, the album contains more melodic audioscapes, soaring choruses and heavier guitars and drums. Even the first single, "In My Place" (No. 2) has a more booming drum sound on the album than on the radio edit. While "Amsterdam" (No. 11) brings the boys back to their previous hits like "Yellow," edgier songs like "Politik" (No. 1) and "Whisper" (No. 9) show how far the group has developed and even improved. A must-have for any rock fan.