It is no secret what a huge COLDPLAY fan I am. I first saw them live at the PNC Bank Arts Center with my fabulous friend Priscilla and ever since i have been a hardcore dedicated fan.
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| ColdPlay Concert @ PNC 2oo5 vannessa, keith, priscilla, & me <3 |
It must be said that I wouldn’t normally write a review of any album until I’d listened to it multiple times. I’m making a huge exception here for a couple of reasons. First, I’ve heard most of the songs on the album many times because Coldplay has been playing them at festivals. Second, I’m so familiar with their catalog that I feel pretty assured sharing my opinions on this album, in generalities at the very least. Finally, how many times am I going to get to do this? Like, none, and I really want to share this info with other excited Coldplay fans. So, without further ado, here’s my review of Mylo Xyloto (in stores Oct. 24, 2011).
Mylo Xyloto opens with the song of the same name, a tinkly, sparkling piano and xylophone track, a short musical introduction. Coldplay has also been opening their festival shows with this, and as in their live performances, on the album “MX” breezes seamlessly into the guitar-driven “Hurts Like Heaven.” ”Hurts Like Heaven” is a poppy number with ’80s influences (think “Lips Like Sugar“) and a number of terrific cascading riffs from guitarist Jonny Buckland that sound as fresh on the album as they do live. ”HLH”‘s lyrics and Martin’s vocal delivery also give it an urgency that match the guitar work.
One song Coldplay fans have been raving about for months now is the next track “Charlie Brown,” a song that sounds absolutely massive in concert thanks to Buckland’s circuitous, catchy guitar melody and Will Champion’s driving drums. Fans will be pleased to know that the album version is faithful to the live one, and actually, “Charlie Brown” sounds even more affirming on Mylo Xyloto as the production is kept simple and Martin’s voice is loose and fluid.
“M.M.I.X.”, another short instrumental interlude, quickly turns into Coldplay’s huge summer hit “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” featuring a sample of Peter Allen’s “I Go to Rio.” Much has already been said about “ETIAW,” a divisive track in the Coldplay fan community, but one that I personally enjoy. I mean, I don’t really know what’s not to like about it – it’s fun, the band sounds freer than they ever have, Buckland shines on an incredibly clever guitar riff, Champion pulsates on the drums, and I dig the talk-sing verses. One of my favorite aspects of Martin’s songwriting is how he perfectly encapsulates a sentiment into a simple lyrical line and “ETIAW” is full of examples of that (“I’d rather be a comma than a full stop”). As for the assertion that it’s too “pop”…well I hate to break it to you, but Coldplay’s had songs in the category of pop ever since “Yellow.”
Overall, Mylo Xyloto is bracing and vivid, not overproduced, and balances delicacy and bombast with a steady, assured hand. Coldplay has never been more liberated as a band, even on Viva La Vida where they first dipped into expanding their melodious sound. There’s no sense of that hesitation on MX which sometimes hindered the band in the past, and there are more variations of riffs, more solos, more beats, and more bass than ever before. Martin’s voice has also never sounded more natural and his range never bigger – he sounds terrific throughout. Mylo Xyloto is restless and fast-paced – the type of album that you can absorb listen after listen and hear something new each time. It’s filled with frenetic energy, sonic highs, and heartwrenching ballads; as a loose concept album, it’s absorbing on many levels, and sounds very of-the-moment, something Coldplay has always excelled at.
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| Mylo Xyloto 2011 |
One song Coldplay fans have been raving about for months now is the next track “Charlie Brown,” a song that sounds absolutely massive in concert thanks to Buckland’s circuitous, catchy guitar melody and Will Champion’s driving drums. Fans will be pleased to know that the album version is faithful to the live one, and actually, “Charlie Brown” sounds even more affirming on Mylo Xyloto as the production is kept simple and Martin’s voice is loose and fluid.
“M.M.I.X.”, another short instrumental interlude, quickly turns into Coldplay’s huge summer hit “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” featuring a sample of Peter Allen’s “I Go to Rio.” Much has already been said about “ETIAW,” a divisive track in the Coldplay fan community, but one that I personally enjoy. I mean, I don’t really know what’s not to like about it – it’s fun, the band sounds freer than they ever have, Buckland shines on an incredibly clever guitar riff, Champion pulsates on the drums, and I dig the talk-sing verses. One of my favorite aspects of Martin’s songwriting is how he perfectly encapsulates a sentiment into a simple lyrical line and “ETIAW” is full of examples of that (“I’d rather be a comma than a full stop”). As for the assertion that it’s too “pop”…well I hate to break it to you, but Coldplay’s had songs in the category of pop ever since “Yellow.”
Overall, Mylo Xyloto is bracing and vivid, not overproduced, and balances delicacy and bombast with a steady, assured hand. Coldplay has never been more liberated as a band, even on Viva La Vida where they first dipped into expanding their melodious sound. There’s no sense of that hesitation on MX which sometimes hindered the band in the past, and there are more variations of riffs, more solos, more beats, and more bass than ever before. Martin’s voice has also never sounded more natural and his range never bigger – he sounds terrific throughout. Mylo Xyloto is restless and fast-paced – the type of album that you can absorb listen after listen and hear something new each time. It’s filled with frenetic energy, sonic highs, and heartwrenching ballads; as a loose concept album, it’s absorbing on many levels, and sounds very of-the-moment, something Coldplay has always excelled at.
