2 thoughts

 

1- Is there any info out about Coldplay as it relates to the Grammy's on Jan. 28? They have some significant nominations, is the whole band attending? My guess would be no, as I don't expect them to win any.

 

2-Did anyone get the sense that 1 or more members of the band really weren't digging AHFOD... like at all?

Guy seemed to be completely going through the motions during the tour. I mean, yes, he's no flamboyant personality to begin with, but he didn't seem to be into it during the tour. He looked much more engaged during Viva/Mylo eras.

 

I was not a fan of this album (first album of the seven that I really have no interest in listening to again, outside of a couple songs), and I get that sense that Will, Jonny and Guy are not exactly into this album. It seems like Chris has been engulfed and enamored by pop culture (probably as a result of becoming friends with pop stars/marrying Goop lady/paparazzi/living in LA) while the rest of the band are more into classic alternative rock music (Will has said his favorite album is VLV and Guy has said AROBTTH).

 

I hate to speculate, but I wonder if Jonny/Will/Guy have a different feeling about the direction of the band than Chris does. It would be easy for the three guys to just cruise on their millions of dollars and play on top of whatever Chris brings to them and have Stargate take a dump on it. But it would be better and more stable if they created stuff that is more organic, and that they were all into again. I would think the four guys would have the feeling that they still have something to prove. Coldplay will always be my favorite band, and most of their music amazes me at how good it is, but it still feels like they haven't reached their creative potential.

 

On the other hand, maybe they had to make a commercial album to fulfill what Parlophone wants. Chris saying "from here on out, we will only be full of surprises" gives me some hope that they can make music on their own terms. Did I read that their contract is out with Parlophone after AHFOD?

^ Things I think about.

 

1. I also doubt they'll make a Grammy appearance. I thought maybe if they released Life Is Beautiful as a Christmas single they could perform it, but that's out of the question now.

 

2. Sometimes I think this, other times I don't. With any massive tour (which is your job) at some point you have to get sick of playing the same stuff over and over I'd imagine, but some people just don't show enthusiasm the same way. At the Salt Lake City show I went to I did sense the band was largely going through the motions, but did enjoy the B-Stage and C-Stage bits a lot. Like you said, it feels wrong to speculate BUT they also are millionaires and as accomplished as they are, why should they care?

 

That is a cynical view however, and the flip side is that they all really enjoyed the new sounds Stargate brought and had fun translating that to massive stadiums. I personally felt Birds and Up&Up and Everglow were some of their best live songs in a while. Plus during interviews during their final legs they talked about how relaxed it was and how fun it has been to write new stuff! So that's a good sign.

 

At the end of the day, I think of when Chris said around X&Y: "We can't get much bigger, so we got to get better." AHFOD had some really interesting ideas that certainly could have been better, but it just ended up trying to sound bigger. I agree with everything you say though. They really hit some highs over the last 3 albums but each seemed like masterpieces that lost steam somewhere in the recording process and ended up just being good--not great.

^I agree with you about Birds and Up&Up, excellent live songs. Although they didn't play Birds in Foxborough when I was there, unfortunately. But the Glastonbury video looks awesome.

 

If AHFOD were more stripped down, or rather less produced, it would've been much better.

-HFTW/AOAL have really wore down on me

-Fun, Army of One, XMTS are among Coldplay's worst ever IMO

-Everglow is a solid piano ballad, kind of got sick of it after a while

-Amazing Day is meh

-The title track, Birds, Up&Up are good songs

Am I the only person who thinks Fun is the best track on AHFOD, followed by Amazing Day (which, granted, could have profited from less cheesiness, better lyrics and a less poppy drumbeat) ?

Am I the only person who thinks Fun is the best track on AHFOD, followed by Amazing Day (which, granted, could have profited from less cheesiness, better lyrics and a less poppy drumbeat) ?

It is definitely in the top 3 for me! I didn't like it at first but then one day I sort of rediscovered it and it grew on me.

Am I the only person who thinks Fun is the best track on AHFOD, followed by Amazing Day (which, granted, could have profited from less cheesiness, better lyrics and a less poppy drumbeat) ?

 

sometimes i forget about Fun D: probably because the band have, too :P

Amazing Day is incredible. but i don't see how you could write a song like that that ISN'T cheesy?? like when i think of old songs in that style... they're all cheesy :joy:

sometimes i forget about Fun D: probably because the band have, too :p

yeah, i mean they had Tove Lo open for them and everything. Why not bring her out to do the damn song, at least once, in Sweden or something.

i just saw this on twitter :joy:

 

[MEDIA=twitter]955083004585668608[/MEDIA]

Mobile Link: https://twitter.com/MEME_B0T/status/955083004585668608

i just saw this on twitter :joy:

 

[MEDIA=twitter]955083004585668608[/MEDIA]

Mobile Link: https://twitter.com/MEME_B0T/status/955083004585668608

Why am I laughing at this although I believe I should not really? :joy:

yeah, i mean they had Tove Lo open for them and everything. Why not bring her out to do the damn song, at least once, in Sweden or something.

I wonder if it's because of the subject matter? Maybe it didn't seem appropriate to sing it given personal matters? Hit too close to home or he's moved on past it?

I wonder if it's because of the subject matter? Maybe it didn't seem appropriate to sing it given personal matters? Hit too close to home or he's moved on past it?

But he just wrote it for the album whose tour he's trying to promote. I just dont get it, but oh well.

I wonder if it's because of the subject matter? Maybe it didn't seem appropriate to sing it given personal matters? Hit too close to home or he's moved on past it?

Well he still has played Fly On several times, which I would think is his most personal song.

He even teared up listening to it in the Zane Lowe interview.

 

But yeah, I'll never understand why Fun wasn't played on tour, with Tove Lo right there. Maybe they ended up not liking the song.

 

Oh the questions I'd love to ask Chris. "Why don't you guys like X&Y?" "Why didn't you guys play Fun?" "Would you ever do an anniversary tour?"

Am I the only person who thinks Fun is the best track on AHFOD

Fun was one of the first songs that I really liked on AHFOD. It is a reflective song about something that ended but remains upbeat which is a nice twist. When slotting it into all time favorite CP songs it won't register in hardly anyone's top 10 but I do enjoy listening to it, especially with Tove Lo on it. The song wouldn't be the same without her.

We need more people voting in the Hurt&Heal games ! If you have time, please do so.

Paris (MX artist) just quoted some AROBTTH lyrics!

[MEDIA=instagram]BeTKhLfjT2j[/MEDIA]

Mobile Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BeTKhLfjT2j/

A day too late, but Happy Birthday to our @Nie ! :party::party::party:

And confetti.

I wasnt sure until now WHY I saved so much freaking confetti from the concert.... I guess its in preparation for our riot :)

Look what my professor drew today!

They're alive!

I love how you were like, In the words of some singer named Chris, DONT PANIC. dont know why that made me laugh so hard

A day too late, but Happy Birthday to our @Nie ! :party::party::party:

 

happy even further belated birthday, Nie!! :D

Suddenly I remember that there was a political party whose members or supporters had a stand on the pedestrian precinct near our flat and were playing the AHFOD album and other songs by the Coldplay on full blast in order to promote themselves or attract passers-by ahead of the senate election last year. I remember myself actually being furious and mad when I happened to notice it because I felt like the Coldplay's music was being misused and became the victim of politicians for all the wrong reasons...

For those of who that play Rock Band, it appears ASFOS was just added to the downloadable content!

[ATTACH=full]7732[/ATTACH]

They're alive!

Wait, did guy just write something on Twitter?

Wait, did guy just write something on Twitter?

No, he shared that on Facebook.