[Blog] Coldplay's new EP: a rant.

[Jenjie]

I was dead-set on posting my thoughts on the Killers' new album, Day & Age tonight. And I do have thoughts on it. Then I realized that the Coldplay EP was released today in Australia or some other dirty third-world country. So I quickly grabbed a torrent.

 

Now I'm writing about it even though I'm only halfway through my first listen. Day & Age can wait.

 

Transport yourselves back in time! It's the summer. Coldplay was busy hyping the hell out of their fourth album (Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends). It was supposed to be a reinvention borne of their three-year hiatus. It was going to innovate, create, tackle new ground. It was going to be Kid A, a chance for the band often called "Radiohead-lite" to prove the critics wrong.

 

And it wasn't. I mean, Viva was a good album, and on some tracks you could definitely hear Coldplay pushing themselves to find something new. Strawberry Swing, or Lovers in Japan. But much of the album was the same-old, over-produced and under-inspired Coldplay of X&Y.

 

Which leads me to the new EP, Prospekt's March.

 

Prospekt's March is comprised of the leftovers from the Viva recording sessions. The songs that, for whatever reason, didn't make the cut. And so here's the frustrating part:

 

Judging by the songs on the EP, it looks like someone in Coldplay, or their producer, or EMI, listened to the stuff they'd recorded at the Viva sessions and freaked. They realized that most of these songs didn't sound Coldplay enough.

 

The innovation is definitely here, and if they'd kept some of these songs on the album, or put them on in place of some of the stuff that did make the cut, we'd all be talking much differently about Coldplay right now.

 

They could've had their Kid A, I'm not kidding.

 

Let's go track by track:

 

 

Opening the album is an extended version of Viva's electronic-ish opener, but this time with lyrics. It's a nice indication that Coldplay is finally thinking thematically in their sound instead of solely in their lyrics. Nothing groundbreaking, though.

 

Next up is Postcards From Far Away, which turns out to be a short piano piece. Nothing else, but it's elegant, and essentially proof that Chris Martin has grown exponentially as a composer. I mean, do you realize that Matthew Bellamy had to help him with the piano part for Politik? That song's nothing but pounding chords. Christ. Anyway, Postcards definitely should've been on the album, maybe in place of the drab and completely unmoving Reign of Love.

 

Third is Glass of Water, which didn't sound too remarkable. Granted, I've only listened to it once. Maybe it'll catch on. But who cares, when the next song is:

 

Rainy Day. This is absolutely the most inventive and interesting song Coldplay's ever written. Maybe my favorite new track of the year. It's edgy but pleasant, electronic but restrained. This is probably Coldplay's best work. I can't imagine who in their right mind decided this song should be hidden away on some EP release. That's just a damn crime.

 

Next is Prospekt's March, which is a perfect centerpiece to an album. Anyone who followed the prerelease buzz of Viva knows that it was originally going to be called Prospekt, or Prospekt's March. I assume this song would've been the anchor of the album, had things not changed. And it'd be perfect in that role. Yeah, the song Viva La Vida is catchy and has a nice beat to it. But it's like popcorn--there's no substance to it. If Prospekt's March had been the centerpiece instead... I almost don't want to think about it.

 

The next two songs are remixes of songs from Viva. Fuck that.

 

The closing song, Now My Feet Won't Touch the Ground, has the misfortune of being beautiful and on acoustic guitar. Coldplay have developed some bizarre habit of hiding their most honest acoustic songs, either as bonus tracks or b-sides. This song also should've been on the album.

 

So that's it. I'm feeling very torn right now. On one hand, I'm glad that these tracks found their way out of EMI. On the other hand, I'm incredibly disappointed that Chris Martin & Co. didn't have the artistic sensibility to recognize how good these are, or the integrity to stand up to the marketing department.

 

And on my third hand, I'm hopeful that next time around, without the pressure to make a "comeback album," Coldplay can finally give us a truly great record. They were obviously so close this time, and I'd love to see them pull it off.

 

 

-:- Andrew Skatterfelt

 

http://skatterfelt.livejournal.com/4410.html

[Tnspieler1012]

I hate bloggers, they exaggerate and get everything wrong.

[The Escapist]

Then I realized that the Coldplay EP was released today in Australia or some other dirty third-world country. So I quickly grabbed a torrent.

http://skatterfelt.livejournal.com/4410.html

 

This guy is obviously a fuckhead.

 

As for his review it was ok but the best songs he passed by as nothing special and the very different coldplay he thought was great. He also thinks that the EP songs were better then half of those on the album but I think he is wrong. The only part I agree with him on really is the two remixes. This is probably not written very well as I am so angry he has compared Australia with a third world country.

[Jenjie]

they don't get everything wrong. some of the advance info on this site comes from blogs. eg, the UK support acts were found in a blog, before the official site mentioned anything

[Space Cadet]

I agree with the guy's main point completely.

 

Coldplay seem to have this phobia that their most interesting stuff isn't Coldplay-ish enough, so they end up leaving it out for later. Chris has said as much about the EP lots of times- that is was "too different" for the album. Which is nonsense.

[Fixed]

I agree with the guy's main point completely.

 

Coldplay seem to have this phobia that their most interesting stuff isn't Coldplay-ish enough, so they end up leaving it out for later. Chris has said as much about the EP lots of times- that is was "too different" for the album. Which is nonsense.

This.

[Tnspieler1012]

I meant that in the sense they tend to have very strong, disagreeable opinions. Here are my objections (leaving out the australia cheapshot):

 

1. Coldplay never promised a "kid-a" of sorts, and acknowledging lovers in japan and strawberry swing as some of the album's high points, he never explains which songs are uninspired and over-produced. I can only think of one, lost!, but it's frustrating when people don't cite their reasons because I can't think of any other song on the album that fits into that category.

 

2. Chris Martin's always been a solid composer, obviously he's never heard 'a ghost', not that he should...but the politik bit is annoying because the song isn't two chords, it has a complicated bridge with five or so different chords and it was unwarranted to give the impression that Chris Martin couldn't put two chords together without help.

 

3. These songs weren't so much leftovers from the recording session, as they were unfinished and unfit to be on the album at the time, in other words, not an option for the tracklist.

 

4. Postcards from far away would've been a complete sore thumb on the album. Doesn't fit. Along with rainy day and Now My Feet Won't Touch the Ground the album would've become a weird playlist, not an album. He doesn't seem to understand the connectiveness required. LIT into COL. 42 into LIJ. VLV into Violet Hill etc. an album is supposed to be more than the sum of it's parts, and thematically, I'm glad none of these tracks were on the album because they simply don't jive. It was artistic sensibility that kept these tracks off the album, not on. And frankly, they're not dramatically innovative or Kid A-ish. I mean. Rainy Day's chorus is rising strings, how revolutionary...He had no comment on Glass of Water and LIT, and No More Keeping My Feet on the Ground is essentially solo acoustic. He didn't even mention the brass, so I take it that wasn't the high point.

[Yellow Hill]

Meh

[Fixed]

Did Matt Bellamy really help Chris with Politik?

[notlost92]

If he'd gotten his facts straight, then I would consider his point. But seeing as Chris himself said that these tracks were unfinished at the time of the Viva deadline, his point is irrelevant. Yes, I think VLVODAAHF could've been even more mindblowingly awesome with some of these songs, but the fact is that it wasn't possible.

 

He makes it sound like these songs have just been lying around for a while and EMI stopped them from putting them on, but that just isn't true...

[frostbitepanda]

I kind of agree with him. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If songs like 'Now More Keeping My Feet On The Ground', 'Prospekt's March', and 'Rainy Day' (Even though I kind of hate that song) had been on 'Viva', we would've seen Coldplay get the reviews they used to get in 2000-2003.

 

The fact that these songs saw the light of day is an indication that they're gaining alot more confidence in their inventive compositions. I almost feel like Coldplay said 'Well we'll release Viva as a warm-up and see if people like it.' They saw that, yes, indeed we did, so gave us more of the newer Coldplay. And look at us now! People are falling all over themselves about this collection of eight songs and claming that it's better than Viva.

 

This EP made me want them to get immediately back in the studio and record a new record that is completely unobligated and compeltely unrestrained. Nothing but them, their ideas, and what they want to do. Not "well, is this what the biggest band in the world would do"? Hell yeah it is, because the biggest band in the world should be able to do anything it damn well pleases. I feel like Since X&Y, they've gained back a lot more of their control (Maybe even more than from Rush of Blood/Parachutes) and will hopefully take that control and run with it as far as they can.

[Tnspieler1012]

I'm getting tired of people saying that the E.P. is proof that the band was afraid of getting too experimental with VLV and so gave in to more accessible, pop-friendly tracks. The fact is these songs weren't completed back then, Coldplay has said time and time again they felt complete free in the making of this album, and honestly I'm not convinced these tracks would've boosted their reviews. Critics would still go on about horribly pretentious the lyrics are (probably more so), and how it all boils down to their lukewarm attempt at imitating radiohead, and that's it's essentially the same old shit with some tubas and violins thrown in.

[frostbitepanda]

If he'd gotten his facts straight, then I would consider his point. But seeing as Chris himself said that these tracks were unfinished at the time of the Viva deadline, his point is irrelevant. Yes, I think VLVODAAHF could've been even more mindblowingly awesome with some of these songs, but the fact is that it wasn't possible.

 

He makes it sound like these songs have just been lying around for a while and EMI stopped them from putting them on, but that just isn't true...

 

Yes, but they obviously had all of these songs recorded in some form or fashion loooong before a deadline for Viva was ever set. We all remember hearing rumors of track listings with Prospekt's March and Postcards From Far Away and Poppyfields. Plus, if they really wanted them on the ablum, they couldve push the date back, as they did with X&Y.

[Tnspieler1012]

Plus, if they really wanted them on the ablum, they couldve push the date back, as they did with X&Y.

 

But they had already pushed the date back a good four, five months. I really doubt the band is of the opinion that these songs should've been on the album. Personally, I think DAAHF's is a lot better than NMFWTTG. Violet Hill better than Prospekt't March. Strawberry swing better than Rainy day...

[Strawberry Swinger]

Glass of Water nothing special? Loooooo-seeeeeeeeeeer!

[frostbitepanda]

But they had already pushed the date back a good four, five months. I really doubt the band is of the opinion that these songs should've been on the album. Personally, I think DAAHF's is a lot better than NMFWTTG. Violet Hill better than Prospekt't March. Strawberry swing better than Rainy day...

 

You have points there, however, I think it's unfair to compare Violet Hill to PM or DAAHF to NWFWTTG, which are completely different songs in their own right. Viva is a great album, really. And I also agree that Chris never promised a Kid A (And nor should he ever), but the fact remains that he did say that these songs were considered too un-'Coldplayish' for a lot of folk, which is why they were reserved for an EP. I highly doubt that songs were less that 70% finished. They would not only get that stamp, but I highly doubt that the band would feel the need to go back and finish them unless they really thought they were worth it. Coldplay recorded 30+ (Fully recorded) songs for X&Y, but never saw fit to release an EP for them, probably because they were terrible.

 

Also, your opinion on these songs versus Viva and mine, simply vary. It's completely objective.

 

Personally, an album like this, would've blown me away:

 

Life In Techincolor

Cemeteries Of London

Postcards From Faraway

Glass Of Water

42

Now My Feet Won't Touch The Ground

Lovers In Japan (Without Reign of Love)

Violet Hill

Prospekt's March

Strawberry Swing

Death And All His Friends

 

I could sit and explain why this tracklisting is so amazing, however, someone else may post a tracklisting that they believe would sounds the best. Point being, it's useless to argue about it.

 

Point is, that now we have all of these amazing songs from Coldplay and I can't wait to see what else they have up their sleeves. Hopefully they'll keep doing what they're doing.

 

Also: I just wanted to say that his crack about Chris being a terrible composer is unfounded by the simple fact that he's talking about the same man who wrote the piano melody for 'Trouble' waaaaay before 'Politik'. And if he did need help for 'Politik', it was probably because some of the chord progressions are so fucking weird. Yes, it's all 8th notes (Testeament to that song's brilliance), but that doesn't mean it isn't confusing. And let's not forget that he wrote 'Daylight', one of the most confusing piano pieces I've seen in my life. Complicated rythm and melody, and strange key signatures that change throughout the song. </rant>

[Tnspieler1012]

I see what you mean, but I just can't see postcards or NMFWTTG working in an album like that. NMFWTTG would be especially awkward. They may work wonderfully as a playlist, but not an album IMO. I guess it's probably best to leave it at an objective difference in opinion though.

[StephenG]

I hate bloggers, they exaggerate and get everything wrong.

 

Yup, I dont remember any comparisons to Kid A.

 

And Im sorry but VLV was a very tight, compact conceptial cd. One of my favorates ever, mainly because CP succeeded in bringing a different mood and colour with each song, so it all complimented itself.

 

These songs from what i've heard are those that didn't fit on VLV for whatever reason. Glass of Water for example is too simple, rocky and unsweeping to be on VLV.

 

 

 

 

 

To many people experimental by definition means electronic (sounds like Kid A) Coldplay were experimental in their efforts to bring so many different types of music, far eastern, Indian, choiral ectra... this is exactly how the Beatles branched out for revolver.

 

Actually... lets go that far... VLV is Coldplay's Revolver, and unlike revolver it has no filler...

 

Wow, on any forum but this one, I'd get flamed baaaaaaaaad for that.

[Tarkovsky2]

Glass of water is so bad really(with symbols like glass of water etc like in primary school, but if we forget about jay z and remixes, Prospekt march is far better than Viva.I fully agree with this article.