If you could, how would you change the songs we've heard so far?

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

Just a little something for fun. I LOVE all the new songs (yes, ETIAW too) but I do kind of imagine each song is subject to change as the tour goes on / they get played in future dates. I mean, look at songs like GPASUYF. :D So let's discuss what you would change about the songs - instrumentation/how they play it live, lyrics, structure, anything.

 

ETIAW - I think Chris should be playing acoustic guitar on this song live instead of fist-pumping. Seriously. And the lyrics should suck less. :laugh3: Actually, the only line that bothers me is "cathedrals in my heart"...both grammatically and thematically I don't really understand it, and I don't really envision any particularly beautiful image to go with it either. :\

 

Major Minus - Nearly perfect as is, but perhaps it could do with er...more lyrics. I've never been a fan of such repetitive lyrics (Don't Panic and Sparks come to mind, as well as Wonderwall and a number of Oasis songs).

 

Hurts Like Heaven/Charlie Brown - These two songs are pretty much perfect for me, except I think they would both sound a lot better with Chris on the piano. If you watch Chris on Hurts Like Heaven, he's barely playing guitar anyways, but the last 30 seconds of HLH is very beautiful (as well as MX). The acoustic guitar in Charlie Brown doesn't do much for me either, which is why I'd argue it'd be better as a piano song too. Okay I have a bit of a piano obsession, but just look at how good Glass of Water is!

 

Us Against the World - I think realistically speaking, UATW is the only song that is subject to a lot of huge changes; I feel like they could do a lot of things with this song - turning it into a full band song, a piano ballad, a solo song for Chris. Personally, I wish all the other members would somehow join sooner considering Jonny and Guy really only spend around 45 seconds onstage in this song and then walk off before you even know it.

[Drew42LP5]

I definitely agree with you about ETIAW.

[Phoebeo]

I would change most things about ETIAW.

 

The beginning and the ending. I hate that he keeps singing 'IT WAS A WA WA WA WA WA-ATERFALL

A WA WA WA WA WA-ATERFALL' :blank:

 

And make it less pop, and better lyrics..

 

But I love the other songs.

[Cleggy]

I wouldn't really change anything about any of the new songs. They're all perfect as they are, particularly UATW. I think the worst thing they could do is make it a full band song, it's great as it is. As for ETIAW, they should just start the whole track again. New lyrics, new melody, new everything. It's a disaster from start to finish.

[Anser]

I wish for more actual playing of instruments generally - like on ETIAW, for example. And the other songs could use a bit of it too. I feel like we've heard too much playback lately, starting from Viva and Lost and now it's carrying on into this era it seems

[FJK_12]

I wish that at the end of HLH johnny would come in with the guitar solo from the beginning of the song, or something else, because the end of the song i.e. last 40 seconds of piano seems empty...

 

Also in charlie brown i think they should do more bits where they all sing together, like in HLH.

[42JTR]

I wouldn't change a thing, love the way the songs are at the moment.

[Fix42YellowClocks]

Major Minus - Nearly perfect as is, but perhaps it could do with er...more lyrics. I've never been a fan of such repetitive lyrics (Don't Panic and Sparks come to mind, as well as Wonderwall and a number of Oasis songs).

 

Thisthisthis. Those are all great songs actually. But I think more diversified lyrics would definitely help.

 

Hurts Like Heaven- Sweetness. No changes.

 

Charlie Brown- Epic. Singing a bit clearer.

 

Us Against the World. Amazing. A little more of Will's voice on it. Chris' seems to stand out uncannily above his for some reason?

 

Every Teardrop is a Waterfall- Less 'Drowning synthesizer wall'. I think it's a pretty good song but like. I wish they would play the synth like an instrument, like a piano like they do on HLH. Not conjure up a wall of noise that drowns out Jonny's epic guitar playing and Guy's, as one Coldplay put it, "Face-melting bass line". I can barely hear it and it's so good too. :/

[ColdplayingfromKansas]

I would take away the synths on ETiaW and get Chris on the piano instead. Turn up Guy's bass a little and end with a battle-duet between Will and Jonny--they get faster and faster toward the end and then finish on one last epic note together.

 

UAtW would sound soooo good on piano instead of acoustic guitar :wacky:

 

MX/Hurts Like Heaven is pretty good as it is although I agree that we need to hear more of the piano at the end--maybe have Jonny fade out and have a nice solo for Chris?

 

I would switch up Jonny's solo on Charlie Brown--it gets a bit repetitive after a while (this is the same reason I'm not too keen on Yellow or In My Place)

 

Major Minus is good, but geez Guy TURN THE BASS UP!!

 

And the opposite for Princess Of China--TURN THE BASS DOWN!!

[Hartroc]

Thisthisthis. Those are all great songs actually. But I think more diversified lyrics would definitely help.

 

Hurts Like Heaven- Sweetness. No changes.

 

Charlie Brown- Epic. Singing a bit clearer.

 

Us Against the World. Amazing. A little more of Will's voice on it. Chris' seems to stand out uncannily above his for some reason?

 

Every Teardrop is a Waterfall- Less 'Drowning synthesizer wall'. I think it's a pretty good song but like. I wish they would play the synth like an instrument, like a piano like they do on HLH. Not conjure up a wall of noise that drowns out Jonny's epic guitar playing and Guy's, as one Coldplay put it, "Face-melting bass line". I can barely hear it and it's so good too. :/

 

I very much disagree. The tidal wave (or waterfall? :P) of synths at the end is the best bit of the song for me. Chris's wordless crooning over his bandmate's soulful chorus, all drenched in a warm spray of reverbed guitars and synths...good stuff.

[Major_Love]

I wouldn't change something of ETIAW. For me, it is perfect live.

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

I would switch up Jonny's solo on Charlie Brown--it gets a bit repetitive after a while (this is the same reason I'm not too keen on Yellow or In My Place)

 

Major Minus is good, but geez Guy TURN THE BASS UP!!

 

And the opposite for Princess Of China--TURN THE BASS DOWN!!

 

Agreed on Charlie Brown...it's a good riff but they just play it one too many times. It could also do with more "choruses." :wink3:

 

I suspect the thing about bass though is that it has a lot to do with how the recording medium handles the sound (blah, cell phones....can't wait for Glastonbury). It's an epic bassline but then bass is naturally harder to hear, and the sound mixers need to make the guitar/singing audible too. :\

[ColdplayingfromKansas]

^ Exactly. I want to hear Guy's 'face-melting bass line' (Guy needs to have more of these, anyway :P ) but I don't want it to drown out everything around it

[Coldplay3277]

I wouldn't change something of ETIAW. For me, it is perfect live.

 

i disagree - it was trying to be Viva La Vida but failed :\

[42rock89]

I very much disagree. The tidal wave (or waterfall? :P) of synths at the end is the best bit of the song for me. Chris's wordless crooning over his bandmate's soulful chorus, all drenched in a warm spray of reverbed guitars and synths...good stuff.

 

Agreed, epic ending I look forward to every time I hear the song :D

 

Wish Charlie Brown was a bit longer, it seems that after the 'quiet' part after 'glowing in the dark' then the riff kicks back in it ends quickly.

 

Hurts Like Heaven - Longer instrumental piano playing masterpiece, I don't want a 40 second ending epic I want a 1 minute 40 second piano epic :D

[Xanderp15]

For me Major Minus, Hurt Like Heaven, and Charlie Brown are A-okay! Better than that in fact!

 

Every Teardrop -

- I love the bassline in the second half of the song. I wish Guy would be a bit more involved earlier in the song.

- I would drop the synth...or at least don't make it a focal point of the song. Turn the acoustic guitar track up in its place.

- Will, I know someone will jump on me for this for sure, but he is not a premier drummer, but he is still pretty damn good! Having said that, I would much rather hear something besides Bump, Bump, Bump, and cymbals. I love the last minute of the song when they are jammin' out! I realize the jam out occurs out of a build up throughout the song but The first half of the song still leaves much to be desired for me.

- Jonny, his presence is definitely felt in this song as he is in most of the new material. Love it!

- As far as the lyrics go, whatever. haha

 

Us Against the World - just a nice, heart-felt slow song. I like it!

[Sleep]

I expected Chris to play the acoustic guitar during ETIAW. It would make it seem less poppy, you know? Instead of him jumping around the stage and fist pumping he would actually be playing an instrument. Jumping around the stage and stuff almost cheapens the song...

Like imagine Life In Technicolor II if Chris was just bouncing around singing. I dunno.

I do like when the ending part of the song starts with the awesome bass line and Chris starts going crazy :D.

[Famous Old Painter]

As for ETIAW, they should just start the whole track again. New lyrics, new melody, new everything. It's a disaster from start to finish.

Yeah, pretty much this. :nod:

[nick311]

Put them in a gas chamber and act like it never happened :nod:

[i'maveryneatMonster.']

Make Chris stop singing forever and put Will on vocals.

[Famous Old Painter]

I like this idea. Will have a lovely voice.

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

Coldplay should just become a folk band with Will on vocals.... :lol:

 

I expected Chris to play the acoustic guitar during ETIAW. It would make it seem less poppy, you know? Instead of him jumping around the stage and fist pumping he would actually be playing an instrument. Jumping around the stage and stuff almost cheapens the song...

Like imagine Life In Technicolor II if Chris was just bouncing around singing. I dunno.

I do like when the ending part of the song starts with the awesome bass line and Chris starts going crazy :D.

 

Agreed. I've always thought that Chris makes a brilliant and charismatic frontman without having to resort to an excess of running around and stuff. I mean, Viva la Vida and In My Place I can kind of get. But whenever I watch a performance of Lost, it makes me happy when sits down at the synth/piano. In the same way, ETIAW could benefit from Chris just er..sitting down.

[tesseract]

In my opinion too many songs are too short (most of them 3-4 min). I miss all the instrumental sections that give the songs more space to develop.

 

I really miss those long songs like AROBTTH and Spies or Amsterdam....since VLV they changed the type of their songs to more complex and faster songs.

[admnistramation]

I don't fancy Will's vocals. :|

 

I wish Major Minus were kind of longer, though. I'm loving those sirens towards the end, though.

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

Yeah I wish Major Minus was longer. :( But I guess it's "supposed" to have that fast pace? Same goes for Cemeteries of London. I could listen to that drumbeat all bloody day.

 

And, I actually really like the end of ETIAW. The synthesizer isn't as overbearing as it is in the beginning, and hearing Will sing at the end is brilliant in my opinion. :)