Uncovering the story of Mylo Xyloto

[CartoonHeart42]

Just to get away from all the debate surrounding Paradise, thought I'd have a go and trying to work out what 'story' MX is telling. Sorry if this has already been done, just don't read it rather than tell me that if it has.

Chris has said it's a love story surrounding boy and girl protagonists. Clearly it is a love story against a backdrop of struggle and oppression, a beautifully powerful idea, although not a new one ('Nineteen Eighty-Four', 'Les Miserables', hell even 'Harry Potter'). Chris has also said the album draws inspiration from the White Rose Movement in Nazi Germany, the darkest of times epitomized by struggle and oppression. This makes the link with 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' perhaps the most important - I interpret the struggle as being against some tyrant or oppressive regime, a conclusion mainly based on Major Minus. The White Rose Movement of course used graffiti to oppose the regime, clearly explaining the album art and HLH lyrics etc.

So on to individual songs. HLH sets the scene. This will be followed by Paradise which introduces the female character and Charlie Brown which introduces the male character. The boy in the story appears to join the resistance movement in CB. Us Against the World then clearly introduces the theme of love between the two for the first time. Having not heard many of the songs that follow, the rest is purely speculation. But it appears by Major Minus the lovers are wanted by the 'bad guys' (couldn't think of a better description). I like to think the story will have a happy ending. But if I know Coldplay they'll leave that ending open to interpretation. Up With the Birds to me suggests the characters die, but it's a happy escape from their struggle, which would be typically dark.

I'm not entirely sure on the 'space' theme, but I'm going to assume it's a metaphor.

But hey, I could be wrong on everything here!