MX Review (Austin Listening Party)

[Seppel]

The things she told about the songs are nothing new, its just what we all expected the songs to be...

 

And in fact:

 

-nothing mentioned about the unknown songs like U.F.O....very,very strange...but you cant say something about these songs if you havent heard them ;) Sorry for being unfair,but if you put the puzzle together its definetely a fake review...

yep i think so too,even if that would be weird

[Bonus_mosher]

I wouldn't go out on a limb and say that it's DEFINITELY a fake review.

but I would doubt it is real.

After so much of a spotlight on the new songs played this summer you would expect the reviewer to take in as much information about the unheard songs on the LP. I think the reason so many people are keen to believe it is down to the fact that it's a positive review.

[Ronnie O Sullivan]

It DEFINETLY cant be a coincidence that nothing is mentioned about U.F.O. and A Hopefull Transmission ! If youre going to such a first album listening everyone always remembers and expecting the unknown songs first...so she totally forget how they are ?! Cant be...

[Seppel]

It DEFINETLY cant be a coincidence that nothing is mentioned about U.F.O. and A Hopefull Transmission ! If youre going to such a first album listening everyone always remembers and expecting the unknown songs first...so she totally forget how they are ?! Cant be...

plus "Mylo Xyloto" is only mentioned as a short intro...

[Famous Old Painter]

THE ORACLE NEVER SAID MX WOULD BE A FULL SONG ON THE ALBUM.

 

She merely confirmed that it was the short intro they've been playing at festivals. That is not to say it won't be like that on the album. And the 3.30 track time was for Up With The Birds. So whatever idea people are getting that MX is a full song with lyrics was made up all by themselves. The Oracle never suggested it was.

[Mackplay]

In the latest BBC 6 interview, Will Champion said the album is under 45 min not 1 hour. That's a huge difference...

The fact that she and her hubby BOTH forgot about UFO anf AHT is beyond weird...

[Blue Nails]

Thanks for the review, Venus! This has my hopes going back up again.

 

Come on people, what's going on here? What's with the bad vibes?

Maybe - probably - she got very excited and it got a bit blurry. And don't forget, she took notes afterwards and she wrote the review about three days later.

I believe her.

 

And why would she put so much effort (which she clearly has) in a fake review?

 

Edit: when I watched Rock Am Ring, first time hearing the new songs, I could not remember afterwards that HLH was so fast, for example. Which would be the first thing I'd mention if I had to review it now.

[mayurshikotra]

THE ORACLE NEVER SAID MX WOULD BE A FULL SONG ON THE ALBUM.

 

She merely confirmed that it was the short intro they've been playing at festivals. That is not to say it won't be like that on the album. And the 3.30 track time was for Up With The Birds. So whatever idea people are getting that MX is a full song with lyrics was made up all by themselves. The Oracle never suggested it was.

 

 

This!! i cant remember it being mentioned either!

[MasoKnight]

Thank you so much for your review! :nice: It's nice to read something by someone not working for a major publication who may or may not have to say certain things about it.

 

And can everyone just be grateful for five minutes? Just because there's nothing "unexpected" in the review doesn't automatically mean it's a fraud either. The things that have been said about unknown songs so far have been said for a reason. I think everyone's perfectly aware that everything on the internet should be taken with a grain of salt, yet her website, interests, and location all point to the fact that she's not playing us. Let's just not be rude to someone who's being very nice to us by sharing.

 

Ditto.

[rafaelchampion]

THE ORACLE NEVER SAID MX WOULD BE A FULL SONG ON THE ALBUM.

 

She merely confirmed that it was the short intro they've been playing at festivals. That is not to say it won't be like that on the album. And the 3.30 track time was for Up With The Birds. So whatever idea people are getting that MX is a full song with lyrics was made up all by themselves. The Oracle never suggested it was.

 

Absolutely THIS!

I still hope Mylo Xyloto is that little 42 seconds track :smug:

If it's longer, it will totally take off the focus of Hurts Like Heaven(L) and it is BAD. Very bad.

[Samuel_94]

I think MX would be better as just a 42 second instrumental because it is very concise and lively!!! I can't seem them lyrics fitting into a tune like that!!

[Samuel_94]

I think MX would be better as just a 42 second instrumental because it is very concise and lively!!! I can't seem them lyrics fitting into a tune like that!!

[Cleggy]

Thanks a lot. I'm not sure if this was the intention, but you've raised my hopes and expectations of the album quite considerably. I have a feeling that either Up With The Birds or Up In Flames will be my favourite on the album. And seriously guys, where have you got the idea that Mylo Xyloto is a full song? The Oracle has never said anything about it being a full song, it isn't registered on the PRS as being 3:30 long either. Personally I believe that the review is genuine. It's only natural that you talk about songs in more detail if you've heard them previously. I'm sure nobody would be be able to remember all the new songs perfectly, especially when there's loads of other of new songs to take in too.

[Samuel_94]

Thats a very reasonable take on things!!!!!!!

[ApproximatelyInfinite]

OK, if everyone's waving it around, can someone show the actual Oracle post where she says MX is a "full track"? I've never seen it, and I just went looking for it for like 20 minutes. All I could find were these:

 

------------------

August 23, 2011 - submitted by Jon, United States of America

 

Q. Hi Oracle,

I was wondering if the song played before Hurts Like Heaven during the festival circuit is actually called Mylo Xyloto and was just shortened to MX to avoid spoiling the title of LP5 before the title was officially announced. Thanks!

 

 

The Oracle replies:

Ta-da! I wondered when someone would pick up on that after what I had said about it in a couple of answers.

MX did indeed mean Mylo Xyloto but at the festivals, as I did mention, it wasn't a full song, just a prelude/introduction to Hurts Like Heaven.

------------------

 

June 27, 2011 - submitted by Leah, Australia

 

Q. Is the new song with the lyrics 'You use your heart as a weapon / and it hurts like heaven' titled MX or Hurts Like Heaven? Hurts Like Heaven was mentioned as a song title by Chris in an interview, but on broadcasts of the song live, the title has been given as MX. So, which is it? Or is MX the intro to the song?

 

 

The Oracle replies:

It's kinda the final thing you said; Hurts Like Heaven with the intro MX.

------------------

 

 

To me, that says nothing about the length of MX on the actual album, necessarily, and if that's the only time she's mentioned anything about that song (I can't find any others, but someone else can help me out), it's definitely not "confirmed" that MX is anything more than a short instrumental like this girl says.

 

I have no reason to want or need to believe the original poster any more than I want to not believe her, as I feel fairly patient for this album to come out, but I just find everyones' reasons for not believing her to be pretty ridiculous, especially after all the clamoring for her to come back and write her review and wondering why she was taking so long...and then she posts something pretty viable and it's suddenly not good enough. We know there was a listening party in Austin, we know she's a music blogger from Austin, we know she wasn't allowed to take notes in the actual listening room, we know she was writing for a wider audience than just Coldplayers...I don't get why everyone's so quick to disbelieve, especially when evidence contradicting what she's said isn't easy to come by.

 

:shrug:

[thetelephoneline]

Maybe when the oracle confirmed that, they want a lyric version of Mylo on Mylo Xyloto. Now they'll do the same thing as they did with Life In Technicolor i & ii, maybe?

[getithom]

THE ORACLE NEVER SAID MX WOULD BE A FULL SONG ON THE ALBUM.

 

She merely confirmed that it was the short intro they've been playing at festivals. That is not to say it won't be like that on the album. And the 3.30 track time was for Up With The Birds. So whatever idea people are getting that MX is a full song with lyrics was made up all by themselves. The Oracle never suggested it was.

 

THANK YOU.

[RiotFever]

I hated your review, sorry, it lowered my excitement level for the album from a 6 to a 2 :\

 

.l.

[RiotFever]

Somebody ban me :p

[WeddingDom]

.l.[/size]

 

:nod:

[busybeeburns]

Special Edition Review: Coldplay’s Upcoming “Mylo Xyloto”

 

 

Courtesy of http://www.austingirlmusicguide.com/2011/09/19/special-edition-review-coldplays-upcoming-mylo-xyloto/

 

Follow them: @austingirlmg

 

Special Edition Review: Coldplay’s Upcoming “Mylo Xyloto”

 

Hi there readers! I can’t believe it’s been nine months since I’ve written a post. Graduate school ended back in May, and while I’ve been tossing around the idea of blogging again, the truth is that I just haven’t gotten around to it. This weekend though, I had sort of a once-in-a-lifetime experience that forced my hand.

 

If you’re new to my blog and you’re only reading this because I promised something uber-exclusive, then you’ll need to know that it’s no secret what a huge Coldplay fan I am. I first saw them live at the simulcast for their 2005 ACL taping and for the past 6 years, I’ve been a hardcore dedicated fan. I’m also happy to have a conversation with anyone about why loving them doesn’t preclude you from loving the most hipp(ster)ist of bands like TV on the Radio, Andrew Bird, Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, or the even more obscure. After all, this is my philosophy. Welcome to AGMG!

 

This weekend was pretty much everything a Coldplay fan could ask for: an incredible Austin City Limits taping with new material on Thursday night, and a headlining performance at the 10th Anniversary Austin City Limits Festival on Friday. But when the ol’ husband and I arrived late at home buzzing with excitement after the taping (um, front row and got to meet Chris Martin after the taping…yeah!), there was yet another surprise waiting for us. We discovered we were going to attend an exclusive listening party for Coldplay’s fifth album, Mylo Xyloto, at a secret location Friday afternoon.

 

We had some vague instructions to meet up at the Hilton by the airport, but we had no idea where we were going or what to expect. To make a very long story shorter, an hour or so later about 30 “winners” were shuffled on to a comfy bus and we were heading toward Congress Ave. We pulled up in the back of the Hotel Saint Cecilia, an absolutely gorgeous location, were fed and shortly thereafter we were herded into a room right off the patio to hear the album on a pair of MINDBLOWING Bowers and Wilkins 800 Diamonds.

 

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.

 

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.

 

“Hurts Like Heaven” gives way into one of Coldplay’s biggest sound divergences to date, the thumping and atmospheric second single, “Paradise.” The string intro to “Paradise” breaks into full-fledged hip-hop influenced synths and a heavy beat. This song has been discussed quite a bit amongst Coldplay fans and has its few detractors, but in the context of the album, it totally works. There are still a ton of Coldplay “indicators” here: piano notes, strings, and Martin’s smooth voice, here in storyteller mode, and the falsetto-filled chorus made for crowd chanting. Yet another reason to like “Paradise” on Mylo Xyloto – the band’s group vocals are simply striking. It was about this time at the listening party that everyone started bopping their heads – a definite good sign for being so early in the album.

 

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. Notably, “Charlie Brown” earned the first spontaneous applause in the tiny room of no more than 40 people.

 

The production value on “Us Against the World,” one of the standout tracks from Coldplay’s live performances, is thankfully also kept simple. ”Us Against the World” is easily one of the band’s most beautiful songs, and on the record, Martin and Champion’s vocal duet is stunning. ”UATW” has quieted festival crowds into contemplation mode, and it was no different at this event; the listeners totally absorbed it.

 

“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.”

 

On that note, the eighth track, “Major Minus,” serves as a perfect counterpoint to “ETIAW” for people looking for their rock fix. On the album, “Major Minus” is considerably more glossy than it is live, with Martin’s vocals calling out from behind a gauzy layer. Mylo Xyloto is sequenced so well that that aspect of it doesn’t bother me. I still prefer the searing, blistering live versions of the song personally, where the fervor of guitars, drums, and bass are unfettered. ”Major Minus” is also where the influences of Dylan and Springsteen are the most obvious, particularly in Martin’s phrasing and lyrics, and “MM” features one of the best recent uses of Martin’s falsetto.

 

It isn’t really until this point in the album that I heard songs that I wasn’t already familiar with. Among the remaining tracks, the one I was looking forward to most was the highly anticipated Rihanna-guesting “Princess of China.” Despite all the fretting/assumptions about it, I feel it is truly a standout track, the centerpiece of the album. This is probably the only other place on Mylo Xyloto where any sort of hip-hop influences emerge, but it’s done in an even more subtle way than “Paradise.” Rihanna sounds totally different here, unlike anything she’s done, and the combination of her voice with Martin’s is surprising in the best way possible. I think the feeling was mutual around the room; people applauded “Princess of China” more than any other track and none of these dedicated fans seemed put off by Rihanna’s presence – in fact, it was the opposite. This is still a Coldplay song, and Rihanna’s contribution is one that adds not only to the track, but to Mylo Xyloto as a whole. I can’t wait to hear it again.

 

“Up In Flames,” which debuted at the Austin City Limits taping, is another attention-grabber. It’s slow, with the metronome-style beat, and Martin’s crooning falsetto hitting highs more confidently than he has in years. Following “Princess of China,” the listening crowd got quiet again and there was noticeable sniffling. ”Up In Flames” is gorgeous and emotional in its simplicity, yet it sounds epic in its place on the album. The last two tracks of Mylo Xyloto are also quite noteworthy. ”Don’t Let It Break Your Heart” is an up-tempo track with a memorable ending reminiscent of “Charlie Brown” in styling, and “Up With The Birds” is another slow-burning torch song that completely breaks your heart at the end of the album.

 

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.

[the_escapist]

This is old news Ian. Thought we had another review.

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

This is old news Ian. Thought we had another review.

 

Maybe but it'd be much easier to locate the review for those who haven't read it. Also don't have to scurry through previous pages. I'm also guessing this review will be put up on the news section?

[busybeeburns]

This is old news Ian.

Not to me its not! Only just got round to reading'n'tweet'n it ;)

[Ostrich]

Thanks for the review! Not sure where all the hate is coming from; pretty sure this review is as legit as it gets. Try to remember back to when you heard VLV in full for the first time. Now imagine that you heard each song once, in order, and couldn't take notes until some time after. Now imagine that, still later than that, you tried to write a review. How detailed would it be? How would you describe the nuances of, say, Yes? Isn't it likely that you'd describe Violet Hill and VLV with more specificity than the others since you already heard them multiple times? This isn't a professional reviewer who has the CD in front of them and can sit down, take notes during the songs, replay them, etc to make sure every detail is hit upon. This was done from memory. I'd like to see any of the complainers on here do any better after hearing the album once.

 

Maybe when the oracle confirmed that, they want a lyric version of Mylo on Mylo Xyloto. Now they'll do the same thing as they did with Life In Technicolor i & ii, maybe?

 

For the 100th time, she never confirmed anything (I should know; I was the one who asked her the question to begin with!) "MX did indeed mean Mylo Xyloto but at the festivals, as I did mention, it wasn't a full song, just a prelude/introduction to Hurts Like Heaven." Can anyone tell me how that's confirming that it's a full length song with lyrics? It's not. All it's saying is that the song played at the festivals called MX is not a full song and is actually called Mylo Xyloto. As further proof, check out what Chris said about MX/HLH:

 

01 MYLO XYLOTO

It means whatever you want it to mean. [To me] it means a freedom of expression and you can think up new words if you want to. There’s still things that you can invent and words beginning with X are few and far between so we thought we might try and add one.

 

02 HURTS LIKE HEAVEN

That’s the opening track, really. That’s kind of our call to arms to each other. I think it’s calisthenics musically for us. It warms you up.

 

(Taken from the Music Week interview

 

MX is clearly short and without lyrics if Chris considers HLH the opening track. The version of LiT that made it on VLV doesn't have lyrics either, but I'd still consider that the opening track rather than COL. If HLH is to be the actual opener, MX can't be anything more than a short instrumental prelude.

 

By the way, tomson, I'm not really directing this at you specifically since it's been brought up a bunch of other times; I just quoted you in my response since you were the most recent one to bring it up. :)