MYLO XYLOTO: My Review

[SonnyIanni]

Mylo Xyloto - This very short introduction to the masterpiece itself will leave fans wanting more epicness. If this track was a full song, it would fit nicely here. Otherwise, it needs to be mixed in with Hurts Like Heaven.

 

Hurts Like Heaven - Other than the autotune, this track is definitely the song fans will adore. Who wouldn't love the epic guitar solos mixed in with a high-pitched synth?. It works well being the opening track.

 

Paradise - Being the second single, this song is either something you will love or hate. The low bass toppling over Chris Martin playing a sweet tune on the piano leaves you feeling polarized. Some fans may find the repetitive.

 

Charlie Brown - This is no doubt the best track on the album. Being the fan favorite live, it strikes resemblance to the melody of Viva la Vida. This tracks shows you that Coldplay still love to write the same music they wrote ten years ago.

 

Us Against the World - Played throughout the summer festivals, this acoustic piece features drummer Will Champion singing along side Chris Martin over a soft guitar melody. This track best represents the acoustic portion on the album.

 

M.M.I.X. - A short, pointless interlude that you will definitely skip over on your iPod. It has no build-up to the next track whatsoever. Resembling no meaning and is a waste of time, this could've been left off the album.

 

Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall - We then cut to the street single that was released over the summer. The acoustic/electronic mix is best represented here. Chris Martin knows how to write an anthem but surely doesn't know where to place it.

 

Major Minus – A low synth pounding over an untuned guitar is well-fitted in this high-point of the album. Chris Martin's distorted vocals leave you with a rocking feeling that makes you want to scream!

 

U.F.O. - A short acoustic piece by Chris Martin rings the sounds of Wedding Bells and shines the Christmas Lights. It was much unexpected but it works nicely here.

 

Princess of China (ft. Rihanna) - An R&B/Hip-Hop beat over Rihanna's high pitched voice leaves this radio-friendly hit surprisingly nothing special. It's a tune you can nod your head to and nothing more.

 

Up In Flames - Being written and recorded in over a week’s worth of time, this rushed piano piece will catch you from the start. A scorching melody over a hard hitting 808 kick will again leave you feeling polarized.

 

A Hopeful Transmission - A short interlude that hums the melody of Mylo Xyloto. It cuts to the next song perfectly but shouldn't be its own title track.

 

Don't Let It Break Your Heart - A huge chorus, ringing verses, what more can you ask for? This is where Coldplay gets to be Coldplay. It leads out to possibly be the runner-up to Charlie Brown. Definitely single worthy material!

 

Up With the Birds - Two songs mixed as one. A ringing piano tune cuts to a weird synth that separates it from a short acoustic sample with the band singing along. A great ending track that leave you with a smile.

 

I would give it an 8/10. What are your thoughts?

[42JTR]

I can't say any more than I totally agree with you:D

[Mark]

I think you're spot on, you know what you're talking about and you're really good at understanding what us as the fans want, which is something most reviewers don't do.

 

But I would say that to improve your reviewing, you could try to not so much describe what is happening in the song (ie, "epic guitar solos mixed in with a high-pitched synth") and explain more the feeling that it gives you; Hurts Like Heaven for example, explain how it's quite Arcade Fire in its chug, it's euphoric, etc.

 

Other than that, well done. Better than the NME review, that's for sure!

[SonnyIanni]

Thank you so very much! I tried my best! :)

[Tryptophan]

Charlie Brown - [...] This tracks shows you that Coldplay still love to write the same music they wrote ten years ago.

 

:laugh3: at this. Charlie Brown is so different from what they did ten years ago. It's a lot more outgoing and happy but also - people are going to kill me for this - a lot less... substantial if you ask me. Imagine Chris singing about running wild and glowing in the dark in a Parachutes/Rush of Blood song... Anyway, it's a good song for now, but I'm afraid it won't be as long lasting as what they did in the early noughties. I was stunned and enthusiastic when first I heard it in June but not it already bores me.

 

(Same goes for people who say UATW or U.F.O. are like Parachutes songs, or that Parachutes is an acoustic album. Other than the title track, it's not acoustic at all. Nevertheless, UATW and U.F.O. are really decent songs imo - and this has nothing to do with your review anyway, just something that's been bothering me.)

 

Other than that, good review, though I wouldn't call the piano tune in IUF "rushed" or the one in UWTB "ringing". That or I don't know what those words mean.

 

EDIT: be aware that mods may merge your review thread with an existing thread for reviews. It happened to me before.

[Our Escape]

Can we all just learn that voice fx =/= auto tune.

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

:laugh3: at this. Charlie Brown is so different from what they did ten years ago. It's a lot more outgoing and happy but also - people are going to kill me for this - a lot less... substantial if you ask me. Imagine Chris singing about running wild and glowing in the dark in a Parachutes/Rush of Blood song... Anyway, it's a good song for now, but I'm afraid it won't be as long lasting as what they did in the early noughties. I was stunned and enthusiastic when first I heard it in June but not it already bores me.

 

(Same goes for people who say UATW or U.F.O. are like Parachutes songs, or that Parachutes is an acoustic album. Other than the title track, it's not acoustic at all. Nevertheless, UATW and U.F.O. are really decent songs imo - and this has nothing to do with your review anyway, just something that's been bothering me.)

 

Other than that, good review, though I wouldn't call the piano tune in IUF "rushed" or the one in UWTB "ringing". That or I don't know what those words mean.

 

EDIT: be aware that mods may merge your review thread with an existing thread for reviews. It happened to me before.

 

No he's right. It's instantly recognisable as being Coldplay just as In My Place was 9 years ago. Soaring melodies, poppy guitar hooks - please tell me you've not heard that on a Coldplay record!

[Mackplay]

M.M.I.X. - A short, pointless interlude that you will definitely skip over on your iPod. It has no build-up to the next track whatsoever. Resembling no meaning and is a waste of time, this could've been left off the album.

 

:uhoh:You lost me here. MMIX is to ETIAW what MX is to HLH and AHT to DLIBYH

[Tryptophan]

No he's right. It's instantly recognisable as being Coldplay just as In My Place was 9 years ago. Soaring melodies, poppy guitar hooks - please tell me you've not heard that on a Coldplay record!

 

You're right about the melody, in fact it does resemble In My Place in a way. Still, other than the recognisable tune, I rest my case.

 

M.M.I.X. - A short, pointless interlude that you will definitely skip over on your iPod. It has no build-up to the next track whatsoever. Resembling no meaning and is a waste of time, this could've been left off the album.

 

:uhoh:You lost me here. MMIX is to ETIAW what MX is to HLH and AHT to DLIBYH

 

Yeah. Without it, UATW and ETIAW would clash badly. It could have been just part of ETIAW instead of its own track though.

[Brent]

Let's all start our own threads guys! :dazzled:

[SonnyIanni]

Well when I said that M.M.I.X. should have been left off, I meant that it shouldn't be it's own track. It should have been merged at the end of Us Against the World. I mean its a pointless track by itself. If you were to listen to the album from front to back it would make sense.

[Hartroc]

Charlie Brown is so different from what they did ten years ago. It's a lot more outgoing and happy but also - people are going to kill me for this - a lot less... substantial if you ask me.

.

 

Gotta disagree with you there. I would argue that it's just as substantial (i.e. deep, meaningful) as some of Viva, most of Parachutes, and all of X&Y, which is to say, not very. A Rush of Blood to the Head is an exception, but we never really expected them to top that anyway. :laugh3:

 

Coldplay have never been a band I would describe as insightful, substantial. I love their music, but besides Rush, I actually consider them relatively trite.

[Tryptophan]

Gotta disagree with you there. I would argue that it's just as substantial (i.e. deep, meaningful) as some of Viva, most of Parachutes, and all of X&Y, which is to say, not very. A Rush of Blood to the Head is an exception, but we never really expected them to top that anyway. :laugh3:

 

Coldplay have never been a band I would describe as insightful, substantial. I love their music, but besides Rush, I actually consider them relatively trite.

 

Yeah, well I generally consider most Viva lyrics as being a lot better than MX lyrics. I'm thinking about Violet Hill's "When the future's architectured by a carnival of idiots on show, you'd better lie low". But in the end they're not that special, indeed. At least they're good enough to be worth a Google search.

 

Maybe I'm focusing too much on Rush when I consider whether a new Coldplay song/album is good or not (both lyrically and sonically). That means in the end, they're not. I've come to an insight. Whenever they announce something new, I expect it to be Rush-worthy, and that's never the case. No wonder I'm always disappointed.