Coldplay deliver the right album for the times (Masslive - 4/5)

[busybeeburns]

 

Coldplay deliver the right album for the times (Masslive - 4/5)

 

Coldplay, “Mylo Xyloto” (Capitol). 4 stars.

 

Coldplay is selling vast numbers of albums and filling massive arenas at a time when few other artists are, so it seems strange to think of them as a band at the crossroads.

 

Somehow they are though. After more than a decade together, they have scored tremendous sales with their recent albums, including 2008’s “Viva La Vida.” With the success came the questions: Were they the new U2? Could they sustain the success? Would the extraordinary commercial success hurt their credibility?

 

So they have returned with “Mylo Xyloto,” which has an edge that “Viva La Vida” was lacking, upbeat flavors, swirling guitars, strings, keyboards and the occasional ballad. Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and frontman Chris Martin have taken Coldplay to the next logical step, and songs like the thumping “Hurts Like Heaven,” and the vibrant, guitar-swirling standout first single “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall,” showcase a band that still has plenty to say.

 

Those songs and others – such as the dream-weaving, nearly reverent “Paradise,” and the sweeping, big beat of “Princess of China” – the latter featuring an unexpected but perfect, prominent guest vocal from Rihanna – should solidify the band’s powerhouse commercial viability for years to come. Getting beyond that to the credibility issue is tougher to predict and more prone to changes in demographics than anything Coldplay is doing.

 

They worked hard at this album – leaving lots of songs on the cutting room floor – and it’s evident. The 14 selections form a cohesive vision breaking up the throttling sometimes with the occasional ballad or two, like “Up in Flames,” or the piano-based beauty of “Up with The Birds.”

 

Yet the most telling moment on “Mylo Xyloto” just might be the acoustic-based “Us Against the World,” which features one of Martin’s best vocals.

 

“Romance in an oppressive environment” is how Martin describes the theme of “Mylo Xyloto.” With world markets crumbling, echoes of “The Arab Spring” and cities across the globe being occupied by the disenchanted it sounds like the right album for the times.

 

Tracks to download: “Hurts Like Heaven,” “Princess of China.”

 

Rating Scale: One Star (poor) to Five Stars (a classic).

 

http://blog.masslive.com/playback/2011/10/coldplay_deliver_the_right_alb.html

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

Right album for the right times?

 

I guess so...considering a massive banking collapse is around the corner.