A beautiful day for Coldplay (Boston Herald: B+)

 

COLDPLAY

“Mylo Xyloto” (Parlophone)

Grade: B+

 

Coldplay cribbed its early sound from a single Radiohead song, “Fake Plastic Trees.” But Chris Martin has become too happy a chap to sell the angst of “Fake Plastic Trees.”

 

On album five, Martin and mates finish the transition from wannabe Radiohead to today’s U2, using “Beautiful Day” as their new template.

 

Not every song on “Mylo Xyloto” sounds like U2’s sappy single, but every few minutes something “Beautiful Day”-ish bleeds through: the string and keyboard crescendo in “Paradise,” the guitar arpeggio opening “Us Against the World” or the boundless positivity of “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.”

 

“Beautiful Day” is a fine song. Sure, it represents the artistic decay of a once great band, but it has a catchy melody and it’s hopeful.

 

This is precisely why Martin loves it so and why he’s so good at channeling it: He has an amazing gift for writing catchy melodies and is eternally hopeful.

 

On “Mylo Xyloto,” he and his band seem to do the impossible again. They give thumping power and optimism to what should be mopey wuss rock.

 

But when Coldplay gets away from U2, it is at its best.

 

The electro touches, which could have been lifted from Boston’s Passion Pit, are an awesome addition. “Hurts Like Heaven” positively pulses with pretty synthesizers and bops with blips and bleeps. The one moment when Jonny Buckland lets his guitar get angry (“Major Minus”), it’s a brilliant, chaotic mess.

 

But the band barely gets out of new-U2 mode. No wonder, the album was co-produced by and co-written with U2 collaborator Brian Eno. Martin is just too damn happy to focus on the dark, edgy diversions.

 

When wife Gwyneth Paltrow steps out on him, we’ll get a masterpiece. Until then, it’s going to be mostly catchy, hopeful pop. Download: “Hurts Like Heaven.”

 

http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/reviews/view/2011_1024a_beautiful_day_for_coldplay_but_clarksons_stronger_is_weak_lkajsdglkjsdlkg_lskdfjg_lksdjglksjdfklg_jslkdf/srvc=home&position=also

When wife Gwyneth Paltrow steps out on him, we’ll get a masterpiece.

 

That was rude.

When wife Gwyneth Paltrow steps out on him, we’ll get a masterpiece. Until then, it’s going to be mostly catchy, hopeful pop

 

Lol

yeah damn that was harsh!

Good score but a lazy review.