I haven't actually seen anyone else explicitly say this, so I'm gonna break the silence - I think it's a very, very mediocre album, not up the standards of any prior Coldplay album. It sounds flat and predictable. The songs are often meandering and build up to nothing.

 

Hurts Like Heaven, Paradise and Charlie Brown are the only good songs on here. Some other songs are decent, others are insipid. Ultimately it's a safe and empty-sounding fifth effort.

Coldplay's best album is Mylo Xyloto.

You are underrating MX. I didn''t like VIVA when it was released too but now I think it should have it's oun museum as a public patrimonial of peace.

 

MX will just grow inside us with the time, since we start understanding it deeply.

I disagree with a couple of your points, to me "X&Y" is still their weakest effort, since it was a mere reproduction of song structures they knew. "Mylo Xyloto" is a record I wouldn't call predictable at all, they went out to the extremes with this one (something they already started with VLV but took that too a whole nother level) - they go from big, anthemic stadium-approved songs to really quiet, acoustic moments. With the whole outro/introduction system they build up for MX, they all blend into another. The theme of the title song keeps reappearing throughout the album which ties it together even more.

You said the songs "build up to nothing", which I would think is one of the strongest points here. As one reviewer recently put it, they cut several songs off just right before the climax, they make them appear and disappear (Us Against The World, U.F.O., Up In Flames, even DLIBYH), avoiding the structur they put up with "Everything's Not Lost" or "Fix You", for instance. (The only song which really builds up and features the climax is ETIAW but that's perfectly placed in the middle of the album.) In Addition to that, they got pretty experimental with vocals and additional instrumentation on this one - there's such a lot to explore.

I dont think so.

I think it is, in the sense that, even though it seems to have been the over-arching aim of the album, I actually think it's their least cohesive release yet.

 

Bizarrely, I also think that the criticisms we heard that Eno had about X&Y are actually more applicable to MX :\

Coldplay's best album is Mylo Xyloto.

 

Wow I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude. I know that everybody has their opinions, but technically Mylo Xyloto will NEVER be better than AROBTTH.

 

It's a different style of music than what we've heard from Coldplay before, that's it. It's just a question of whether you like it or not.

I disagree with a couple of your points, to me "X&Y" is still their weakest effort, since it was a mere reproduction of song structures they knew. "Mylo Xyloto" is a record I wouldn't call predictable at all, they went out to the extremes with this one (something they already started with VLV but took that too a whole nother level) - they go from big, anthemic stadium-approved songs to really quiet, acoustic moments. With the whole outro/introduction system they build up for MX, they all blend into another. The theme of the title song keeps reappearing throughout the album which ties it together even more.

You said the songs "build up to nothing", which I would think is one of the strongest points here. As one reviewer recently put it, they cut several songs off just right before the climax, they make them appear and disappear (Us Against The World, U.F.O., Up In Flames, even DLIBYH), avoiding the structur they put up with "Everything's Not Lost" or "Fix You", for instance. (The only song which really builds up and features the climax is ETIAW but that's perfectly placed in the middle of the album.) In Addition to that, they got pretty experimental with vocals and additional instrumentation on this one - there's such a lot to explore.

 

Great post. This is almost exactly what I've been thinking on my last two listens.

 

I know there's more people who think it's their worst, which I understand, because still, it tries a bit too hard and some lyrics lack depth. And I think it might be too happy, or even slightly naive.

 

Personally, I think it's their fourth or third best. Definitely better than X&Y, which of all albums relied on their formula most. MX does too in a way (oooh's, 'big' sounding songs, etc.), but on the other hand... see above. ;)

While it may indeed be their weakest yet, I thoroughly disagree with what you say are the only good songs on the album. Paradise? Puh-lease. That's exactly one of the reasons that make MX a flop, not the other way about. And where are UATW, UFO, UWTB? They're certainly among the strongest tracks on the album.

^Damn straight

Wow I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude. I know that everybody has their opinions, but technically Mylo Xyloto will NEVER be better than AROBTTH.

 

It's a different style of music than what we've heard from Coldplay before, that's it. It's just a question of whether you like it or not.

 

THIS!!!

Wow I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude. I know that everybody has their opinions, but technically Mylo Xyloto will NEVER be better than AROBTTH.

 

It's a different style of music than what we've heard from Coldplay before, that's it. It's just a question of whether you like it or not.

 

I think technically Mylo Xyloto is loads better than A Rush of Blood to the Head. It's far more innovative, there is more depth to it and it's more cohesive.

 

Viva is better than Rush too.

 

Opinions make the world go round baby.

To me, AROBTTH is better than MX, but still I love both.

I think technically Mylo Xyloto is loads better than A Rush of Blood to the Head. It's far more innovative, there is more depth to it and it's more cohesive.

 

Viva is better than Rush too.

 

Opinions make the world go round baby.

 

Yes, really. I agree for VLV, I mean it's such a great album, but MX will never beat IMO AROBTTH. The songs are just amazing. But again, it's a different style of music, so can we compare? I don't know!

While it may indeed be their weakest yet, I thoroughly disagree with what you say are the only good songs on the album. Paradise? Puh-lease. That's exactly one of the reasons that make MX a flop, not the other way about. And where are UATW, UFO, UWTB? They're certainly among the strongest tracks on the album.

 

It sounds like you only like the acoustic songs.

 

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

People need to realize that Coldplay has a rhythmic sound too.

Calling this album mediocre or a flop just because it has more upbeat songs than stripped down is not fair. I would say that it shows how one sided you are.

I agree about it being the weakest, at least, the studio versions. I think we can all agree that Hurts Like Heaven and Major Minus have much superior live versions.

 

That said, I really enjoy Mylo Xyloto.

I think technically Mylo Xyloto is loads better than A Rush of Blood to the Head. It's far more innovative, there is more depth to it and it's more cohesive.

 

Viva is better than Rush too.

 

Opinions make the world go round baby.

 

I'm sorry, but this has been bugging me for about a month....

is that Johan Djourou in your Av? :P

MX is top one on there better albums, but im not sure you can call it a WEAK album. its just not there greatest.

I disagree with a couple of your points, to me "X&Y" is still their weakest effort, since it was a mere reproduction of song structures they knew. "Mylo Xyloto" is a record I wouldn't call predictable at all, they went out to the extremes with this one (something they already started with VLV but took that too a whole nother level) - they go from big, anthemic stadium-approved songs to really quiet, acoustic moments. With the whole outro/introduction system they build up for MX, they all blend into another. The theme of the title song keeps reappearing throughout the album which ties it together even more.

You said the songs "build up to nothing", which I would think is one of the strongest points here. As one reviewer recently put it, they cut several songs off just right before the climax, they make them appear and disappear (Us Against The World, U.F.O., Up In Flames, even DLIBYH), avoiding the structur they put up with "Everything's Not Lost" or "Fix You", for instance. (The only song which really builds up and features the climax is ETIAW but that's perfectly placed in the middle of the album.) In Addition to that, they got pretty experimental with vocals and additional instrumentation on this one - there's such a lot to explore.

 

This. I feel like they should have had just ONE song that had the same piano-to-loud build we know and love. Like Amsterdam or Fix You or something. DLIBYH had that opportunity...UWTB does it too disjointedly, and none of the other songs get quite as big unfortunately.

 

That said, the album is great...it's experimental yet catchy.

Predictable? You are so naive. This lp experiments with new sounds and song structure unlike any of the previous albums.

I thought Hurts Like Heaven and Paradise were great pop songs, I thought Charlie Brown was all-round one of their best songs.

 

Mylo Xyloto is the emperor's new clothes. It believes its being experimental - it isn't. At all. It may deviate from Coldplay's previous albums but it's not unlike most pop music, despite what people on here are trying to convince themselves. The acoustic songs sound like Coldplay on auto-pilot, whereas the faster or more pop-influenced songs feel as if the band got on the phone to Rihanna's songwriter whilst they were at it (by that I mean whilst they were asking her to collaborate with them).

 

Sorry, it's just very weak, apart from the three songs I named. Nothing special. It goes nowhere. I was hoping for an excellent build on the VLV sound, or a striking re-invention. Hell, I just wanted a solid album. Not a middle-of-the-road album that adds some slightly pop and electronic influences and then proclaims to be Kid A or Achtung Baby. Those were albums that tried something different. Mylo Xyloto doesn't.

I'm sorry, but this has been bugging me for about a month....

is that Johan Djourou in your Av? :P

 

What? Who the fucks that lol.

 

My avatar is of Tupac Shakur.

 

edit: I just googled Johan Djourou, and they do look kind of alike. Kinda. Similar eyes.

Whoa, I made myself seem like I hate pop music there... I like some pop music. Lady Gaga's first two albums were good. La Roux has some great tunes. Michael Jackson was a legend. MX just sounds like a band trying too hard, but in actuality are delivering mediocre pop music.

The acoustic songs sound like Coldplay on auto-pilot

 

Personally, i don't agree with this at all... UFO might be sub-par but i think that's because our expectations were so high and i think that UATW is the best acoustic song they've put out since Green Eyes

X&Y and MX are both equally weak. :nod: