busybeeburns Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 [ATTACH=CONFIG]31678[/ATTACH] Why the surprise single may have backfired for Coldplay (Toronto Star) The “Beyoncé” tactic is becoming increasingly tired, which explains the rush to judgment on new single “Midnight.” Man, it takes a lot of energy to be reasonable. Constantly resisting the urge to react immediately to every stray bit of input that floats into our field of vision can be downright exhausting. It’s so much easier — not to mention way more satisfying — to react first and (re)consider later. How else to explain the almost instant vitriol that greeted this week’s surprise appearance of “Midnight,” a new Coldplay single? Rolling Stone took an early swipe at “the effects-heavy murk of (Chris Martin’s) more incoherent lyrics.” A memorable slam on Slate, headlined “Coldplay’s new single sounds like a bad Bon Iver parody,” worked itself up to this wicked appraisal: “Chris Martin is only rarely intelligible as he sings into his vocoder (‘In the darkness, thumm the thumm,’ go the garbled lyrics, as far as this blogger can make it out), before a wash of synths takes the band away to a rave populated by woodland animals.” It’s hard not to attribute some of this to the increasingly tired strategy of “pulling a Beyoncé” (why, by the way, isn’t it called pulling a Bowie?) by springing new music on an unsuspecting universe with no advance notice whatsoever. Something about that tactic seems to egg us into reacting with similar alacrity. So we post the video on Facebook with a reflexive comment about Bon Iver (and by “we,” we mean “I”) and generally treat the work in question as though it had been created with the same haste as it was released. It’s the opposite of what art historian James Elkins has bemoaned as “the flight from judgment.” This is a rush to judgment. In Coldplay’s case, the method of release ends up overshadowing what is being released. Yes, “Midnight” sounds a bit like Bon Iver (or, to be specific, as Stereogum actually bothered to be, a bit like Bon Iver’s “Beth/Rest”). It also leans on some of the vocal technology that distinguishes James Blake’s albums. Here’s what it doesn’t sound like: a Coldplay song. For starters, there’s no bass for almost a minute and a half. And the drums don’t come in, well, ever, really, except for some subtle doubling of the bassline. Crucially, the song makes a calculated point of refusing to deliver the arena-sized release that generally constitutes the climax of a Coldplay single. Keep an eye on the counter of the YouTube video. If they’d taken the easy way out, there would be a massive cymbal crash around the 4:15 mark, which would in turn manifest itself onstage as Chris Martin twirling and, as Slate says, waving his arms around “in a move that’s perhaps best described as the Angels in the Outfield.” (That last phrase carries a link to a clip from the 1994 Danny Glover remake of that movie featuring a bunch of kids flapping their arms as though they’re about to ascend to heaven.) So, to recap: The new Coldplay single is a daring break from the band’s established sound, employs an arrangement that defies almost all the conventions of the form, and treats the lyrics for their aural value rather than as carriers of meaning. Under different circumstances, those qualities would virtually guarantee — hell, almost dictate — a positive reaction. Then again, “there is a difference between a reaction and a response,” as Michael Brenson, a former art critic for the New York Times, once observed in ARTnews. “A response is more what I’m looking for. Understanding what you’re looking at is really a precondition for making a judgment about it. Sometimes that understanding can take time.” http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2014/02/28/why_the_surprise_single_may_have_backfired_for_coldplay.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coeurli Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 The initial reaction may have been quite a shock, but I think the track's definitely growing on a lot of people :nod: And I don't think it backfired on them at all. They knew it would surprise everybody, not because of the "surprise" release, but because of the sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward_kingdom Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I don't think Midnight is a "single" as is... Magic : Single Midnight : B-side or ... new song to say "hey! get ready, we are here". We will find out really soon (supposedly on Monday). Anyways. I loved midnight. It surprised me a lot, it doesn't sound like Coldplay at all, but they never sound the way I expect them, and anyways they sound just great. Let's see what comes! ps... I'm glad to see the forum back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aby_coldheart104 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I don't think they pulled a Beyoncé per say, as they were teasing us with the gifs beforehand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turin990 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I don't think Midnight is a "single" as is... Magic : Single Midnight : B-side or ... new song to say "hey! get ready, we are here". We will find out really soon (supposedly on Monday). Anyways. I loved midnight. It surprised me a lot, it doesn't sound like Coldplay at all, but they never sound the way I expect them, and anyways they sound just great. Let's see what comes! ps... I'm glad to see the forum back. My thoughts exactly! ^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mackplay Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I don't think the way they released it overshadowed the song itself and most reviews have been positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kmm1482 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 At first, as a listener since the beginning, after all the "stripped down sound""more like parachutes and AROBTTH" rumors, I was ready for that sound and Midnight threw me for a complete loop. A single release at the end if Feb. just doesn't seem like Coldplay. I still think we'll get that "stripped down sound". Like others have said, I just think this is something they were tinkering with and released it like lots of other artists. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathanpeel Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I'm so happy the forum is back, because I would've never thought that Midnight might potentially be a b-side. And what i've noticed about b-sides is that their sound and mood slightly differ than the single. Emphasis on slightly. So maybe Magic will not be so distorted as Midnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldplayisawesome Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 it feels like every time Coldplay releases something new, there's a slew of "this doesn't sound like Coldplay" comments... for this song, i can better understand where people are coming from, but i remember seeing someone say that the song reminded them of REALLY early Coldplay with a little bit of an update. that i can definitely see. the song itself is great, i think. kinda hypnotic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kmm1482 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 it feels like every time Coldplay releases something new, there's a slew of "this doesn't sound like Coldplay" comments... for this song, i can better understand where people are coming from, but i remember seeing someone say that the song reminded them of REALLY early Coldplay with a little bit of an update. that i can definitely see. the song itself is great, i think. kinda hypnotic. Like the first version of 'Don't Panic'? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny and the cake Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Like the first version of spies and brothers & sisters, easy to please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kmm1482 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I can understand that. I just miss that "indie" feel about it. Midnight (on first listen) felt more like "This is what's popular, let's try that" Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IneedYou23 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I think the press likes to jump to conclusions. Midnight was never officially slated as a single. I personally think they put Midnight out to get everyone talking. To create some buzz. It's experimental and different from ANYTHING they have ever done, so it got people talking. It served it's purpose. I believe on Monday, when they release Magic, it will be a track that is a bit less "experimental" and easy on the ears for everyone. Then, once again, having released another song a week after Midnight(in doing so with Magic) will probably catch a lot of people off guard again, hence, creating a lot of buzz for the official single and band. It seems like a lot of press outlets don't really know about Magic being released on Monday, so they'll be in for a treat! That is just what I think. Anyways, can't wait for Magic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobalt Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I don't think it would have mattered if it was a surprise single or not tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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