Criticisms with the album?

[ulwanmokhtar]

It's not overproduced, it's just produced really 'good'

 

Couldn't argue with that :)

[Blue Nails]

Main complaint: ASFOS.

Not sure yet about Ink and True Love, but I have faith in True Love (hey that sounds funny).

 

I reluctantly forgive Chris his lyrics because in this case, he needed to vent. It's fair if he's less profound in an emotional rant. I would have preferred more mature lyrics but at least this is what he wanted to say. He gets my respect for possibly being his most open since Parachutes and he wasn't even famous back then.

 

I don't think this album is more about him than previous ones. Yes they're a band and the others have a lot of influence, but he's the main songwriter, the one who comes up with melodies as well as lyrics. It's always been about him, you just notice it more because you know what's been going on in his life and he's honest about it.

Also, the fact that there's less drums doesn't mean Will had less of an influence.

 

I also like the darker songs best and wished they'd focused on just that. But I'm relieved they didn't continue on their MX path and took a 180 degree turn. Or maybe 135.

[[Coldplay]Andi]

Just gut the album from Amazon.de and heard it for the first time. To be honest: I'm a little bit dissappointed - too much electro and syntesizers, too little Jonny and Will. Favourite songs: Always in my head, True Love, Ocean and O. I can't understand what happened to Anothers arms. This song is so amazing in the live Version. The studio version is not good.

 

I hope this album grows on me. At the moment it is just as bad as Viva la vida. I miss those times when Coldplay wrote Songs like In my place, The scientest, Fix you, Yellow and so on.

[Mrk]

^Jonny and Will are all over the album, they're just not playing their "usual" instruments. Also, 50% of Magic is Guy.

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

^Jonny and Will are all over the album, they're just not playing their "usual" instruments. Also, 50% of Magic is Guy.

 

Exactly. I wish there were a couple more guitar solos though. :lol:

 

Regarding the lyrics - I think X&Y has way better and deeper lyrics despite both albums being harshly emotional.

 

Compare:

What if there was no lie

Nothing wrong, nothing right

What if there was no time

And no reason, or rhyme

What if you should decide

That you don't want me there by your side

That you don't want me there in your life

What if I got it wrong

And no poem or song

Could put right what I got wrong

Or make you feel I belong

 

Call it magic

Call it true

Call it magic

When I'm with you

And I just got broken

Broken into two

Still I call it magic

When I'm next to you

 

And I don't, and I don't and I don't, and I don't

No, I don't,

It's true

I don't, no, I don't, no, I don't, no, I don't want anybody else but you

I don't, no, I don't, no, I don't, no, I don't

No, I don't,

It's true

I don't, no, I don't, no, I don't, no, I don't want anybody else but you

 

Though to be fair I do like Magic a lot for other reasons. Though, on a different note, I really don't like that Chris doesn't play piano on Magic live because it's really not a hard part to play and the acoustic only happens for 20 seconds. I think it takes away from the honesty of the performance for this song. (I can understand for ASFOS since Guy plays the piano at the start since it's an ETIAW-like song).

[the_escapist]

The more I hear the album, I think it lacks depth. Really don't know why but I can't see myself hearing this album for 3-4 years while they release something new like I did with MX, Viva, X&Y and AROBBTH. I like the songs, but I don't know why I kind of already tired of hearing them. Not really sure why this is happening. Maybe the fact that the album has not several hits (like the previous ones) or maybe it is a huge style change over I am not yet used to.

[Blakexy1125]

The more I hear the album, I think it lacks depth. Really don't know why but I can't see myself hearing this album for 3-4 years while they release something new like I did with MX, Viva, X&Y and AROBBTH. I like the songs, but I don't know why I kind of already tired of hearing them. Not really sure why this is happening. Maybe the fact that the album has not several hits (like the previous ones) or maybe it is a huge style change over I am not yet used to.

 

I felt the same way, this album is very "what you see is what you get" I have no urge to listen to it full through again because I feel like I've already explored the whole album.

[Guest kmm1482]

Watching that live leak from 2005 on MTV made me miss the guys just pounding away on their instruments with no synths or over-electronicness. I miss the days of them just playing. Like the start of Square One or Yellow

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FlockOfBirds]

TOO much Gwyneth Paltrow. Electric Drums. None guitar leaded songs.

I'm a huge fan of real instruments, and I think Coldplay is wasting too much talent away with those electric noises.

 

 

BUT! I think this album is huge. It has some stunning records that touches my heart and it's on my top three Coldplay albums.

[Revolverwin]

A great number of people including myself haven't posted our reviews of the album yet and wont do so until after its released and we've had a couple of weeks to properly make our minds up. Plus you're in the "Criticisms with the album?" thread so of course you'll be reading negativity. I for one have zero criticism with the album and think its in their top 3 to date.

 

Actually I'm waiting for your review :)

[A RUSH OF VIDA]

I felt the same way, this album is very "what you see is what you get" I have no urge to listen to it full through again because I feel like I've already explored the whole album.

 

Agree 100%.

[nvdmm]

Actually I'm waiting for your review :)

Thank you same here :)

I felt the same way, this album is very "what you see is what you get" I have no urge to listen to it full through again because I feel like I've already explored the whole album.

Thats exactly how I felt towards MX. Just different tastes in music I guess.

 

What I've noticed from the people around me and all fans in general is people who appreciated their older work are a lot more happy with this album than fans who were introduced to the band during VLV and MX. Thats my observation anyway. The band's biggest issue is that because of their ever-changing style and approaches to making music their audience has grown too big and no matter what they come up with, some will most certainly be disappointed. IF they were ever to go back and produce an album entirely similar to Parachutes and AROBTTH I'm afraid a lot of people will just dismiss it as boring and not "happy" enough maybe.

[Choldplayer]

Thank you same here :)

 

Thats exactly how I felt towards MX. Just different tastes in music I guess.

 

What I've noticed from the people around me and all fans in general is people who appreciated their older work are a lot more happy with this album than fans who were introduced to the band during VLV and MX. Thats my observation anyway. The band's biggest issue is that because of their ever-changing style and approaches to making music their audience has grown too big and no matter what they come up with, some will most certainly be disappointed. IF they were ever to go back and produce an album entirely similar to Parachutes and AROBTTH I'm afraid a lot of people will just dismiss it as boring and not "happy" enough maybe.

 

Yeah, I said in a previous post I thought it might be splitting fans of their older stuff and newer stuff. Apart from the synths and electronic drums, the more downtone nature and songwriting I believe is closer to their earlier stuff (Oceans reminds me of Careful Where You Stand for example).

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[letdown]

Yeah, I said in a previous post I thought it might be splitting fans of their older stuff and newer stuff. Apart from the synths and electronic drums, the more downtone nature and songwriting I believe is closer to their earlier stuff (Oceans reminds me of Careful Where You Stand for example).

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

I was looking forward to this album after hearing it being compared to their old stuff (just like what you said), but I have to admit I am a bit underwhelmed. Their old stuff (pre rush of blood) I could listen to for hours on end back in the days, never grew tired of them. I'm already a bit bored and don't feel the urge to want to listen to GS again. When I compare parachutes to GS the latter lacks depth (although I was quite emotional while listening to the songs, but not really because of the music but because I felt sad and sorry for Chris).

[Car Kids]

I really like this album but the song Ink just doesn't click with me. It's like the hardest part.. It's lyrics seem suited for a sad slow song but it's upbeat and just seems kinda weird.

[FlipBack]

I really like this album but the song Ink just doesn't click with me. It's like the hardest part.. It's lyrics seem suited for a sad slow song but it's upbeat and just seems kinda weird.

GOT A TATTOO AND THE PAIN'S ALRIGHT

[amljbono]

I don't understand all the hate on this album. I have not been able to stop listening to it for the past two days. As far as the criticism goes over the lyrics go back and listen to their discography and they are very similar. The man has gone through a separation and I love the fact that he has been blunt about it in his lyrics. There is hope to be found on this album and i think with all of Coldplay's releases there has never been a single one that was understood upon first listen. Best listened to with headphones, layers on the songs and music is incredible.

[ulwanmokhtar]

GOT A TATTOO AND THE PAIN'S ALRIGHT

 

 

Nice >.<

[getithom]

Watching that live leak from 2005 on MTV made me miss the guys just pounding away on their instruments with no synths or over-electronicness. I miss the days of them just playing. Like the start of Square One or Yellow

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I'm sorry, but this is all over the album. Just because a few songs have electronic elements doesn't mean they've ditched it. Ink, True Love, Ghost Story, and Always In My Head are fine examples.

[Guest kmm1482]

I'm sorry, but this is all over the album. Just because a few songs have electronic elements doesn't mean they've ditched it. Ink, True Love, Ghost Story, and Always In My Head are fine examples.

 

No need to apologize. Go back and watch those songs played live, then listen to a song like Always in My Head

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ouch]

I feel that the band is tiring themselves out in this. Chris especially has lost a good measure of his falsetto. No matter how pretty the music sounds, Chris just does not sound believable at all. His unsubtle songwriting, while it has made great songs in the past, works against him. The ambient production strays and turns to nowhere, and it adds nothing to the minimal approach. I understand if they want to make the album to be as timely as possible to the current EBM and atmospheric indie trends, but they feel so distant. I will always like Coldplay for making unique changes to their lineup, but I feel disappointed in this album. This is Coldplay at its most conservative, and it hurts to see them go this path. That's my two cents.

[Durk]

Ouch

[JASON_B]

It's crazy how much this album grew on me. When I first heard Magic I wasn't impressed at all, and the live versions of AIMH and AA didn't grab me at first either. But for some reason, after a few more listens and especially after hearing the album it in it's entirety....I feel like this is one of their best since AROBTTH. This might sound tacky but listening to these songs at night while gazing at the stars made me appreciate and realize how good this record is. Thing is, this album is a big gear change from Viva and Mylo and it took me a while to adjust. It's much more mellow and atmospheric.

[lennyrott2]

I feel that the band is tiring themselves out in this. Chris especially has lost a good measure of his falsetto. No matter how pretty the music sounds, Chris just does not sound believable at all. His unsubtle songwriting, while it has made great songs in the past, works against him. The ambient production strays and turns to nowhere, and it adds nothing to the minimal approach. I understand if they want to make the album to be as timely as possible to the current EBM and atmospheric indie trends, but they feel so distant. I will always like Coldplay for making unique changes to their lineup, but I feel disappointed in this album. This is Coldplay at its most conservative, and it hurts to see them go this path. That's my two cents.

 

I have been reading reviews tonight and I can't say that I have ever seen a Coldplay album be so two-sided. I am on your side personally, I related the least to this album and overall found that it took very few risks. Sure it sounds very different than their previous efforts, and I think that is very commendable, but it sometimes comes off as shallow and generic, for me mostly in the tracks ASFOS and True Love.

 

Chris' voice really began irking me on some of these tracks. Six albums in, I want to hear something different with it, and that is why I love Midnight and O where it is warped somewhat. After so many great songs over the years, that emotional punch as been lost for me. I love O and Oceans, but they don't stand out for me when I play them on shuffle with all Coldplay songs. What does stand out to me though, is the atmospherics. The end of Oceans and O, the AIMH, Midnight, the climax of Another's Arms, all are so amazingly deep. I connected more to sounds in this album than I did to actual vocals.

 

Strange how these reviews either love this album or absolutely are repulsed about it. I can see why with some of the vocals on here. So much to love but also so much to cringe at.

[mishee90]

I'm an older fan (2004 on) and I don't like Ghost Stories at all. I love their older B-sides(The World Turned Upside Down is A+) and I don't see how people are comparing older Coldplay with the amount of synthesizers and electronic on Ghost Stories. If there's anything more different from older Coldplay, these are the songs in Ghost Stories (with ~maybe~ the exception of Oceans[which I don't like]).

 

 

The general "trend" it seems that fans who grew up with the older Coldplay sound seem to appreciate GS more than those introduced to them from their X&Y/Viva/MX era.

 

I'm sorry, but to say you're a "older fan" because you listened to them from 2004 (which is essentially the year before X&Y and when they started experimenting with music), IMO doesn't classify you in the "older fan" category.

 

The "old music" for the "old fans" comprise of music way back from 1998, comprising of the Safety-Blue Room-Parachutes-AROBTTH era.

 

I, love GS and I've been listening to CP since I first heard Parachutes and regularly play their previous EPs. I understand that the amount of synthesizers and electronic on GS isn't comparable to their old stuff, but there is a certain thread of similarity that connects GS to their older work. It's more the concepts and themes of vulnerability and yearning that connects the music together.

 

The X&Y/Viva/Mylo era seems to be completely distinct from their older records, and I think GS represents the rawness found in their older albums, but the experimental side found in their newer stuff.

 

My ranks:

 

Blue Room

Parachutes

AROBTTH

Ghost Stories

Prospekts March

X&Y

Viva La Vida

Mylo Xyloto (sometimes I have to pretend this isn't even a Coldplay record because it's so embarrassingly and sickeningly pop-driven with CP succumbing to being major sell outs here with their over the top stadium tour)