Criticisms with the album?

[mishee90]

I'm finding it very hard to criticise this album. My criticism of MX seemed to increase with each listen and I seemed to dislike it as the weeks went on. This one I am finding it hard to find any needle with it. It's not the greatest album ever made but it never set out to be that. It's the band wearing it's heart on its sleeve. The lyrics aren't Morrissey, we all know that. But they are forgivable when delivered in Chris's sensitive and soulful voice. A Rush Of Blood To The Head showcased Chris's vocal beauty to the max and this comes very close to it. That iciness, that fragility - I think it's lovely. The album is airy, spacey and light. It's efficient and cool. This album will be appreciated in time and in context of Coldplay's canon. It's very much my definition of Coldplay and is a fresh reminder that I NEED this band every now and again. I need them like I need tea in the cupboard. If it's not there, I'm going to know about it.

 

 

This x100000!! You've completely summed up how I feel!

[getithom]

So many bad/average reviews and my opinion about the album hasn't changed since the first time I listened to it.

 

I was in the same boat, until the mass amount of negativity started flowing in with some of the reviews. I don't usually let others' opinions change my viewpoint on something, but it did for Ghost Stories. I still loved the album, but it just didn't feel as it did when I first proclaimed my love for the album. That, of course, changed within about two days and now I don't care anymore. As howyousawtheworld said, it's becoming increasingly difficult to think of things to complain about because I genuinely adore this album. While I have a few small complaints, it's nothing that knocks the favorability down for myself. I'm just glad we got a Coldplay record that was subtle, quiet and relaxing to listen to.

[MrBene]

Hello all.

 

I've got the album yesterday and I have to say, to be honest, that my first impression is not positive. Some people may think that first impressions need to be overlooked but in this case, I beg to differ.

 

I've been listening Coldplay from their EPs era (before Parachutes), like any other person who was into Radiohead, The Smiths and such, Coldplay was a "new thing" to hear and listen to. At first it didn't impressed me much. My opinion in those days was "well they are trying to emulate Radiohead's sound" or "Well, that guitar sounds a little bit like The Edge". Stuff like that. I was young.

With Parachutes and A rush... my opinion started to change and respect their music and going back to their EPs and demos was different. X & Y represented for me "the eager to please" media and fans, perhaps new fans, become worldwide and such. It's not a bad album, I mean, the weak parts are even better than MX.

 

Now, the second era, where most "new" Coldplay fans come from has this "trilogy" (I don't understand the concept of trilogy, in my personal opinion the first three albums are not part of any trilogy nor the second bunch) found a different Coldplay, trying to please more and more the mainstream. Viva la vida is an "ok" album in my opinion, it has great songs but some of them are quite flat. MX is a trainwreck. To understand me, you need to think where I come from: Echo and the bunnymen, The Smiths, etc. So, I thought that Ghost Stories was going to be "the real back to roots" album. Wrong.

 

I don't know where to start, so I'll try to be precise with the things that I disliked:

 

-No acoustic drums. I don't know if anyone else said this, but the whole "electronic" thing doesn't appeal me at all. Is that your "new sound"? I mean, lots of bands did that: went from real music instruments to fully electronic synths and samples. Some of them succeeded, some of them sank. Even though Will champion probably "played" the keys, for me it's a big no-no from a band that can do better.

 

-Lack of Johnny Buckland's magic. I don't know, I love Johnny but here is like he was minimized at is fullest. I don't even understand what's the point of this. I'm still scratching my head.

 

-Poor lyrics. We all know C.M isn't a good lyricist or a poet, but come on, I think everyone can come up with better lines, choruses and stuff. Why so weak? Someone said "there's a thin line between being introspective and being whiny". C.M is whiny during the whole record and I hate this.

 

-The whole album athmosphere feels like "The Chris Martin's solo album". Sorry, it feels like this. In some tracks I don't even know if there's any other person doing something but C.M.

 

-Lack of "Coldplay" feeling. You know, they were "indie" (I hate that word) in the past, then they became known, then they bacome big. A lot of time passed from the unfamous MX and I was expecting better from Ghost Stories. I seriously was expecting something like "A politik" or "Don't Panic", when you can clearly hear 4 musicians doing music. Ghost stories is just synths and over-produced spacey ambiences that doesn't even sound like the sound that Coldplay was well known to deliver. I really prefer "A message" or "Green eyes" to any Ghost Storie's track, because that's honest. That's musicians doing music. We can discuss if Rihanna or Justin Bieber do music.

 

 

I have so many complains about the album but you get the idea. You get the gist. There are two group of fans: the ones that will love anything and the others that besides listening Coldplay listen to other bands (and when I mean bands I am not reffering to Black Eyed Peas, that's not a band) and feel quite disappointed with an album like this and will be honest saying that GS is probably their worst work.

 

Anyway, don't get fuzzed about my opinion. It's that: my opinion. Have a nice day.

[Blakexy1125]

The only song that gets played anymore by me is "Always in my Head" I don't even play any other songs. I get more disappointed as time goes on.

[mayrn43]

Seems like people are liking this album less and less with time...Not me though.

[WeddingDom]

I like Ghost Stories more and more with every listen :dazzled:

[heresjohnny]

I actually like the album more and more but the lyric "your body on my body" makes me laugh and cringe at the same time with how bad it is. Other than that not bad. Songs ocean and o are beautiful

[heresjohnny]

Hello all.

 

I've got the album yesterday and I have to say, to be honest, that my first impression is not positive. Some people may think that first impressions need to be overlooked but in this case, I beg to differ.

 

I've been listening Coldplay from their EPs era (before Parachutes), like any other person who was into Radiohead, The Smiths and such, Coldplay was a "new thing" to hear and listen to. At first it didn't impressed me much. My opinion in those days was "well they are trying to emulate Radiohead's sound" or "Well, that guitar sounds a little bit like The Edge". Stuff like that. I was young.

With Parachutes and A rush... my opinion started to change and respect their music and going back to their EPs and demos was different. X & Y represented for me "the eager to please" media and fans, perhaps new fans, become worldwide and such. It's not a bad album, I mean, the weak parts are even better than MX.

 

Now, the second era, where most "new" Coldplay fans come from has this "trilogy" (I don't understand the concept of trilogy, in my personal opinion the first three albums are not part of any trilogy nor the second bunch) found a different Coldplay, trying to please more and more the mainstream. Viva la vida is an "ok" album in my opinion, it has great songs but some of them are quite flat. MX is a trainwreck. To understand me, you need to think where I come from: Echo and the bunnymen, The Smiths, etc. So, I thought that Ghost Stories was going to be "the real back to roots" album. Wrong.

 

I don't know where to start, so I'll try to be precise with the things that I disliked:

 

-No acoustic drums. I don't know if anyone else said this, but the whole "electronic" thing doesn't appeal me at all. Is that your "new sound"? I mean, lots of bands did that: went from real music instruments to fully electronic synths and samples. Some of them succeeded, some of them sank. Even though Will champion probably "played" the keys, for me it's a big no-no from a band that can do better.

 

-Lack of Johnny Buckland's magic. I don't know, I love Johnny but here is like he was minimized at is fullest. I don't even understand what's the point of this. I'm still scratching my head.

 

-Poor lyrics. We all know C.M isn't a good lyricist or a poet, but come on, I think everyone can come up with better lines, choruses and stuff. Why so weak? Someone said "there's a thin line between being introspective and being whiny". C.M is whiny during the whole record and I hate this.

 

-The whole album athmosphere feels like "The Chris Martin's solo album". Sorry, it feels like this. In some tracks I don't even know if there's any other person doing something but C.M.

 

-Lack of "Coldplay" feeling. You know, they were "indie" (I hate that word) in the past, then they became known, then they bacome big. A lot of time passed from the unfamous MX and I was expecting better from Ghost Stories. I seriously was expecting something like "A politik" or "Don't Panic", when you can clearly hear 4 musicians doing music. Ghost stories is just synths and over-produced spacey ambiences that doesn't even sound like the sound that Coldplay was well known to deliver. I really prefer "A message" or "Green eyes" to any Ghost Storie's track, because that's honest. That's musicians doing music. We can discuss if Rihanna or Justin Bieber do music.

 

 

I have so many complains about the album but you get the idea. You get the gist. There are two group of fans: the ones that will love anything and the others that besides listening Coldplay listen to other bands (and when I mean bands I am not reffering to Black Eyed Peas, that's not a band) and feel quite disappointed with an album like this and will be honest saying that GS is probably their worst work.

 

Anyway, don't get fuzzed about my opinion. It's that: my opinion. Have a nice day.

 

Or you know there's a third option with in that people are like me and listen to many other different artists and like this album as well. Not sure how you can say don't get fuzzed it's just your opinion after only saying there are only 2 different groups of fans. How dare there be a third group, or maybe even a fifth. So crazy I know

[Blakexy1125]

I actually like the album more and more but the lyric "your body on my body" makes me laugh and cringe at the same time with how bad it is. Other than that not bad. Songs ocean and o are beautiful

 

Anothers arms is just full of cringe. I write better than that shit...

[Coldplayfan1294]

Is Chris Martin losing it? When was the last masterpiece song? It wasn't On MX and it isn't on GS. I feel that Martins lyrics noticeably took a down turn on MX and the trend has continued with GS. Id say that Viva on back were Martin's best lyrical works.

[Guest kmm1482]

Anothers arms is just full of cringe. I write better than that shit...

 

I've thought the exact same thing since I first heard it at iTunes Fest. It's like what a lovesick 13 year old would write.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Coldplayfan1294]

I've thought the exact same thing since I first heard it at iTunes Fest. It's like what a lovesick 13 year old would write.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Ahaha, harsh but true.

[Blakexy1125]

Is Chris Martin losing it? When was the last masterpiece song? It wasn't On MX and it isn't on GS. I feel that Martins lyrics noticeably took a down turn on MX and the trend has continued with GS. Id say that Viva on back were Martin's best lyrical works.

 

The best song IMO has been UATW. They definitely aren't what they used to be.

[Coldplayfan1294]

It's kind of a shame about Another's Arms too because I really like the chords for that song.

[Coldplayfan1294]

The best song IMO has been UATW. They definitely aren't what they used to be.

 

Yeah those were some pretty good lyrics, agreed.

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

People seem to forget MX has good lyrics because of Paradise. :( UATW has great lyrics as do most of the other songs on that album. I feel like the lyrics there have the same sophistication as Viva but generally tend towards other subject matter relevant to that era that some people might not fancy fully. ETIAW would be an example of that.

 

I actually kind of like the "your body on my body" line. Something quite visceral about it.

 

The only song I genuinely cringe at is Ink. It's just so...literally about what it sounds like it's going to be about.

[Guest kmm1482]

Nothing has been as good as the first three albums, lyrically. If you look at The Sciemtist, Til Kingdom and even Square One (one of my all time favorite lyrics "The future's for discovering the space in which we're traveling". Brilliant!). Ghost Story has me somewhat optimistic about a less Top 40/poppy/only appealing to modern fads/artist of the minute (sky full of stars) type sound. Just 4 guys pounding away on their instruments, i.e. Politik

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MrBene]

Or you know there's a third option with in that people are like me and listen to many other different artists and like this album as well. Not sure how you can say don't get fuzzed it's just your opinion after only saying there are only 2 different groups of fans. How dare there be a third group, or maybe even a fifth. So crazy I know

 

 

I would like to read a substantial topic or thread stating why is this album good avoiding all kinds of "It makes me feel speshal" and focusing on music primarily.

 

For instance: Why do you think Buckland's participation in this album is superior than previous albums? or Why do you think electronic drums are better than acoustic drums? or Why do you think the lyrics on this particular album are greater than Parachutes (as an example)

 

Sure there are different kinds of fans, let's agreed on 5 then.

[Skypala]

Can this thread be renamed to "whining about ghost stories because it doesn't sound like old coldplay/ has simple lyrics"

 

I mean I really respect all of your opinions but I'm starting to get bothered by all the hate talk. I feel confident that chris has the same ability to write lyrics just as he could in the first trilogy, but that he got tired of forcing the lyrics out trying to make them mean something and instead to just write the truth as it comes out. I can't hate him for that, honestly the exact words he says such as in Another's Arms or Ink don't even bother me because I can sympathize with them-- they aren't trying to be something they're not-- such as a cryptic "deep" poem or something that you might find on X&Y.

 

Please don't lash out at me also, because I know this is the criticism thread but I just am starting to be bothered by some of it

[mayrn43]

Can this thread be renamed to "whining about ghost stories because it doesn't sound like old coldplay/ has simple lyrics"

All I can do is agree

[MrBene]

Or maybe whining because coldplay released an album full of whining?

 

I'm 31, of course most people can relate with "your body..." "I haven't slept" bla bla but some people expected a lot more because they are 100% sure they can do a lot better. Some people can just take it as it is and say "it's great, my favourite album bla bla". Well, I'm not one of those.

[Blakexy1125]

Or maybe whining because coldplay released an album full of whining?

 

I'm 31, of course most people can relate with "your body..." "I haven't slept" bla bla but some people expected a lot more because they are 100% sure they can do a lot better. Some people can just take it as it is and say "it's great, my favourite album bla bla". Well, I'm not one of those.

 

This is what GS feels to me, just a full album of whining. I think chris realized thats what it was and then threw in ASFOS out there for 2 reasons. 1. To get rid of notion the whole album is depressing and a bit whiny. 2. to get the album to sell.

[getithom]

This is what GS feels to me, just a full album of whining. I think chris realized thats what it was and then threw in ASFOS out there for 2 reasons. 1. To get rid of notion the whole album is depressing and a bit whiny. 2. to get the album to sell.

 

The album would have sold just as much with or without ASFOS.

[MrBene]

The album would have sold just as much with or without ASFOS.

 

Of course, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus sold millions.

 

Actually, I don't understand when people justify something saying "it sold 5 millions of albums" like if mainstream was something worth to reach. I think artistic value is a more important thing for any musician, not "make hits and make millions". IF that's the attitude then I believe that Coldplay wouldn't be one of my fav. bands of all time. But I suspect they are not in that bandwagon.

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

I would like to read a substantial topic or thread stating why is this album good avoiding all kinds of "It makes me feel speshal" and focusing on music primarily.

 

For instance: Why do you think Buckland's participation in this album is superior than previous albums? or Why do you think electronic drums are better than acoustic drums? or Why do you think the lyrics on this particular album are greater than Parachutes (as an example)

 

Sure there are different kinds of fans, let's agreed on 5 then.

 

While I generally like GS less than the other albums, I don't think the album is indefensible.

 

Regarding Jonny:

1. Jonny contributes some good riffs/atmospheres in AIMH, Fly On, Oceans [especially live], Magic, AA. The bird noises he does on Fly On are pretty neat!

2. Good solos (though not as good as VLV/MX I'd say except for True Love) - on True Love, AA, ASFOS. Jonny's contribution on ASFOS is clever because it unisons with a synth melody to create a unique guitar-synth tone. Similar to what he does on POC. Not many non-EDM artists are able to make EDM-like things the way Coldplay have done with this song while keeping it relatively organic. I love Jonny's guitar part in the outro of ASFOS by the way. Slight U2 influence with the delay but in a good way.

3. Non-guitar contribution: Midnight's keyboard, Magic's piano, Oceans' strings.

 

Regarding electronic drums....I think they fit the mood better. Heartbeat like and weirdly minimalist. They sound cool no doubt. I actually like the beat in True Love a lot (though I think that song is too strings heavy). And some of the songs aren't blatant electronic drums like AIMH, AA and instead contain a nice mix between acoustic and not (which is more evident live, admittedly).

 

Regarding the lyrics - for every bad lyric I think there's a good one. Fly On, Midnight, Oceans, AIMH. I think Magic's lyrics are decent. I actually quite like the vocal delivery in Magic - the "no I don't no I don't" thing is cool and reminiscent of R&B in some vague way. Which some people don't like unfortunately.