Criticisms with the album?

[getithom]

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.

 

:nod:

[Nik Jam]

Took me two or three listens to fully appreciate the album... Not too bad, MX I appreciated on my first listen, VLV maybe second listen and X&Y took forever to really enjoy.

 

When listening to it for the first time I was very underwhelmed, especially by the middle tracks. Really enjoyed Oceans/Sky/O on first listen, but eventually I was able to appreciate Ink and True Love.

 

Would have loved if A Sky Full of Stars was released after the album came out. I made a conscious decision to buy the track when it was released, but I kind of lament that Oceans/interlude/Sky would have been a more immersive experience if all three were heard for the first time, as knowing what the interlude was going to turn into kind of took away from the first listen.

 

It's supposed to be a "concept album" (at least that's what Wikipedia says, don't know if that's the official word) but I don't really see it. There's no real story. All nine regular album songs seem to be basically saying the same thing. Wish there was some variety.

[nvdmm]

You guys sure are an adamant bunch. I really didn't like MX but there was no reason to spend my days spreading hatred and writing essays on the forum on why I didn't like it. I chose to not listen to the album and let everyone else enjoy it. I wonder what your reactions would have been if Parachutes was released now instead of 2000.

[MrBene]

You guys sure are an adamant bunch. I really didn't like MX but there was no reason to spend my days spreading hatred and writing essays on the forum on why I didn't like it. I chose to not listen to the album and let everyone else enjoy it. I wonder what your reactions would have been if Parachutes was released now instead of 2000.

 

I believe that both sides of the coin are allowed. If you didn't like it, then why you shouldn't be allowed to expose why didn't? I mean, it's a forum. I bet there are people here that disliked Coldplay's new-direction and usually prefer old albums and people that can't stand old albums and only listens to "their new stuff" cuz it's more appealing or more related to the music they generally listen to.

 

None is going to spent time in just bashing something people love but at least it's nice to read why people dislike something or why they love it so much. That's the purpose of a forum. Imagine a forum where everybody agree with everything. Pretty boring huh? You decided to not spread your opinion on MX, great! But here you're expressing your opinion towards people expressing their opinion. Isn't like the same? You're wasting time anyway (according to your words).

 

I love Coldplay. I've been listening Coldplay from their first EP-era, before Parachutes. I've been following their work for several years just like I do with Deftones, Morrissey and any band I appreciate and I'm pretty active on their forums, but if something from them doesn't appeal me I will say it. I am not a "hardcore" fan that will say "yes" to everything, I am just an average joe that enjoys music and wants to express something about a band. Is that wrong? Is that "hatred"? Come on. I believe people are extremely touchy when their taste or ideas are not always shared in a 100%.

 

In my case, I prefer Coldplay doing ROCK. Rocking out. Becoming a cult band like many others, not becoming mainstream and trying to please media and the masses. I guess it's a bit late for that, because Ghost Stories is going to sell millions and millions of records. That's a fact. X & Y did too. MX did too. Chris Martin said that this album was not for everybody. Well I guess people expecting some rock tunes are not going to get that.

[rafaelchampion]

I've spent some days far from Ghost Stories threads, only listening to this album and trying my best to like it and understand the lack of the rest of the band besides C.M. The results: I hate it even more after every listen, and feel ashamed to listen to it next to friends of mine who listens to rock(I mean people that play real instruments).

(Like this= )

Sorry, I did my best.

 

P.S.:

 

 

1. True Love makes me want to vomit.

2. I wish I could forget they did play One Direction live and did not play A Message. FUCK THIS SHIT.

 

 

[Jonny and the cake]

please that "real instruments" argument its getting old, idiotic and childish

 

tHE lYRe is a REaL inStrUMent NOt tHOse eleCtRic GuItArS!!1!!11ONE11!

[rafaelchampion]

please that "real instruments" argument its getting old, idiotic and childish

 

tHE lYRe is a REaL inStrUMent NOt tHOse eleCtRic GuItArS!!1!!11ONE11!

 

Let me be an old, idiotic and childish argumenting fan wishing for real instrument playing by my favorite band then.

[Jonny and the cake]

Let me be an old, idiotic and childish fan wishing for real instrument playing by my favorite band then.

 

please enlighten me and tell me what makes a guitar a real instrument and not the computer

[rafaelchampion]

please enlighten me and tell me what makes a guitar a real instrument and not the computer

 

You have to have talent to play a guitar, you have to know the power you give to the strings, you have to tune your strings correctly, you have to let the instrument be part of your body.

Now everybody can put the notes on the tabs in a computer. Even I can do it with Guitar Pro 6 or Ableton Live 8 but I can't play a guitar correctly. Does Ableton Live 8 or Guitar Pro makes me a musician then? No, they don't.

Did you get it? It's the talent that differs instrumentalists from the stuff you listen to on the radio nowadays (and you know what I mean, not "Everything that's on the radio", but "the shit that's on the radio"). Something when you listen and say "I know this person is playing it because it has their musical signature". This is not found in Ghost Stories. Anyone could have been playing any song. From what we know, and I mean from the last show, One Direction can be playing any song since Chris love them to death.

[Jonny and the cake]

You have to have talent to play a guitar, you have to know the power you give to the strings, you have to tune your strings correctly, you have to let the instrument be part of your body.

Now everybody can put the notes on the tabs in a computer. Even I can do it with Guitar Pro 6 or Ableton Live 8.

Did you get it? It's the talent that differs instrumentalists from the stuff you listen to on the radio nowadays. Something when you listen and say "I know this person is playing it because it has their musical signature". This is not found in Ghost Stories. Anyone could have been playing any song. From what we know, and I mean from the last show, One Direction can be playing any song since Chris love them to death.

 

The ignorance in the statement hurts me, because i know you and i know you are a great person but this is just full of bullshit

You don't know the effort people like Jon Hopkins put into their music while using a computer, please watch this and tell me he's not playing an instrument

 

[video=youtube;hHe0nckLiYU]

 

Everything you said in that post is wrong, on so many levels that you didn't even notice how wrong you were, playing a guitar is a lot EASER than playing a computer because you have actual control over the guitar but you don't with the computer so you have to be fucking precise, talented to play it like people like Jon Hopkins do

[rafaelchampion]

The ignorance in the statement hurts me, because i know you and i know you are a great person but this is just full of bullshit

You don't know the effort people like Jon Hopkins put into their music while using a computer, please watch this and tell me he's not playing an instrument

 

[video=youtube;hHe0nckLiYU]

 

Everything you said in that post is wrong, on so many levels that you didn't even notice how wrong you were, playing a guitar is a lot EASER than playing a computer because you have actual control over the guitar but you don't with the computer so you have to be fucking precise, talented to play it like people like Jon Hopkins do

 

Thank you and I like you very much too, I watched your video, but darling, I am not saying that people that plays computer are not talented. What I said that one have to have talent to play a guitar. What's very different of playing a computer, and no, it's not that easy.

I didn't say also that it's not possible to make good music with computer. What I said is sometimes people can play the computer but they can't play a guitar. What's is more pleasurable of course will depend on taste, that's why some people love Ghost Stories and some don't. It's just that hard as we are trying to tell on this thread to accept the sound we got used have changed.

And what Jon Hopkins does is beautiful but I will never appreciate it as much as I appreciate this:

 

[video=youtube;7lwOFd1RXEA]

[Jonny and the cake]

You said "You have to have talent to play a guitar, you have to know the power you give to the strings, you have to tune your strings correctly, you have to let the instrument be part of your body.

Now everybody can put the notes on the tabs in a computer."

 

You have to have talent to play a computer , you have to know the power to give the controls, you have to check if everything is in the right place, you have to let the computer to be part of your composition and body.

Now everybody can take pick and touch the strings.

 

You said "sometimes people can play the computer but they can't play a guitar" well ask Axl Rose to draw a penis on windows paint, i bet he can't even log into windows.

 

You argument doesn't make sense, really.

 

I can recognise Coldplay's signature in Yellow as i can do it in Midnight, but you are blinded by how closed minded you are about music

[rafaelchampion]

Look it's not that I am that close minded. Go to my last.fm and you'll see even Rihanna, Avicci, Eminem, Beyonce, Nobuo Uematsu and Ramin Djawadi on the bottom of what I listen to. I am trying. Do you think I like not linking it? I knew Coldplay would never disappoint me but when Ghost Stories came I struggled as much as some people did with MX which I love by the way. I also tried to explain to them why Mylo Xyloto was that good but for the more I tried the more they wouldn't like it and I couldn't understand why.

I guess, in the end we are just expecting too much from them, them to be perfect all the time but we never know one day they will fail with some portion of their fans. I used to see them in that angelical aura of perfection. The aura is now gone and I'm angry because of it.

[Jonny and the cake]

Look it's not that I am that close minded. I am trying. Do you think I like not linking it? I knew Coldplay would never disappoint me but when Ghost Stories came I struggled as much as some people did with MX which I love by the way. I also tried to explain to them why Mylo Xyloto was that good but for the more I tried the more they wouldn't like it and I couldn't understand why.

I guess, in the end we are just expecting too much from them, them to be perfect all the time but we never know one day they will fail with some portion of their fans. I used to see them in that angelical aura of perfection. The aura is now gone and I'm angry because of it.

 

 

I'm not saying you have to like the album, you have the right to be angry at them as I was angry at them when MX came out, I'm making this argument because you have to apologise about what you said about "real instruments". You are disrespecting tons and tons of artists who put their soul in what they do.

[Skypala]

The ignorance in the statement hurts me, because i know you and i know you are a great person but this is just full of bullshit

You don't know the effort people like Jon Hopkins put into their music while using a computer, please watch this and tell me he's not playing an instrument

 

[video=youtube;hHe0nckLiYU]

 

Everything you said in that post is wrong, on so many levels that you didn't even notice how wrong you were, playing a guitar is a lot EASER than playing a computer because you have actual control over the guitar but you don't with the computer so you have to be fucking precise, talented to play it like people like Jon Hopkins do

 

+1000000

 

The fact of a matter is that a guitar wouldn't have been considered a "real" instrument back a hundred years ago before the advent of rock and roll, but times changed as they always do.

[wheresmypenis]

Thank you and I like you very much too, I watched your video, but darling, I am not saying that people that plays computer are not talented. What I said that one have to have talent to play a guitar. What's very different of playing a computer, and no, it's not that easy.

I didn't say also that it's not possible to make good music with computer. What I said is sometimes people can play the computer but they can't play a guitar. What's is more pleasurable of course will depend on taste, that's why some people love Ghost Stories and some don't. It's just that hard as we are trying to tell on this thread to accept the sound we got used have changed.

And what Jon Hopkins does is beautiful but I will never appreciate it as much as I appreciate this:

 

[video=youtube;7lwOFd1RXEA]

i bet he can play super mario theme like a champ

[jaboy99]

Ghost Stories just felt a bit empty. But I guess thats the point. Chris is feeling very empty at the moment. Once we get our next album be it an EP or an LP I think we'll get back the full on lyrics and lots of noise. In a good way.

 

Complaints:

- Lyrics were weak (again)

- Didn't use full musical potential

- To many synths for my liking

- Wasn't any stand out anthems

 

Album rating 7.5/10

[MrBene]

I'm going to jump into the real instruments vs pushing down buttons and twisting knobs discussion.

 

I do like Trip hop, electronic music (not the bs you listen in the radio), I'm saying stuff like Yppah, Zero 7, Death in Vegas or Work Drugs. Now, I do understand that you need to be somehow skilled to master knobs, sliders and buttons and to be precise. Now, many electronic bands have mastered this and create something original. Now stating that Jon Hopkins is doing something original and with a "trademark" is being way too wishful. Groove Armada going from duet of djs to complete band, that's how you do it. That's how you get respect from other musicians. Do you think Gigi Dagostino or Tiesto or any of those are respected? Maybe by other DJs. Not by a complete musician or people doing music using 4 instruments for decades.

 

Now, what's the thing? Is Coldplay exploring the "let's do everything with synths and samples" road? Is that a novelty? Is that what fans were waiting for? Like I said, many people will love this album. It's okay. Many people love One Direction and Rihanna. I mean, the concept of "liking" is way subjective and it's way beyond this forum. Our point is, we like rock music, we like rock music played live (not with multiple playback and tracks in the background), we like good rock songs not something created for the media and mainstream to fit radio schedules and teenies' Ipod generation. We wanted a truly Coldplay album that will put Coldplay in the place it deserves: faraway from critics saying that Coldplay is a band for teenies eager to please media and mainstream with awful lyrics. Did they succeded with this album? Nope. The critics and people involved in the rock world mostly will bash and beat this album to death. Were we expecting something more "We're Coldplay and we come again playing our 4 instruments and making songs that make sense for us, we're tired of being a super-mega-band that fits well with vanilla acts like Beyonce."

 

Well mates, this album actually is disappointing. You like it? great. Can Coldplay be in the same level with Radiohead or The Smiths? Not with this album.

[Jonny and the cake]

I'm starting to think that you guys can't use your brain

 

you are completely ignoring the production of this album, which is a masterpiece, because your brain can't get over the fact that they are not a rock band anymore

 

get over it

 

 

and by the way, radiohead aren't a rock band anymore too, and they haven't created anything new since OK Computer, you all praise them like they discend from freaking God but they are nothing special, there are bands that have been doing what radiohead does for years and even better but who gives a fuck about them, right?

 

I'm sorry if now i'm coming out as rude but i'm really tired of the bullshit that coldplay recieves everyday

If they do something more mainstream (ie Paradise) = sell outs

if they do something more subtle, like a spell a rebel yell = rip offs

if they do something rockier (violet hill) = trying hard to be cool

 

Who cares about what critics say about them, and by the way, they've always and I say ALWAYS been radio friendly even with your beloved Parachutes and AROBTTH, what's changed? In the early 2000 guitar driven songs were cool and over played on the radio, now songs like ASFOS are

Chris Martin loves to hear their songs over played on the radio, and he has aways been proud of it and that will never change in Coldplay, maybe, some day when they will be 50 years old or something.

 

this is getting ridicolous

[lennyrott1]

Electronic music and instrumental music are both perfectly viable for any setting or any band. Both genres, whether we think they take musicianship or not, are original forms of art and therefore should be considered as equals. Sure, you can call Kanye or other electronic/hip-hop sampling unoriginal or copying, for example. But the fact is that they are just taking art that they love and repainting it with new colors, textures or additions (Sound familiar? VLV)

 

I also understand the remorse against DJ's like Skrillex or Avicii. At their live performances they just push a few buttons on a laptop and not much else. But that isn't the appeal for their concerts. They still constructed fine pieces of music, and it is okay if they just push play because people are not there for the mad guitar solos or the soaring vocals, they are just there to dance and freak out. ASFOS is a song exactly like this. Coldplay just wanted a song that people at concerts or at parties could jam out to, and while I don't like the song very much, I won't blame them for making it.

 

All I am trying to say here is that I understand why people are upset with Coldplay's electronics. I personally didn't find them to be used on Ghost Stories as well as they could have been. That said, it doesn't make them any less a band or any less a talented band. Those sounds they created take a lot of fine tuning and work. To put out any amount of music or art as an artist takes a lot of tuning and work.

[lennyrott1]

 

If they do something more mainstream (ie Paradise) = sell outs

if they do something more subtle, like a spell a rebel yell = rip offs

if they do something rockier (violet hill) = trying hard to be cool

 

Who cares about what critics say about them, and by the way, they've always and I say ALWAYS been radio friendly even with your beloved Parachutes and AROBTTH, what's changed? In the early 2000 guitar driven songs were cool and over played on the radio, now songs like ASFOS are

Chris Martin loves to hear their songs over played on the radio, and he has aways been proud of it and that will never change in Coldplay, maybe, some day when they will be 50 years old or something.

 

 

This. We really shouldn't care. It is okay to be disappointed, but Coldplay will always in a large degree be a band in the now, always radio songs, always new sounds to explore, whether they are rock, electronic, etc.

[getithom]

I'm starting to think that you guys can't use your brain

 

you are completely ignoring the production of this album, which is a masterpiece, because your brain can't get over the fact that they are not a rock band anymore

 

get over it

 

 

and by the way, radiohead aren't a rock band anymore too, and they haven't created anything new since OK Computer, you all praise them like they discend from freaking God but they are nothing special, there are bands that have been doing what radiohead does for years and even better but who gives a fuck about them, right?

 

I'm sorry if now i'm coming out as rude but i'm really tired of the bullshit that coldplay recieves everyday

If they do something more mainstream (ie Paradise) = sell outs

if they do something more subtle, like a spell a rebel yell = rip offs

if they do something rockier (violet hill) = trying hard to be cool

 

Who cares about what critics say about them, and by the way, they've always and I say ALWAYS been radio friendly even with your beloved Parachutes and AROBTTH, what's changed? In the early 2000 guitar driven songs were cool and over played on the radio, now songs like ASFOS are

Chris Martin loves to hear their songs over played on the radio, and he has aways been proud of it and that will never change in Coldplay, maybe, some day when they will be 50 years old or something.

 

this is getting ridicolous

 

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Skypala]

I'm starting to think that you guys can't use your brain

 

you are completely ignoring the production of this album, which is a masterpiece, because your brain can't get over the fact that they are not a rock band anymore

 

get over it

 

 

and by the way, radiohead aren't a rock band anymore too, and they haven't created anything new since OK Computer, you all praise them like they discend from freaking God but they are nothing special, there are bands that have been doing what radiohead does for years and even better but who gives a fuck about them, right?

 

I'm sorry if now i'm coming out as rude but i'm really tired of the bullshit that coldplay recieves everyday

If they do something more mainstream (ie Paradise) = sell outs

if they do something more subtle, like a spell a rebel yell = rip offs

if they do something rockier (violet hill) = trying hard to be cool

 

Who cares about what critics say about them, and by the way, they've always and I say ALWAYS been radio friendly even with your beloved Parachutes and AROBTTH, what's changed? In the early 2000 guitar driven songs were cool and over played on the radio, now songs like ASFOS are

Chris Martin loves to hear their songs over played on the radio, and he has aways been proud of it and that will never change in Coldplay, maybe, some day when they will be 50 years old or something.

 

this is getting ridicolous

 

Exactly! People are so quick to judge every little detail-- I swear people make up new things to complain about just to so they can whine about something. I don't mean to come off rude but if you can't appreciate the positive qualities of this album then you really need to lower your expectations. Personally I love Ghost Stories more and more with each listen and music is music-- I don't care whether it is made with a laptop or a guitar, if it makes me tap my foot and smile, then that's enough for me.

[mattster]

I'll agree with the last two posts! Enough with the whining already. Either you like this album or you don't. I personally love this album for a number of reasons:

 

1. I've been at this exact point in my life of late and I experience the music for what it is ..... heartbreaking.

2. Chris' lyrics and the music are masterfully produced and put together so that the real emotion can be conveyed to us, the listeners. I can FEEL the heartache in the songs, which is exactly what the music itself provides behind Chris' lyrics. If you can't get this aspect of the music, then you are not going to like this album. It's that simple.

3. A real experience is being conveyed here. What it is like to be heartbroken, to descend into the darkness of your life and to finally be able to see the light and see the truth of things .... find a sense of hope that you will be OK and everything is going to work out.

 

I'm not an authority on music, but when I see reviews on the web slamming this album and also see people here going after each other ..... get over it and move on. This album is representative of what goes on for every single one of us at some point in our own lives. We've all been down this road .... to have it given back to us by Chris in this manner ... so clearly and so moving ... that truly is a gift. If you can't appreciate that, that's on you. Vent / argue all you want, but can't you see that it's a nowhere road? Arguing about the technical details (real guitars vs. computers) shows that you could possibly be missing what's really going on with this album. Who cares about being right or wrong here? I don't have to be either. It was a very bold and courageous move for Chris to put any of this stuff out there and for the band to back him, which they obviously did. Can't you see that? HE is literally bearing his soul for all to see .... his pain ... his suffering. Look at the liner notes for @#$%s sake ....

 

"Suffering teaches sweet understanding" - Marshall Ball

 

As I said in a previous post .... Thank you Coldplay for this album and this very personal experience.

[Skypala]

I'll agree with the last two posts! Enough with the whining already. Either you like this album or you don't. I personally love this album for a number of reasons:

 

1. I've been at this exact point in my life of late and I experience the music for what it is ..... heartbreaking.

2. Chris' lyrics and the music are masterfully produced and put together so that the real emotion can be conveyed to us, the listeners. I can FEEL the heartache in the songs, which is exactly what the music itself provides behind Chris' lyrics. If you can't get this aspect of the music, then you are not going to like this album. It's that simple.

3. A real experience is being conveyed here. What it is like to be heartbroken, to descend into the darkness of your life and to finally be able to see the light and see the truth of things .... find a sense of hope that you will be OK and everything is going to work out.

 

I'm not an authority on music, but when I see reviews on the web slamming this album and also see people here going after each other ..... get over it and move on. This album is representative of what goes on for every single one of us at some point in our own lives. We've all been down this road .... to have it given back to us by Chris in this manner ... so clearly and so moving ... that truly is a gift. If you can't appreciate that, that's on you. Vent / argue all you want, but can't you see that it's a nowhere road? Who cares about being right or wrong here? I don't have to be either.

 

As I said in a previous post .... Thank you Coldplay for this album and this very personal experience.

 

I want to give you a hug right now ahaha. Couldn't have said it better myself-- someday if/when I'm in the same position as chris or any similar situation, I can truly see how Ghost Stories would be the perfect healing medicine.