Another's Arms - your review

[Sparky]

I am compiling an ultimate Coldplaying fan review of Ghost Stories.

 

It will be posted on the main site shortly after the best review for each song on the album is picked, your name will be listed in credit should your review be chosen! Closing date is Monday 26th May

 

Get your writing fingers ready! Good luck! :)

 

You can also vote in the poll too, out of 10 which will be interesting as its usually only when a pre-album single is released.

[Ronnie O Sullivan]

The "Major Minus"-Problem:

 

Just to compare, when i first listened to Major Minus when they performed it at Rock am Ring back in 2011, i was blown away !

With the album version came the big disappointment. Everything what i loved about the live version was gone. Chris voice, Jonnys guitar,everything.

Still, Major Minus is not that bad but....

 

Same for Anothers Arms. It was my favourite from the live performed songs. Of course, the lyrics may be weak but i am fine with that.

I just have the strong feeling that they could have done so much better with the studio version, which is(like MM) still good. But all the power and emotions they delivered live

are totally gone on Ghost Stories. Everythings appears a bit driven back and i dont know why that was necessary. Anothers Arms could have been a really powerful song because it definitely has the potential for being a really Coldplay-Classic. So this only remains for the live version..just like Major Minus.

 

Live: 10/10

Studio: 7/10

[lennyrott2]

With complex drumbeats like a quality hip-hop track and warped, distorted elements, Another's Arms is a must listen headphone song. The poppy piano and angelic voice start this track off nicely, but quickly it dips into a deep, somber and gorgeous song. There is a lot to hear here: the glassy percussion, the synths, the piano, the stabbing guitar, the dark atmosphere and the uniquely, mumbled and pleading vocals. The final climax brings together all of these elements adding a fitting bassline that plays off soft womps of the woman's voice. A perfect marriage of minimalist elements forms an almost perfect track, save the lyrics.

 

9/10

[the_escapist]

Whose is that voice, is the first question that gets to your mind while listening to this song. But suddenly Chris Martin sets in to sing one of the cheesiest (yet depressing) lyrics he has ever written. This track again features the use of a vocoder and the voice (of a lady) you hear is very probably a computer-based voice which suits perfectly to a track that has amazing layers of music, most notably Jonny's riff. Will's vocals are also there and the song has its climax with an amazing guitar solo by Mr. Buckland. It is not a standout from the album, but a massive production success in the sense that the four boys collaborate with very distinct contributions. It's a song that defines the Ghost Stories era.

 

7.5/10

[ulwanmokhtar]

I don't think O is the highlight for this album, Another's Arms is! Yeah we could all go "what the freak did they did with the album version" but I would completely disagree, the studio version was just 100% better! Disappearing piano, unclear guitar riff, superb synth, it was all a beaut! A haunting kind of songs which tied between happy-sad tone which tells you a great and wonderful moments we had with our best person but at the end we kinda like spoiled it out. I think this is one of the best songs Coldplay ever pulled, and it is a standout to me.

 

10/10

[coldplayisawesome]

Another's Arms is right now my favorite track from Ghost Stories, not including the bonus Target tracks. It was certainly one of my favorites after hearing it live, but after hearing the album version I was really blown away. I love the distortion and how it sets up this scene. You can sort of imagine being the one sitting in front of that TV, in the dark, feeling hollow but as though something inside of you is trying to pull away. One set of lyrics goes, "When the world means nothing to me," and to me that is what the song sounds like, a sort of apathy that's beautifully represented by the distortion.

 

10/10

[WeddingDom]

Midnight is supossed to be my favorite song from Ghost Stories, but Another's Arms is growing on me really fast!!! I love the lyrics, the lady voice, Chris' voice, guitar, bass, synths, electronic drums... AGH! 9.5/10

[SeeYouSoon42]

Another's Arms is my least favourite song on the album. The lyrics in the first verse are, in my opinion cheesy and just not very good. This ruins the whole song. The rest of the song is brilliant but I just can't forget the first verse and every time I think "Okay, I'll give AA another go, I'm probably being too harsh on it" I end up hearing the first verse and just get the urge to skip it.

 

Despite this, musically it is great and the sample of the lady singing is one of my favourite bits on the album. Unfortunately though I have to give Another's Arms a 6/10

[Lodova]

"Another's arms"

The song which got many hate for its lyrics. But let's focus on the music. I suddenly loved "Another's arms" on itunes festival. I like both - live and studio versions. We don't hear guitar very clearly on studio version, but it's not a big problem to me. At least we hear some gorgeous bass lines. And I love Chris' screaming along with women's voice on live version and unfortunately it's not the same on the studio one.

[Karmen]

I fell in love with this one the very first time I listened to it. I love it live, but the studio version is a bit more paranormal-like. The lady's voice just adds to it, and the sadness of the lyrics makes it even more melancholic. Again, it's a return to the old Coldplay mixed with a bit of the stuff they have learned lately. I personally love it.

[Nature]

Strange thing with this song is, i dont really like the live version, but the studio version is fantastic.

The beat is nice and it flows greatly. The background voices at something to the atmossphere.

Coldplay is really about minimalism on this album lyricly and instrumental, but made it great. 3rd fav of the album.

[getithom]

Like with Always In My Head and Midnight, I heard this song first at my job, sitting in a car, tucked away and smiling obnoxiously at what I was hearing. My first listen was the only listen to this day where I was head over heels for this song. The lyrics were a bit odd at first, but musically, it made for it almost immediately, and the solo at the end was simply mind-blowing, loud and very 'Cemeteries of London'. But, much like my history with Radiohead's 'All I Need', my second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. listen(s) seemed to dampen whatever love for the song I had. While it's a pretty good song, I can't help but feel it's far and beyond my least favorite song on the album. If it weren't the added guitar work Jonny has in the end (which was nice to hear after listening to the live version so much!), I probably would skip over this every time.

 

2.5/5

[RhysBP]

True Love may be quite sad but it’s nowhere as sad as Another’s Arms. Here, listeners get to listen to Martin moan on about how is lover has moved on with someone else. I’ll say right off the top that the lyrics in Another’s Arms sound quite amateur.

 

The song features the same elements as some of the other songs on the album - electronic drums, idling synthesizers and the occasional piano. However, the main ‘star’ on this song is the pre-recorded voice of an anonymous female vocalist. Like the piano on the previous track, it helps bridge the verses.

 

Seeing as this one of four songs heard live before the release of the album, fans were greeted with a demanding burst of passion and exuberance. However, on the studio recording, the production makes the song come off a bit soft sounding. That’s the only disappointment I can find in the song.

 

Having said that, the last two minutes of the song are quite special. Buckland delivers another guitar solo and although it could’ve been more prominent, it instantly demands your attention. The melody changes slightly to allow the song to sound more aching and even a vocal sample of Jane Weaver’s song Silver Chord can be heard. The song finishes off nicely with a repeat of the opening chorus and thus completes the saddest song on the album.

 

Down the track, I don’t know if the band will play this song live after the Ghost Stories era but one thing can be said. Along with Politik, Major Minus and God Put A Smile Upon Your Face, Another’s Arms is a song that sounds much better live.

 

RATING - 4/5

[Fabyth09]

I love that mix between "slow-dark rap, Jonny's guitar and the angelic choirs of Church"