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What would you change on AHFOD?


Kamili

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I actually bought only two songs but I listened to the whole album online since. I'm certainly no hypocrite.

 

You're a bit patronizing and passive aggressive. And you seem to like to troll my comments.

 

I had assumed you bought the whole album, apologies :) I am afraid I dont troll your comments. I am commenting many places :) Sorry if anything I said came off like that to you. My comment was actually in admiration in case you actually bought the whole album, thats why I said you´d then be very accommodating! :) (I actually still remember back in the days when we used to buy a whole album to get one or two songs!) It honestly never occurred to me that that would make you an hypocrite, how so? Again sorry if you somehow thought something like that was implied in anything I said.

 

Only earlier we talked about how intentions get misunderstood online, guess we are both prime examples of it. Glad we can clear it out :)

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Just the lyrics in X Marks the Spot.

 

Just the boom boom parts or the whole thing? I like the "put my hands up" chorus especially. Also I am probably one of 3 people in total who like the song, but glad I am not totally alone haha as it seems to imply you did like it, besides the lyrics :)

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Guest howyousawtheworld

Get Will, Johnny and Guy to start writing the bulk of songs. Chris has been running on empty for too long now and it badly shows on this album. The sad thing is that you could have had the greatest producer in the world working on this album and it would still be poor because at the end of the day, the songs just aren't there. They're not just average, they are poor in Chris's book and when conspired with the plastic and soulless production it creates something of a horror show by Coldplay's previous high standards.

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For me I would say one of these two things would have helped the album a lot:

 

1) Pick new producers and influences.

 

This is obviously very difficult. My criticism of this album is largely based upon the fact that the songwriting is generally weaker and that certain musical choices are just uncomfortable at times. I partially blame stargate. The band members have said a few things about them: a) that they made the band audition demos to them b) that they helped get rid of unnecessary noise and create space (i.e. getting rid of textures for a more accessible sound).

 

Firstly, Coldplay should not have to audition to Stargate...they are superior music makers in every field. Losing tracks so Stargate will work with you is self-defeating. Secondly, getting rid of texture or the "wall of noise" issue is very dangerous. Viva and MX had such amazing textures that made them so good. With AHFOD, on tracks like Army of One or Everglow--the guitar, bass, reverb is all turned down so the drumeats and synths can take over. This leaves the songs feeling empty and not very interesting or as beautiful as they should be imo.

 

But you also need to blame the songwriting in general. I frankly don't think it was as good as past albums. Plus, Will has been loving drumbeats, and Chris has been eating up pop tropes. We do need to blame the band here too.

 

If they wanted to make a soulful, colourful album, why not go with Eno again or some other famed producer? Coldplay should be working with LEGENDS, not pop producers who are focused on the catchiest thing.

 

2) Stick with a few core themes and ideas for the record:

 

While I love individual tracks on AHFOD, I feel they don't fit together at all. People were upset with MX about being too many singles, but sonically and in terms of album flow, they worked well together. AHFOD is so so so random. They go from synthpop to hip-hop, then to alt-rock to disco to sappy rock ballads. There are themes of life, love, break-ups, the world at large (?) the meaning of life (?). It is all over the place and not well refined. They should have taken X-Marks the Spots and put it as a fun B-side. I also think HFTW and Army of One simply don't match anything else on the record sonically and feel out of place and therefore dull (which they just are anyways).

 

Coldplay has always brought in tons of influences, and boiled them down to accessible, pop/alternative music for the masses. I think this is the first album where they failed to really please anybody because it is so all over the place. They should have just ran with a few themes: like loving someone and dreams/aspirations in life. Instead we get: Everglow--happy break up song. Fun--sad break up song (?) Up&Up--lets save the world together. Amazing Day--Don't you love everything? Kaleidoscope--Emotionslife are a gift. Some themes get through to me...but on the whole I am like WTF.

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There seems to be a lot of dislike as far as the latest album is concerned. Personally, I really like it with the exception of the song 'Birds' which just hasn't grown on me yet. The album is a different sound to the band's previous work, but it does sound very commercial. The album has obviously been made to appeal to the masses, but that can only be a good thing. Having said that there are some more classic sounding Coldplay tracks on the album, such as 'Everglow' and 'Amazing Day'. I don't however like that hidden track 'x marks the spot', CM rapping just sounds ludicrous.

Overall I would give the album 4/5 stars.

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