28 minutes ago, HowCouldIForget said:

Did they review Ghost Stories?

In all seriousness, Infinity Sign is something special. It reminds me of the longer tracks on the back half of Daft Punk's album Discovery. Veridis Quo, in particular, comes to mind. But it's more interesting and less drawn out compared to that. I love it even more with each listen!

They have rated EL 5/5.

I love Coldplay but i quite agree with the Guardian and Pitchfork reviews. They can do better.

This album will exist only across the two featuring, in 2 months it will be forgotten.

I think it's time for the boys to come together and behave like a real group, that they lock themselves in a studio in the depths of UK and produce something together without necessarily surrounding themselves with thousands of people. And without looking Spotify statistics. Like what Brian Eno did for Viva right after X&Y trauma.

I have the impression that for some time John, and Guy are just spares.

@thomasPh  I guess that will be the case for MOTS Vol II ? If they keep going with the logic of one experimental record + one album for world tours each time.. ( GS + AHFOD, EL + MOTS )

I cannot stop listening to Biutyful, I don't get it lol. I like it overall as a song, but I don't like crazily love it or anything (I think, maybe that's in the process of changing!). Something about it is just a VIBE. I've literally had it on repeat now for the past 2.5 hours straight!

1 hour ago, WeddingDom said:

Coloratura is the best, not feeling the rest yet.

 

We're kind so they call us humankind... seriously, Chris?

only english language can afford such puns ?  

apart being funny, it delivers a good message isn't it ? we have to be generous as humans, that's why people had to share the album leak but this will be an old story soon ?

Jesus, they really fuc*ed up album version of POTP, it is totally soulless

41 minutes ago, ruffsnap said:

I cannot stop listening to Biutyful, I don't get it lol. I like it overall as a song, but I don't like crazily love it or anything (I think, maybe that's in the process of changing!). Something about it is just a VIBE. I've literally had it on repeat now for the past 2.5 hours straight!

Higher Power and Biutiful are the best tracks of the album i think, the rest is nothing special.

Biutyful being one of the better tracks is a plot twist I didn’t see coming

Yes, Biutyful is definitely a highlight!

I have a weird question about Humankind - Am I the only one who feels like something is off? Throughout the song the lyrics are dragged out like "I heard the straaaaangeeessttt sooooooooong", or "we're only huuuuuuuuumaaaaaaan" but in the chorus the "still they call us humankind" irritates me so much because it doesn't sound the same - I always expect it to go "still they call us huuuuuumaaaaankiiiiiind" into the chorus melody. Love the song, but this bugs me so much, I can't help it lol.

I'll post my impressions from the album later.

 

Oh and also, 
 

3 hours ago, WeddingDom said:

Coloratura is the best, not feeling the rest yet.

 

We're kind so they call us humankind... seriously, Chris?

 

Where did you get this from? There is not a single line in the song that says that... I guess you mean  "But we're capable of kindness, so they call us humankind".  If so, then you made it sound more terrible than it actually is.

 

Edited October 14, 20214 yr by GarbageOffice

BTW, what a shame that Infinity Sign is not a proper version of Don Quixote. That song was very good!

But I guess they decided not to release it since it has the same chord progression as Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark.

Hey all, I know its off topic (would appreciate if someone could guide me to the correct place) -- I bought a ticket to the Seattle Climate Pledge Arena show but got another from a friend as well. So I'm looking to sell (at the price I bought them for) but ticketmaster says they are non-transferable. Does anyone have an idea on how this can work? Please PM me if you do. Thanks ?

3 hours ago, MosesTheMarshmallow said:

*pulls out hair* my autographed CD shipped yesterday but UPS says it won’t arrive until Monday. MONDAY

I got the exact same message. ☹️

I just finished listening to the new album and I only have one question:

How does a band manage to produce something as beautiful, meaningful, melodic and special as "Everyday Life" and in less than 2 years release something as empty and forgettable as "Music of the Spheres"? ?

I never thought Coldplay would be able to create a shallower album than A Head full of Dreams, but I was wrong.

Anyway, I'll be here looking forward to the next album!

It seems like overall outcome will be quite similar to AHFOD. MOTS will be the album critics like to criticise intensively a little bit more than it actually deserves. It's easier to do that, than see and write about some positives. Criticising big bands feels always great and intriguing.

But in the end Coldplay with the next tour will again deliver one of the best live shows in the world. I can see most of the new songs working great in stadium environment with visual effects.

Anyway I think overall it's big step up from AHFOD, which for me gets quite boring and unimpressing halfway through. In my opinion MOTS feels like quite complete record overall, so it definitely deserves some praise for that, although it could have had more depth to this concept for sure.

My inner music critic would give it overall rating of 7.5 after giving it several listens while driving with car and also sitting down and listening with headphones. It's an amazing work with production and blending different styles into complete feeling album, but the songwriting and lyrics are often too cheesy even by Coldplay standards.

Just some comparison with postX&Y era "tour albums". For me AHFOD is 6.0, Mylo 8.5 and Viva 9.5.

Live show's gonna be great - album feels ready for that! 

For me the album was okay, and I'm always up for Experimentplay, but definitely one of the weakest albums thus far. I would say that this one sits on the same level as AHFOD. Its fun, though, and makes you happy and smile at times. And it is really, really short. Really feels like an intro for something bigger. I think that the biggest mistake they did concerning the album was to release Coloratura before the album itself was released.

My ratings:

Coloratura 10/10 - one of the best songs Coldplay has ever released. I really feel, like this song should not be on an album like this. It deserves better.

Higher Power, My Universe and Humankind (really growing on me after the first listens and could go up to 8/10) are 7/10 - really fun, catchy and just makes you feel good and happy.

Music of the Spheres is a 7/10 - I do really, really wish it was longer, like an extended version, like this one - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it1hD1zGgDk

Human Heart is also a 7/10 - really beautiful, just wish it was longer.

People of the Pride is a 7/10 - the live version felt more explosive and energetic. Its good though. A hint of glimpse of Oldplay.

Alien Choir - 6/10 - again, again, again, why can't it be longer? Like 2-3 minutes? Just go full on ambient, full on experiment.

Let Somebody Go - 6/10 - it's a fine love ballad, I quite like the exploding ending.

Biutyful - not my cup of tea, does nothing for me, but its cute (?) - 6/10

Infinity Sign - after three listens I can definitely say that this should have been with lyrics. I miss Chris on this, but, nonetheless its quite nice. 6/10

Music of the Spheres II is just i don't know. Why? 1/10.

The album is nowhere near as good as Everyday Life. I would say, that it's at the same level as A Head Full of Dreams.

I would say the album gets from me a 6.5/10.

Still love me some new Coldplay. ?

35 minutes ago, pectoralz96 said:

I just finished listening to the new album and I only have one question:

How does a band manage to produce something as beautiful, meaningful, melodic and special as "Everyday Life" and in less than 2 years release something as empty and forgettable as "Music of the Spheres"? ?

I never thought Coldplay would be able to create a shallower album than A Head full of Dreams, but I was wrong.

Anyway, I'll be here looking forward to the next album!

What album you listened to? MOTS for me is much better than AHFOD

Just listened via VPN (thanks Singapore). Yes, lyrically sort of poor. But I think the instrumentation of some songs isn't being discussed enough. Humankind for all its lyrical misgivings has a banging riff and a catchy chorus. Loved that one from the first listen. Also Biutyful is not everyone's cup of tea -- but I really like the melody and the duet. It's a cool new idea that hasn't been used often in pop music. Let Somebody Go will definitely have a single version like Everglow and it can have staying power. POTP is going to be awesome live -- and obviously Coloratura is great.

Overall, I think My Universe is the only one I'm truly underwhelmed by. And weirdly I don't understand the love for Infinity Sign. It's good like Life in Technicolor was good. As a full song I hope they have a b-side with Infinity Sign II with full Life is Beautiful lyrics.

Its the lyrics for the most part that destroy the flow of most tracks on this album.

The lyrics dont fit the instrumentation mostly, Higher Power is a good example of a track with the right flow.

I still have to listen to the whole album (Coloratura included!), except for HP and MU (and yes, concerning these two songs, I personally think that Coldplay can do - and have done - much better). However, reading some reviews I have the impression that the critic is not really reviewing the album, but rather reviewing the band.

For instance I agree with several points in the Pitchfork review (f.e. when they miss Chris saying "We can't get bigger, we should get better!", instead of "We want to make music for those who like us"), but most of the piece sounds more like a harsh critic of 2021 Coldplay, which uses the album's flaws to corroborate its statements. It's a reviewer's job that of highlighting a band's weakness, but here they should have commented on the album, describing its positive and negative aspects, not simply saying what they think of Coldplay, making fun of them. They did not even mention Human Heart and Coloratura, which together make more than 1/4 of the whole album.

Moreover, both Pitchfork and the Guardian criticise EL for having sold little compared to previous records, as if they ignored the fact that EL was not meant to be a chart topping album, and completely forget to recognise its qualities and its experimentation. At the same time they attack MOTS for being more mainstream and bringing nothing new, stating it was envisioned only to top charts and sell copies. Reasoning like this seems to be a bit influenced by prejudice.

Once I hear the album I might dislike it even more than those critics. What sounds wrong to me in these reviews is not their content but their reasoning, not their low rating but the reasons behind that rating.

I received the CD and vinyl version of Music Of The Spheres today (a day earlier than expected, uh-oh!!) and listened to both formats already.

Great album in general. Feels like it's a bit too short though. Well, the subtitle is Vol.1: From Earth With Love, so maybe there's coming a second volume sometime later?

So far my favorite track off the album is 'Coloratura'. Also, love the artwork!

Edited October 14, 20214 yr by andrewsky

3 minutes ago, andrewsky said:

the subtitle is Vol.1: From Earth With Love, so maybe there's coming a second volume sometime later?

 

In the music video of HP it said there are 3 parts, so we get at least 2 sequels to this i guess.

Edited October 14, 20214 yr by Nature

1 minute ago, Nature said:

In the music video of HP it said there are 3 parts, so we get at least 2 sequels to this i guess.

Sounds good! And oops, I can't remember that hint. I seldom watch music videos these days.^^

Reading all your impressions only increases the hype. I have ready my audio system for an eargasm lol.

Anyway is it time to start theorizing about MOTS II? ?

I'm super excited to see how they expand on this album. I really enjoyed it! Here's what I thought of the songs let me know if you all agree or not. 

Song Ranking 

⦵ (Music of the Spheres) 7/10
Higher Power 9/10
Humankind 9/10
*✧ (Alien Choir) 5/10

Let Somebody Go 10/10
♡ (Human Heart) 9/10
People of the Pride 10/10
Biutyful 5/10
❍ (Music of the Spheres II) 2/10
My Universe 6.5/10
∞ (Infinity Sign) 7/10
Coloratura 10/10