Track 02 - Higher Power | Music of the Spheres

[Captain Crieff]

38 minutes ago, Strawberry Swinger said:

No pal, they are not confident. It is rather the opposite. They go with the mainstream, guitar is not seen as appealing with the masses and kids who listen to this kind of music. They are very much trying to fit in, desperately. I wish people were a little bit more realistic with this. 

Maybe, just an idea, this is the kind of music they want to make? Literally nothing is indicating they desperately want to fit in, they just released a pop song (and it’s a good one in many people’s opinion). Actually they have been releasing pop songs since 2000.

[Strawberry Swinger]

3 minutes ago, Captain Crieff said:

Maybe, just an idea, this is the kind of music they want to make? Literally nothing is indicating they desperately want to fit in, they just released a pop song (and it’s a good one). Actually they have been releasing pop songs since 2000.

I don't mind it being pop. Stop mixing pop and generic. This is utter crap. They wanna make it? Fine. Let them be. They are turning into fucking clowns, if you ask me. Chris is 43 years old. Making music for teenagers and writing embarrassingly bad lyrics. It is so obvious that they make one album that they want and another album for filling up stadiums. Because THIS is what sells. It is fascinating how ppl refuse to see this very fact. 

Oh, and they don't try to fit in lol yeah right. Take the biggest producer and do the 80s vibe = not trying to fit in. Ridiculous. 

Edited May 11, 2021 by Strawberry Swinger

[TheBigBadBono]

1 minute ago, Strawberry Swinger said:

I can't believe you guys actually believe this song is heartfelt. This is generic trash made for the masses. If you want something genuine from the band, listen to Everyday Life. The album. I rest my case. 

Everyday Life is my favorite album because it did something that post-2010 Coldplay didn't often do, which was step outside of their comfort zone. But I think to say their pop songs aren't heartfelt is a bit of a stretch. Sure, some pop songs can be pandering and trend-chasing but also be very soulful. Disco songs in the 70s. New Wave in the 80s. I think though they were aiming for a chart-topping song they seem very happy about it and love making music. Granted, it's not music many of us love, but if they love making it, then why would we call the song not heartfelt? Genuine music is also subjective - I personally don't like Ghost Stories nor Mylo but they put so much ambition and effort into the latter and the former was a breakup album so I'd say that's pretty genuine. As is most of the stuff from AHFOD, bar some certain songs. 

Again, the songs might not be very good at times, but it certainly seems that they love the feeling of music and making music - so I don't think it can be called heartless and ingenuine.

[Strawberry Swinger]

1 minute ago, TheBigBadBono said:

Everyday Life is my favorite album because it did something that post-2010 Coldplay didn't often do, which was step outside of their comfort zone. But I think to say their pop songs aren't heartfelt is a bit of a stretch. Sure, some pop songs can be pandering and trend-chasing but also be very soulful. Disco songs in the 70s. New Wave in the 80s. I think though they were aiming for a chart-topping song they seem very happy about it and love making music. Granted, it's not music many of us love, but if they love making it, then why would we call the song not heartfelt? Genuine music is also subjective - I personally don't like Ghost Stories nor Mylo but they put so much ambition and effort into the latter and the former was a breakup album so I'd say that's pretty genuine. As is most of the stuff from AHFOD, bar some certain songs. 

Again, the songs might not be very good at times, but it certainly seems that they love the feeling of music and making music - so I don't think it can be called heartless and ingenuine.

They sure love the money they get from the songs. Listen to the lyrics of Higher Power and tell me they are not embarrassing? Can't they keep any standard? This whole thing just proves my Quote below is true. 

[TheBigBadBono]

1 minute ago, Strawberry Swinger said:

I don't mind it being pop. Stop mixing pop and generic. This is utter crap. They wanna make it? Fine. Let them be. They are turning into fucking clowns, if you ask me. Chris is 43 years old. Making music for teenagers and writing embarrassingly bad lyrics. It is so obvious that they make one album that they want and another album for filling up stadiums. Because THIS is what sells. It is fascinating how ppl refuse to see this very fact. 

It's actually impressive how arrogant you seem to be about your one point that you're just suggesting and repeating over and over again. Literally every response I've seen from you is incessant bashing without reasoning nor proper discussion. This thread is for proper and constructive discussion, not attacking others and insulting the band themselves all because you dislike a song.

Music is subjective. Let me get that out of the way. Sure, some songs are objectively better than others but to each their own - it doesn't matter if I hate a song that you think is brilliant and vice versa. I also think you're overexaggerating it being "crap" because there's a lot of good elements to be found in the song, particularly in the instrumentals and live versions. Sure, the lyrics are terrible and lazy but that's what you get from collaborating with Max Martin. I have a problem with calling the band you've supported for years clowns when they make the stuff that makes them happy. Sure, it might not be what you like, but calling them embarassments and clowns is a step too far. 

Do I like the song? Kinda, but it has yet to stick with me. Will I still support the band? I've done so since 2007 and always will - they've helped me in times of depression, soundtracked many of the important events of my life, and have provided me with many great songs. Calm the f down and please try to calm yourself down instead of arguing with others.

[Strawberry Swinger]

2 minutes ago, TheBigBadBono said:

It's actually impressive how arrogant you seem to be about your one point that you're just suggesting and repeating over and over again. Literally every response I've seen from you is incessant bashing without reasoning nor proper discussion. This thread is for proper and constructive discussion, not attacking others and insulting the band themselves all because you dislike a song.

Music is subjective. Let me get that out of the way. Sure, some songs are objectively better than others but to each their own - it doesn't matter if I hate a song that you think is brilliant and vice versa. I also think you're overexaggerating it being "crap" because there's a lot of good elements to be found in the song, particularly in the instrumentals and live versions. Sure, the lyrics are terrible and lazy but that's what you get from collaborating with Max Martin. I have a problem with calling the band you've supported for years clowns when they make the stuff that makes them happy. Sure, it might not be what you like, but calling them embarassments and clowns is a step too far. 

Do I like the song? Kinda, but it has yet to stick with me. Will I still support the band? I've done so since 2007 and always will - they've helped me in times of depression, soundtracked many of the important events of my life, and have provided me with many great songs. Calm the f down and please try to calm yourself down instead of arguing with others.

I am not arguing, I am just being realistic.  Unlike many people. ?
Go check any of my posts about Everyday Life if you think I am a basher. 

Edited May 11, 2021 by Strawberry Swinger

[TheBigBadBono]

3 minutes ago, Strawberry Swinger said:

They sure love the money they get from the songs. Listen to the lyrics of Higher Power and tell me they are not embarrassing? Can't they keep any standard? This whole thing just proves my Quote below is true. 

The lyrics are terrible - can't argue there. But you speak of them as greedy politicians who gobble up money at the expense of poorer people. That's a laughable comparison when they're probably the NICEST band in the world by a long shot. I've given up arguing because I feel I've said enough on my end. Go vent to someone else and spread your negativity to others on this thread.

[Strawberry Swinger]

2 minutes ago, TheBigBadBono said:

The lyrics are terrible - can't argue there. But you speak of them as greedy politicians who gobble up money at the expense of poorer people. That's a laughable comparison when they're probably the NICEST band in the world by a long shot. I've given up arguing because I feel I've said enough on my end. Go vent to someone else and spread your negativity to others on this thread.

I did not say they were not nice.
I just feel sorry because they have apparently become puppets of their record company and they do what is expected from them by the masses.

Edited May 11, 2021 by Strawberry Swinger

[TheBigBadBono]

Just a small addition - the song might seem generic but in no way is it soulless - the band have always talked about how much they love 80s music - A-Ha, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Paul Simon, Echo and the Bunnymen, etc. Guy's bandmates with Magne Furuholmen (idk how to spell it) from A-Ha. So though it might seem in line with trends it certainly also feels inspired because of the band's favorite music.

[Strawberry Swinger]

Just now, TheBigBadBono said:

Just a small addition - the song might seem generic but in no way is it soulless - the band have always talked about how much they love 80s music - A-Ha, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Paul Simon, Echo and the Bunnymen, etc. Guy's bandmates with Magne Furuholmen (idk how to spell it) from A-Ha. So though it might seem in line with trends it certainly also feels inspired because of the band's favorite music.

Oh and why did they not put out something inspired by the 80s before? Coincidental they should it now, isn't it?
I support them and will, but they have sold out so many times, I am starting to feel very annoyed about it. 

[Captain Crieff]

3 minutes ago, Strawberry Swinger said:

I did not say they were not nice.
I just feel sorry because they have apparently become puppets of their record company and they do what is expected from them by the masses.

But you don’t know that! They may actually like making music that also happens to appeal to the masses. I don’t know for sure if that’s the case as I don’t know the band personally so yeah, maybe they are puppets. But to be honest I don’t believe a band that is serious about what they’re doing would settle for creating the kind of music their record label wants them to make and only releasing an album they actually like once every other 5 years or so. This band has been going for over 20 years with no line-up changes. That does not happen if you’re not serious/passionate about what you’re doing. 

[Coeurli]

12 minutes ago, Strawberry Swinger said:

I don't mind it being pop. Stop mixing pop and generic. This is utter crap. They wanna make it? Fine. Let them be. They are turning into fucking clowns, if you ask me. Chris is 43 years old. Making music for teenagers and writing embarrassingly bad lyrics. It is so obvious that they make one album that they want and another album for filling up stadiums. Because THIS is what sells. It is fascinating how ppl refuse to see this very fact. 

Oh, and they don't try to fit in lol yeah right. Take the biggest producer and do the 80s vibe = not trying to fit in. Ridiculous. 

Chris is actually 44 

There seems to be a terrible misunderstanding when it comes to Coldplay. Hannah just above me explained it well.

So anyway if you highly dislike that "big numbers" aspect of them I would suggest to sit this one out  It must be indeed frustrating. No point in wasting your energy on a band that does not correspond to your vision of music. It's totally cool to prefer small bands or bands that put out music that's completely out of the trends etc. It's just a waste of time to expect that from Coldplay - and, since it's never been their promise, it's also unfair to call them out for it.

 

Now regarding the upcoming BRITs performance, what are we thinking? Same mix as American Idol or possibly a different one ? 

[jcfromparis]

I just received the one track cd single from the Coldplay webshop. (it took a while because I'm in France)

Nice package but one track ?

It's weird that they released Arabesque / Orphans on 7'' and Higher Power on a cd single.

What is the logic there ? 

[GamingForeverAUS]

26 minutes ago, Coeurli said:

Chris is actually 44 

There seems to be a terrible misunderstanding when it comes to Coldplay. Hannah just above me explained it well.

So anyway if you highly dislike that "big numbers" aspect of them I would suggest to sit this one out  It must be indeed frustrating. No point in wasting your energy on a band that does not correspond to your vision of music. It's totally cool to prefer small bands or bands that put out music that's completely out of the trends etc. It's just a waste of time to expect that from Coldplay - and, since it's never been their promise, it's also unfair to call them out for it.

 

Now regarding the upcoming BRITs performance, what are we thinking? Same mix as American Idol or possibly a different one ? 

this time they throw in the vlv chant to get the viewership ratings up

[LisaFeehily]

For a song where Max Martin was involved the lyrics are actually alright.? If you look up his methodology ("Melodic Math"), if this was applied to HP in some ways then it's not surprising that some people perceive it as sounding "generic". It's the most common criticism I've seen about the song. I believe it was heartfelt to begin with, but in the end result it got a bit lost.

 

[Coeurli]

39 minutes ago, jcfromparis said:

I just received the one track cd single from the Coldplay webshop. (it took a while because I'm in France)

Nice package but one track ?

It's weird that they released Arabesque / Orphans on 7'' and Higher Power on a cd single.

What is the logic there ? 

Actually EL was a double album that they didn't want to promote much, whereas MOTS/LP9 is likely to be one big album that they want to promote for a while.

So it makes sense that they would release 2 tracks from each side of EL as one release, and only one track to launch the MOTS/LP9 era. They're probaby going to release 1 single after the other, with a lot of space inbetween. Although maybe we could get a Higher Power EP in a little while! Afterall this 1 track CD was advertised as a limited edition only.

 

 

[I ran away]

Wow this discussion has gone south fast ?

I agree with some of the sentiments expressed by @Strawberry Swinger, although NOT  with the tone in which they have been expressed ? I would never be so harsh on the band or insult them, but i do agree they are clearly aiming for the TikTok generation with this song.

I wouldn't call Higher Power soulless either, I do believe it comes from Chris's genuine heartfelt feelings but sadly nowadays he expresses them with, um, shall we say less sophisticated "come on - come on - you've got - yeah you've got -" repetitive catchphrases rather than more complex lyrics.And now that is a trend in mainstream music that I genuinely dislike.

Btw I think AROBTTH and X&Y were influenced by the 80s too (Echo and the Bunnymen, U2, The Cure,...), but imho by good 80s stuff. Higher Power feels more like one of these current 80s retro songs than an actual 80s song. There's something missing about it, maybe a great melody. People compare it with Take on Me by A-ha, but honestly Take on Me is a much better song with better melody and vocals. It's rare that I'm saying this about a Coldplay song, but I have to be honest.
 

[jcfromparis]

2 hours ago, Coeurli said:

Actually EL was a double album that they didn't want to promote much, whereas MOTS/LP9 is likely to be one big album that they want to promote for a while.

So it makes sense that they would release 2 tracks from each side of EL as one release, and only one track to launch the MOTS/LP9 era. They're probaby going to release 1 single after the other, with a lot of space inbetween. Although maybe we could get a Higher Power EP in a little while! Afterall this 1 track CD was advertised as a limited edition only.

 

 

Sure. I know that cd singles are long gone. But no instrumental ? no remix ? Just one track ?

We have several remixes and versions available on Spotify or YouTube official channel that haven't got a physical version...

[I ran away]

1 hour ago, jcfromparis said:

Sure. I know that cd singles are long gone. But no instrumental ? no remix ? Just one track ?

I'm upset at the demise of the B-side too! And yeah, the CD is little value for money...but then again, we fans will buy anything and they know it ?

[Sonic85]

Add me to the group who still doesn't love the song but thinks the live version is miles better. My least favorite section is that "Hold tight, come on" part and actually hearing Jonny's guitar over that makes it infinity more listenable. Honestly, I haven't listened to the studio version since. 

Edited May 11, 2021 by Sonic85

[nvdmm]

4 hours ago, Strawberry Swinger said:

Viva la Vida is a bloody masterpiece, especially compared to this garbage we have today. 

It's great to have you back by the way ? I very much enjoy talking with the old guard ? 

[Shakersonic123]

3 hours ago, Strawberry Swinger said:

I don't mind it being pop. Stop mixing pop and generic. This is utter crap. They wanna make it? Fine. Let them be. They are turning into fucking clowns, if you ask me. Chris is 43 years old. Making music for teenagers and writing embarrassingly bad lyrics. It is so obvious that they make one album that they want and another album for filling up stadiums. Because THIS is what sells. It is fascinating how ppl refuse to see this very fact. 

Oh, and they don't try to fit in lol yeah right. Take the biggest producer and do the 80s vibe = not trying to fit in. Ridiculous. 

Although you come off as abrasive, I have to agree with everything that you have said. I also want to add one thing. Chris cares a lot about what people think. I know as human beings we naturally do, but for Chris it got to a point where it interfered with his artistic approach. Actually, he has always been desperate for commercial success and approval even in the 2000's. The only difference between those years and now is that Alternative/Rock is not that popular anymore and doesn't perform well on the Hot billboard chart. Back then, he had the pressure to create great alternative music to top the charts, so the fact that they were successful was a bonus. Nowadays, he has the pressure to include a song that follows the current trend even if the song itself deviates instrumentally from the rest of the album. A Sky Full of Stars is a great example. 

Chris always claims that he doesn't care about fame and success, and that he loves composing certain songs because he genuinely loves it. I'm sorry, but I don't believe him. He became a politician (in the music world) for me. I want to see more actions and less words if he wants to convince me. 

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

1 minute ago, Shakersonic123 said:

Although you come off as abrasive, I have to agree with everything that you have said. I also want to add one thing. Chris cares a lot about what people think. I know as human beings we naturally do, but for Chris it got to a point where it interfered with his artistic approach. Actually, he has always been desperate for commercial success and approval even in the 2000's. The only difference between those years and now is that Alternative/Rock is not that popular anymore and doesn't perform well on the Hot billboard chart. Back then, he had the pressure to create great alternative music to top the charts, so the fact that they were successful was a bonus. Nowadays, he has the pressure to include a song that follows the current trend even if the song itself deviates instrumentally from the rest of the album. A Sky Full of Stars is a great example. 

Chris always claims that he doesn't care about fame and success, and that he loves composing certain songs because he genuinely loves it. I'm sorry, but I don't believe him. He became a politician (in the music world) for me. I want to see more actions and less words if he wants to convince me. 

I'll respectfully disagree. Chris and Coldplay are always making big nods to their musical heroes and musicians they respect with each thing they do. ASFOS is a ripoff of Aviici and EDM, yes, but it takes a lot of melodic craftsmanship to develop the beat drops in that song. And the instrumentation is actually 80% the band, really - it still boils down to piano, drums, bass, and guitar. Admittedly you can hear the guitar much better in live versions. 

When it comes to Higher Power, there's a pretty obvious lineage from Jump by Van Halen - Chris even covers its main riff during this performance of Charlie Brown.

Starts at 2:40ish:

 

[Shakersonic123]

5 minutes ago, MosesTheMarshmallow said:

I'll respectfully disagree. Chris and Coldplay are always making big nods to their musical heroes and musicians they respect with each thing they do. ASFOS is a ripoff of Aviici and EDM, yes, but it takes a lot of melodic craftsmanship to develop the beat drops in that song. And the instrumentation is actually 80% the band, really - it still boils down to piano, drums, bass, and guitar. Admittedly you can hear the guitar much better in live versions. 

When it comes to Higher Power, there's a pretty obvious lineage from Jump by Van Halen - Chris even covers its main riff during this performance of Charlie Brown.

Starts at 2:40ish:

 

I think you make a great argument for the quality of the song, but not for Chris' artistic approach. Although as an EDM track it stands out and even contains elements that aren't found in the genre itself like the build-up of instruments, it still was something that was completely unnecessary given how it contrasted drastically (instrumentally) from the rest of Ghost Stories. Question yourself this: Why did he decide to do EDM one year after Avicci and Calvin Harris dominated the Charts? Why didn't he release an EDM single in the 2000s if he really loves it? Why did he specifically collaborate with Avicci? Why not Tiesto or Van Buuren? Why was there even a reason to collaborate? Most artists when they experiment do it themselves. The easy answer to these questions is that Chris wanted to get attention and stay with the current trend (relevant in other words) otherwise you would have to come up with lots of excuses and justifications.

[Eskapist]

10 hours ago, Strawberry Swinger said:

Yet you don't seem to mind that they are releasing Mylo Xyloto 3.

 

No I don't mind that at all because :

- There is one Mylo Xyloto, not two. A Head Full of Dreams is a really different record but i don't know if you listened to both albums. 

- Mylo Xyloto is one of my favourites records of the band because it is an excellent pop album with a really unique atmosphere. Pop isn't necessarily a bad thing, i know that's can be a hard thing to believe but that's the truth.

You know I am kind of surprised that Coldplaying topics have always been peaceful and respectful, even though the band's music has changed a lot for the last ten years. I understand what you feel, but you need to accept their evolution because they won't change for you. 

To tell you the truth, I think Coldplay has always been a witness of music evolution. Parachutes & AROBTTH were rock and alternative in a time where it was very popular. Mylo Xyloto popped up in a time where pop music was everywhere. And this is what I love about this band : they are witnesses of musical changes but they're trying everytime to keep their identity, to keep an instrumental structure which is better than most of popular artists today. That's what Coldplay is to me right now.

Edited May 11, 2021 by Eskapist