More reviews of Coldplay's latest single, Charlie Brown, have surfaced online in the past week - most of them have a release date of circa. 19th March, however the official site has listed Charlie Brown in their recordings section as being released on 3rd February. Very confusing! Anyway... we'll have some more Mylo Xyloto album reviews from March, in the meantime here are the latest Charlie Brown single reviews you may or may not have read yet... [discussion in the Charlie Brown sub-forum here]
Unreality Shout (5/5 stars): It’s not hard to trace the progression of Coldplay as they venture into what is widely considered and equally as widely misinterpreted as “going commercial” for their fifth album, ‘Mylo Xyloto’. On an album themed to anti-establishmentarian revolutionaries with a fiercely anti-War message buried under your typical Coldplay fanfare, ‘Viva la Vida’s central track, the luxuriously colourful, wide-eyed spectacle of ‘Lovers In Japan’ was everything (in conjunction with ‘Strawberry Swing’) that brought the rest of the album’s dark tones to that pivotal, obligatory feeling of breaking through the clouds that personifies Coldplay’s latest offering, ‘Charlie Brown’.
Further research would tell you that ‘Lovers In Japan’ was the last song recorded for the band’s fourth album, and simply listening to it would tell you that they had already started to move away from the lead-heavy melodies of songs like ‘Lost!’ and ‘Violet Hill’ and that it merges seamlessly into the vibrant incandescence of their fifth album...
But it’s still a misinterpretation to brand Coldplay’s recent efforts as “going commercial” - they’ve always struck a chord as somewhere between high-brow commercialism (see: ‘Fix You’, ‘Speed of Sound’) and left field alternativeness (see: ‘God Put A Smile Upon Your Face’, ‘Strawberry Swing’) - commercial isn’t something new to Coldplay, it’s always been there. And, quite contrastingly to popular belief, this isn’t something that’s hindered them here.
In terms of sound, ‘Charlie Brown’ recalls the yangqin-lead ‘Life In Technicolor II’ in it’s surging, triumphant refrain; a wonderfully spacious sound that resonates with a sense of glorious accomplishment and manages to counteract the dulcet tones of Martin, whose frequently pathos-less whining dwindle the very soul of band’s work in the past. Thankfully though, Martin overcomes the urge to slow down the pace too much when the first verse arrives, and it’s also refreshing to hear lyrics that carry some weight as something relatable yet transcendent to something imaginatively fantastical at the same time.
It’s a crying shame that Coldplay’s best material isn’t the stuff that sells. ‘Paradise’ did well for the promotion of ‘Mylo Xyloto’ despite never actually raising any pulses until the dizzying, sky-scraping falsetto and football chants kicked in. Contrastingly, ‘Charlie Brown’ needs no warm-up period, and there’s no moment where the song’s momentum lapses, even in the quieter verses, thanks to Buckland’s effervescently chiming riff. A true testament to it’s sparkling resilience is that, even when otherwise hackneyed Coldplay lyrics like “All the boys, all the girls/All that matters in the world” roll around, the song still hurdles from strength to strength, swirling up a rousing finale to quite possibly the best thing Coldplay have ever recorded.
And there's this from, The Student Newspaper, another positive review giving the song 4/5 stars: "Despite the fact that Coldplay are musical veterans, their latest single is fresh, exciting and sounds young and carefree. Continuing their new electro/soft-rock sound, “Charlie Brown” is a floor-filler with heart, featuring a riff that will be stuck in your head for days. The best part is, you won’t actually mind.
Amid the rousing lead guitar and spangly electro-effects, Chris Martin’s voice is as distinctive as ever, harping back to the band’s earlier days. Yet this upbeat track symbolises their staying-power, proving that they’re not afraid to keep evolving and experimenting without losing that characteristic Coldplay essence. Guaranteed to fill both dance floors and stadiums, this track will make you want to ditch your studying, grab some mates and dance across the Meadows in the sun. If you’re looking for a summer anthem, this might just be it."
Finally, Digital Spy also gave Charlie Brown a 5/5 star rating: "Coldplay's Chris Martin may have a regrettable sense of humour when it comes to early morning chatshows and joking about the title of their latest album Mylo Xyloto, but thankfully and rightfully that's where the criticism stops. It may be a fact that people from different parts of the world might struggle with the record's pronunciation, but should they really care when it contains gems like new single 'Charlie Brown'?
"I stole a key and took a car downtown where the lost boys meet/ I took a car downtown and took what they offered me to set me free," Martin confesses over a foot-stomping beat and tapping guitar strums, before the chorus charges head-first into a blissful folk-pop hook of anthemic proportions. 'Charlie Brown' may be Coldplay's most youthful sounding cut to date, but it's their well-worn ear for a stellar riff that's the main attraction here.
Don't forget to check out your tour discussion thread if you are getting Coldplay tickets or just getting excited for the European & North American 2012 shows and other forthcoming appearances:
FEBRUARY 2012
8 Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia (iHeartRadio) [discussion]
9 Los Angeles, CA @ Jimmy Kimmel Live [discussion]
10 Los Angeles, CA @ GRAMMY Week MusiCares Person of the Year tribute [discussion]
12 Los Angeles, CA @ 54th Grammy Awards, Staples Center [discussion]
16 Sydney, Australia @ 2DayFM, Mobile Live Set (intimate show) [discussion] [CANCELLED]
17 Sydney, Australia @ Sunrise (intimate show) [discussion] [CANCELLED]
21 London @ Brit Awards 2012, O2 Arena [discussion]
MARCH 2012
2 New York, NY @ Good Morning America [discussion]
4 New York, NY @ The Secret Policeman's Ball, Radio City Music Hall (Amnesty International) [discussion]
APRIL 2012
17 Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place [discussion]
18 Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome [discussion]
20 Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena [discussion]
21 Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena [discussion]
24 Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena [discussion]
25 Seattle, WA @ KeyArena [discussion]
27 San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion At San Jose [discussion]
28 San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion At San Jose [discussion]
MAY 2012
1 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
2 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
4 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
18 Porto, Portugal @ Dragao Stadium [discussion]
20 Madrid, Spain @ Estadio Vicente Calderón [discussion]
22 Nice, France @ Stade Charles Herman / Nikaia [discussion]
24 Turin, Italy @ Olympic Stadium [discussion]
26 Zurich, Switzerland @ Letzigrund [discussion]
29 Coventry, UK @ Ricoh Stadium [discussion]
JUNE 2012
1 London, UK @ the Emirates Stadium [discussion]
2 London, UK @ the Emirates Stadium [discussion]
4 London, UK @ the Emirates Stadium [discussion]
7 Sunderland, UK @ the Stadium of Light [discussion]
9 Manchester, UK @ the Etihad Stadium [discussion]
10 Manchester, UK @ the Etihad Stadium [discussion]
22 Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center [discussion]
23 Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center [discussion]
25 Houston, TX @ Toyota Center [discussion]
26 Houston, TX @ Toyota Center [discussion]
28 Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum [discussion]
29 Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena [discussion]
JULY 2012
2 Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena [discussion]
3 Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena [discussion]
5 Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center [discussion]
6 Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center [discussion]
8 Washington, DC @ Verizon Center [discussion]
9 Washington, DC @ Verizon Center [discussion]
23 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre [discussion]
24 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre [discussion]
26 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre [discussion]
27 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre [discussion]
29 Boston, MA @ TD Garden [discussion]
30 Boston, MA @ TD Garden [discussion]
AUGUST 2012
1 Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills [discussion]
3 East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center [discussion]
4 East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center [discussion]
7 Chicago, IL @ United Center [discussion]
8 Chicago, IL @ United Center [discussion]
11 St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center [discussion]
28 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Parken Stadium [discussion]
30 Stockholm, Sweden @ Olympic Stadium [discussion]
SEPTEMBER 2012
2 Paris, France @ Stade de France [discussion]
4 Cologne, Germany @ Rheinenergie Stadium [discussion]
6 The Hague, Netherlands @ Malieveld [discussion]
12 Munich, Germany @ Olympiastadion [discussion]
14 Leipzig, Germany @ Red Bull Stadium [discussion]
16 Prague, Czech Republic @ Slavia Eden Stadium [discussion]
19 Warsaw, Poland @ National Stadium [discussion]
22 Hannover, Germany @ AWD Arena [discussion]
Read also: European Stadium Tour announced! (general discussion thread for the Europe tour)
Read also: North America Tour announced! (general discussion thread for the US/Canada tour)
Read also: 2012: Live Appearances - Easy Thread Finder (last updated - 12th January 2012)
Read also: 2012 tour date rumours (please post dates for ALL countries in here)
Kit yourself up for the forthcoming MX tour and get spotted with Coldplaying's new range of merchandise! [click on the items for the full shop]
The new range of Coldplaying merchanise (unofficial of course to the official shop) has hit our stores, with our biggest range of goods so far. Prices are as low as they can be for a Cafepress shop so more people will be able to afford them. We don't take any profits for the sale of the merchandise as a result. Take a browse in one of the online stores nearest to you: UK | US | Canada | Australia | European (shipping is worldwide, but you can choose what currency to pay in) - simply alter the country dropdown menu at the top of the shop page. [thanks to TracieMorgan and zzz]
Recommended Comments