Our next Mylo Xyloto on this Friday comes from The Harbinger - part of the My High School Journalism website. The Harbinger is based at Miami Lakes Educational Center, Miami Lakes, FL. They note that even when Coldplay have clearly changed their sound, there are still old-school Coldplay in MX with songs such as Charlie Brown and UFO. But has their risky change of direction paid off? Find out below...
Ever since the release of Parachutes in 2000, Coldplay and its front man, Chris Martin, have never failed to impress and captivate. Known mostly by their characteristic piano and acoustic guitar - as well as powerful and emotional lyrics - Coldplay truly made a name for themselves with the 2003 release of the single “Clocks.” This single, and its proceeding album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, marked Coldplay as the alternative powerhouse to beat...
Since then, Coldplay has released a steady stream of highly successful and breathtaking albums, each one notably unique from the last. In this way, the UK band has made a gradual shift from their original sound to create a whole new name for themselves, diversifying and strengthening their music along the way. Mylo Xyloto is the culmination of this diversification. When the album was first released this past October, it was greeted by a mixture of reactions. Excitement for a new Coldplay album was met by a collective eye-brow raising at its first single, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.” “Is this really Coldplay?” people wondered. “What happened to them?”
Those who were previously comforted by Coldplay’s melodic acoustic vibes were shocked and even somewhat appalled at hearing a new techno-pop sound accompanied by the sudden – but not overdone – use of synthesizers. But be still, little Coldplay-loving hearts. The old Coldplay is still there; songs like “Charlie Brown” and “U.F.O” can attest to that.
Even “Princess of China,” which features Rihanna and was snapped up by all the popular radio stations, hearkens to Coldplay’s long-standing love of all things Oriental. This was also seen in 2008 with the release of Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, which included “Strawberry Swing” and “Lovers in Japan,” both of which were inspired by Asian culture and themes.
Nonetheless, Mylo Xyloto is a far cry from Coldplay’s originally more melancholic sound, what with songs like “Hurts Like Heaven,” which fits more into a Passion Pit album than among Coldplay’s ranks. Of course, this isn’t to say that this change is a bad thing; the smartest move for a band like Coldplay – which is rounding on 12 years in the spotlight and still massively popular – to remain as big as it is in the music world is to play the field and experiment with new sounds. And boy is it working.
Coldplay, no less than a veteran band in the alternative music industry, can now be stepped back from and analyzed at a distance. Any Coldplay buff will now be able see the totality of Coldplay’s efforts.
In a matter of 5 studio-released albums, they have created a broad spectrum of music, colors, and emotions. True masters of their art, Coldplay have managed to drastically alter their sound – risky, no doubt – and not only maintain a cult following, but also create consistently fantastic music, album after album. [Article Ends]
Dont' forget to check out your tour discussion thread if you are getting tickets for the North American 2012 shows:
APRIL 2012
17 Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place [discussion]
18 Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome [discussion]
20 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]
MAY 2012
1 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
2 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
JUNE 2012
22 Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center [discussion]
25 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]
5 Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center [discussion]
8 Washington, DC @ Verizon Center [discussion]
23 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre [discussion]
26 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre [discussion]
29 Boston, MA @ TD Garden [discussion]
AUGUST 2012
3 East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center [discussion]
7 Chicago, IL @ United Center [discussion]
11 St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center [discussion]
Read also: North America Tour announced! (general discussion thread for the tour)
Read also: 2012: Live Appearances - Easy Thread Finder (last updated - 8th December 2011)
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]
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