Rolling Stone reviews the live versions of Coldplay's "weirder, groovier" new songs

Last week Billboard scored a coup by publishing the only official media article from Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto era so far. Rolling Stone meanwhile had to make do with the scraps, publishing a small article, entitled "Coldplay's new cuts: Weirder, Groovier" reviewing the live versions of the new songs heard from the festivals to date.

This included Princess Of China, which hasn't even been heard or seen in decent quality yet. How Rolling Stone can possibly review Princess Of China professionally when all they've got to go on is a grainy YouTube video is anyone's guess, but to this end they gave the song 3/5. Charlie Brown, which has countless high quality versions floating around the internet only got 2.5/5. Go figure. Anyway, below is their review article, you can read more feedback on this at the Coldplay forum now [thanks Baw8cc]

These new songs - all debuted live in recent months but not yet released in studio versions - suggest Coldplay's forthcoming album may be more gritty, fun, strange and (yes) danceable than any so far: a Zooropa to the Unforgettable Fire of 2008's Viva la Vida. "Hurts Like Heaven" opened their Lollapalooza set with a word rush that occasionally recalled LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends", plus some outstanding guitar asides...

Broadcast on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, "Charlie Brown" (not the Coasters ' 1959 hit, alas) triangulates Springsteen, U2 and Arcade FIre in a hood-rat oratorio that roars even if Chris Martin's delivery feels too genteel. "Us Against The World" (debuted at the Rock am Ring festival in Germany) is an anthemic ballad with sweet harmony vocals from drummer/secret weapon Will Champion. Most interesting may be "Princess Of China" with a dubby drum track so huge, it apparently blew out all the bootleggers' mics in Nuremburg.