Vitamin Z

Guys, to me all 3 songs played on the radio today sounded ever so slightly different, but much better - this combined with the posts from EMI suggests that the leaked version is indeed NOT the final version. Then again, maybe I'm just being hopeful..

The effects of HLH seemed like they were toned down a lot to me. If they are the same, then the radio ones at least MUCH better quality

All 3 songs played tonight seem different, HLH the most. HLH actually sounds really good in the radio version!

1. Mylo Xyloto/Hurts Like Heaven: 7.5/10 Disappointed with the very overdone effects on Chris' voice, especially the first minute or two of Hurts like Heaven. Despite this, the guitar work is awesome, and the vocal effects seem to ease off towards the end 2. Paradise: 9/10 Gets a lot of unjust hatred. Yes, it's very poppy, and some of the lyrics aren't great, but it's a very catchy song and Chris' vocal work is great. I find it annoying how people hate the repeating of 'para' in the chorus...bit of a stupid thing to complain about imo. 3. Charlie Brown: 9.5/10 My favorite song when played live, it seems to lose a little something in the studio version, although I'm not sure what. Still an amazing song though! 4. Us Against The World: 9.5 I love this, Chris' voice is very relaxed, and I love when the intro and when the bass kicks in near the end. 5. M.M.I.X/Every Teardrop: 8.5/10 Again, lots of unjust hatred. Some lyrics leave a little to be desired, but Johnny's guitar work is awesome, and it's just a great feel-good song. M.M.I.X is a great euphoric introduction too. 6. Major Minus: 6/10 I liked this live, but I'm barely able to listen to the studio version. It could have been a great dark song, but again the effects ruin it completely, much more so than in Hurts like Heaven. Disappointing. 7. U.F.O.: 8/10 Classic Coldplay here - very relaxing and subdued. I need to listen more to form more of an opinion though. 8. Princess Of China: 10/10 I really thought I'd dislike this. I absolutely hate Hip-Hop and RnB, and I'm not the biggest fan of Rihanna, but wow - this is one amazing song. The synths and guitar really makes the song. Rihanna puts in a great voice performance too, and really gels with Chris' voice. This song is going to be huge. 9. Up In Flames: 8/10 Little repetitive, but still great. Chris' voice shines here, and I like the metronome beat in the background. For some unknown reason I hate the almost nonsical end lyric though ('Can we pour some water on?')...on what?:D 10. A Hopeful Transmission/DLIBYH: 10/10 What a shocker! I expected very little of this but wow, one of my favourites - and I've still only listened twice. 11. Up With The Birds: 9/10 Fantastic closer to the album. I just wish more tracks had this sort of style, where Chris' voice is allowed to shine through without sounding like an underwater robot.

It's growing a little on me, but I'm still really disappointed with the vocal effects, especially in the beginning - it almost sounds as if Chris is a robot singing underwater...ridiculous. But I guess it's easy to get used to, and the guitar is awesome.

I don't understand the hatred of this at all. The synths and guitar (I'm positive I can hear guitar, not just synths) are absolutely epic! And Rihanna gives a great vocal performance, and really blends well with Chris'. I do agree that it'd be nice to hear a bit more Chris in the song, but this is going to be amazing in arenas and is guaranteed to get Coldplay a #1. And this is coming from someone who hates RnB and Hip-Hop

Mine's arrived too! Really excited now :) Intrigued by the 'special guests' bit...I hope that means Rihanna will perform Princess of China with them 'cause that song is awesome

I totally agree, I was really looking forward to HLH too :(

Not feeling it right away, think it'll take a few listens :)

Coming from someone who hates Hip-Hop/RnB...WOW. This sounds absolutely amazing, Chris and Rihanna work really together, and the instrumentals are outstanding. One thing I do agree with is that Chris should have sung a little more, but that's not a huge issue for me. I love how MX is shaping up to be - such a good variety of songs

Guys, do we know if this will be available on iTunes on iOS? Having new Coldplay material to listen to tomorrow will make Monday so much better :)

I really love White Shadows, and the energy in it - I wish they'd play it more :( and as said earlier, I really miss this Coldplay - no 'concept' rubbish, and trying to be 'different' for the sake of it...just pure, awesome Coldplay

I would absolutely love them to play the Twisted Logic version of Clocks, the version on How We Saw The World is epic

I liked the live version a lot, Chris's voice sounded natural and it was just so chaotic that it was awesome. The studio version lost all of this - Chris's voice sounds way excessively autotuned, and it's just...dull.

Guys, do we know approximately how long the show will be on for? I see it starts at 6.30

Hope everyone here got there tickets! Got mine, Lower tier in block 110 :)

3 minutes?! I'm in work at 9.30, luckily at a computer. If my boss calls me for a meeting around then I'm afraid I'm going to have to politely tell him to bugger off!

Can I ask you guys what pre-sales actually means? Am I best not getting the pre-sales tickets?

I really like it, but I can't help but feel it's lacking a certain something. I absolutely love the verses, but the chorus is extremely dull in it's current form. And I know it's stereotypical for Coldplay, but I really wish the song lead to some sort of crescendo, ala Fix You. That'd elevate to an amazing rather than just good. Perhaps I'll be even more impressed with a better quality live version/studio version :)

I really hope so. If that happens then MX is sure to be my favorite album

What I want is variety. So far I'm loving the mix we're getting - yes, there are a lot of pop songs, but they are fucking fantastic pop songs. Then we have songs like Charlie Brown, Hurts like Heaven and Us Against the World...classic Coldplay. The only thing I think that'll be missing, and has been since X&Y, are extremely emotional songs like The Scientist, Warning Sign, Fix You, Everything's not Lost and Politik. VLV had nothing of the sort, and sadly I don't think MX will have anything like them either :(

Couldn't agree more buddy. I'm loving the variety of songs coming up on MX - the epic AROBBTH/X&Y style 'Hurts like Heaven' and 'Charlie Brown', the radio-friendly and different Every Teardrop is a Waterfall and Paradise, and the absolute classic Coldplay in Us Against the World. People are complaining even though we know there are classic, non-poppy songs lined up for the album, not to mention the ones we haven't heard yet, which I think are bound to be less poppy and much more familiar to us Coldplay fans. Of course Coldplay are going to release the pop songs - could you picture them releasing something Moving to Mars? While that is one fantastic song, it wouldn't suit as a single at all. And you know what, even though I dislike pop music I absolutely love Paradise and ETIAW! Rihanna on Princess of China though?...I'll reserve judgement but it doesn't sound like something I'd like listening too.

Politik has to be one of the best songs every written, period. Nothing I've ever heard compares to the raw emotion of it.

Am I in the minority when I say I frigging love the chorus? I've seen so many people say that 'para-para-paradise' sounds stupid, but I think it sounds awesome, especially the second and last chorus.

That was a great read and you know what, as much as I disagree about Paradise being rubbish, you make a lot of sense. I think the criticism of X&Y (which I think was completely unjust as X&Y is my absolute favorite Coldplay album) really effected Coldplay's direction. I can't blame the guys at all, as with that amount of criticism I'd probably be looking to do something drastic too, but they seemed to abandon everything that made them *them*. The heavenly sounds of Clocks, the epic ballads of Fix You and What If...I could go on. I remember when I first listened to Viva la Vida after the long 3 year wait...I couldn't help but feel like everything I once loved about them was gone. That they'd never be another song like Amsterdam or Everything's Not Lost. But despite all that, I think Coldplay still make amazing songs. They will never have the effect of their previous work, but they are still one of the best bands out there. I learnt to love their new music. - Paradise may be poppy to it's core, but it still shows how amazing these 4 musicians are. But, I'm also hoping I might be shocked and Up in Flames or another MX track will have an essence of the old Coldplay!