mattster

You got it!! In the interview with Zane, if he didn't say it directly, he alluded to the fact that this music / these songs were his outlet for everything going on in his life / relationship. Like I said, he is bold and courageous for sharing this with all of us. This is a cruel world and people tearing each other apart over something as personal as this is just ridiculous. There are bigger problems for all of us. Give the man and the band a break, you know?

I'll agree with the last two posts! Enough with the whining already. Either you like this album or you don't. I personally love this album for a number of reasons: 1. I've been at this exact point in my life of late and I experience the music for what it is ..... heartbreaking. 2. Chris' lyrics and the music are masterfully produced and put together so that the real emotion can be conveyed to us, the listeners. I can FEEL the heartache in the songs, which is exactly what the music itself provides behind Chris' lyrics. If you can't get this aspect of the music, then you are not going to like this album. It's that simple. 3. A real experience is being conveyed here. What it is like to be heartbroken, to descend into the darkness of your life and to finally be able to see the light and see the truth of things .... find a sense of hope that you will be OK and everything is going to work out. I'm not an authority on music, but when I see reviews on the web slamming this album and also see people here going after each other ..... get over it and move on. This album is representative of what goes on for every single one of us at some point in our own lives. We've all been down this road .... to have it given back to us by Chris in this manner ... so clearly and so moving ... that truly is a gift. If you can't appreciate that, that's on you. Vent / argue all you want, but can't you see that it's a nowhere road? Arguing about the technical details (real guitars vs. computers) shows that you could possibly be missing what's really going on with this album. Who cares about being right or wrong here? I don't have to be either. It was a very bold and courageous move for Chris to put any of this stuff out there and for the band to back him, which they obviously did. Can't you see that? HE is literally bearing his soul for all to see .... his pain ... his suffering. Look at the liner notes for @#$%s sake .... "Suffering teaches sweet understanding" - Marshall Ball As I said in a previous post .... Thank you Coldplay for this album and this very personal experience.

It is obviously about the relationship. I listened to it several times already and you can see the progression from light and airy, to dark and back up to a hopeful place. The lyrics hit home and very deeply if you look at it in this context. Watch the Zane Lowe interview and just from things he said, you will see the album is all about them.

I bought Ghost Stories first thing yesterday morning on the way to work. It doesn't help that I am facing a similar situation in my own life, so this whole album hits me very hard right now. In watching the Zane Lowe interview that Chris did, I completely get all of the music how he probably intended it to be received. For me, it's not about whether I like it or not. This album isn't about me. It's about Chris and what has happened in his life. A very personal record. He said he doesn't care what anyone thinks of it. The songs are reflective of the pain he has gone through, but most of all his own recognition of the fact that he has work to do in his own life. Too often in a lot of the reviews I have read on the interwebs (not many here), people make it about their wants and needs, which sound like opinions. Things either resonate with you or they don't. Little things here and there .... same thing. I dug for the deeper meaning and found it..... I can see the flow between the tracks and it's absolutely perfect. It starts light and airy with Always In My Head, gets gradually darker with the lyrics of songs towards the middle and then up to a hopeful place at the end with O. For me, this is a perfect expression of how many of us work in this regard. Things I always never had words for. Clarity I've not had in these kinds of instances. The interview showed us a side of him, while he was careful about how much he showed, that shows there is a true human inside that can be hurt but also one that knows he has a gift of music as his outlet. Things I wish I had, but don't. You could tell when O was playing in the background, he had a hard time listening if you watch closely. Between True Love (brings me to my knees) and O (takes me to the hopeful place where everything is going to be ok), I'm going the places I need to go for me. Seeing what I need to do to keep going, no matter how hard it gets. Thanks for this album Coldplay .... perfect music for this time of my life....

This is one of the best tracks off this album. Truly moving and Jonny's solo kills me almost every time I hear it. It amplifies Chris' lyrics 1000% and for me, almost brings me to my knees.

Had to ask for it! They didn't have it out at my Target either, as I stopped on my way into the office. I had to ask for it. Everyone there was confused and thought today was only the 18th! I waited about 10 minutes or so, as the guy had to get it out of lockup, and he brought me a single copy with the bonus tracks!

i was there as well! first show and it was excellant ....

Be sure to check out the pics over on the official coldplay forums ..... I have some live Coldplay DVD's from this year I would be willing to set ppl up with .... more details later or PM me if u want info ..... :D

Whoa .... that was awesome!!! thanks for that! :D

:huh: Well, from the LAWN where we were, it was a bit hard to tell who walked over to Chris (and yes I know who all the band members are). It was especially a bit confusing, since he got up and walked over to the drum kit and then walked back, sat down and said what he said....

I would be suprised if they are out yet, if anyone managed to get it taped ....

Great replies guys! I'm in total agreement that the show was awesome! I thought Rilo Kiley was ok, but my wife liked them quite a bit. I guess she had heard an interview with them on NPR sometime in the last couple of weeks, so she knew a little more about them..... Did anyone get any pictures? I'm still kicking myself for not taking my digital camera......

Just got in from the Raleigh show, which was excellant! Here's the setlist, with a few notes: Square One Politik Yellow God Put a Smile on Your Face Speed of Sound Low Rush of Blood to the Head Everything's Not Lost * White Shadows The Scientist** 'Til Kingdom Come Ring of Fire Don't Panic*** Clocks Talk Encore: Swallowed by the Sea In My Place Fix You * - Chris said he was playing this song for all of us out on the lawn. Changed the intro lyrics and they were quite funny! :D ** - This was hilarious! False start by Chris. Then Chris starting playing, made it through the first verse ..... started coughing and tried to keep going. Guy comes over and taps him on the shoulder. He gets up from the piano and goes to talk to Will for a sec and comes back. "Will said I fucked that one up pretty bad!" So he said we're going to try it again and it will be better .... it was AWESOME :D *** - Evidently, its Jonny's birthday as I am typing this (Sept. 11), so Chris invited the crowd to sing Happy Birthday to him :D All in all, a great show. I should've taken a camera, as there were plenty around me (on the lawn), but oh well! Maybe next time. Lots of energy from the guys tonight! Maybe somebody got a recording of this, as I didn't do it myself this time. Any other Raleigh ppl here???

My wife and I are going. This will be the first time to see Coldplay and from all of the talk on these boards, we are in for a treat!! :D We'll be on the lawn (I couldn't see forking out the $$$ for seats this time, but maybe the next ...) somewhere and hopefully I'll be bringing my digital camera in ....