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This will be long so skip to the next post, unless you want to get bored! Ok, so I’ll first say this album takes a few listens to get your head around. On first listen I was struggling to ‘get’ it. So I’ve given it a few spins before putting my thoughts down. Reading what people’s opinion of it so far confirm my suspicions after my first listen. This album will divide opinion. I’ve read a lot about OldPlay & NewPlay. The simple fact is, this is what the band sound like now. The signs have been there for a few albums now, but you can definitely call this a “Pop” album pure & simple. There are some great parts & some very bad parts ‘X’ Marks the spot i’m looking at you. They have tried to change their sound & it’s given mixed results, but fair play to them for trying it. I’ve read a lot of things having a go at Chris’ lyrics. He’s never been as gifted as his contemporaries, when it comes to lyrics & there are some shocking ones on here, but i’m not going to beat him with that stick. Onto the album itself: A Head Full of Dreams: Yes it sounds like a U2 song. Especially at the start, I half expected Bono to start singing, Jonny’s guitar sounds very ‘The Edgy’. Chris has made no secret of his admiration for U2, so it had to happen eventually. But It’s actually a good song. Maybe a bit too much production (something which is a theme all the way through the album). Think it will be a great live song. One more thing to say if you hate the singalong woahhhs of VLV & Sky full of stars. You will hate this album! Birds: Hated this song on first listen. But it has grown on me very quickly. Carries on Chris’ fascination with Animals & soaring heights that’s always been in his lyrics. It’s a uptempo song with the soaring trademark Coldplay chorus that we come to expect now. This would fit right on MX. Quite poppy quite upbeat. Just feels like that little bit of magic is missing. Hymn for the Weekend: Another song that takes a few listens to work out. I will say this Chris’ voice works better with Beyonce than Rihanna. Beyonce sounds great which you’d expect from her. Chris sounds like he’s trying too hard to sound cool (that’s the best way I can put it). With all the production on this track you forget that that there are 3 other members. It’s gets better as the song moves along but this song is pure pop & sounds like everything around at the moment. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just bit of a shock the first couple of times you hear it & you remember this is Coldplay. Everflow: I really can’t decide on this song. It has the ‘OldPlay” piano & chris sound. Johnny’s subtle guitar sound from the classic quiet songs, which is great. I think the thing that puts me off is again that word ‘Production’. Too many tricks are being used on a song that should be very stripped back. There’s this voice on the song that cuts in at the end of a lot of the verses, it’s a production trick & it ruins the song for me. Could have been so much more, by being less. Adventure of a Lifetime: This is one of the better songs on the album. It’s one of the few songs the whole band get into a good groove & aren’t completely drowned out by the production. You can really hear Guy & Will’s rhythm section coming through, Johnny doing what he does so well. It has the whole EDM ‘underwater sound’ breaks but I don’t think that hinders the song at all. Chris sounds more comfortable on this one. It’s a catchy song & will be a great live track at those summer shows. Again would have fit right in on MX. Fun: The next two proper songs are the poppiest things on the album. The way it starts this song could go anywhere but when the chorus comes in, it goes the wrong way for me. Tove Lo’s voice works well with Chris’ . But the rest of the band are fighting against the production again. It’s a good solid pop song that lots of people will love & it does grow on you a bit but just doesn’t quite do it for me. Kaleidoscope: I always love the interludes/intros/outros on Coldplay’s albums this just doesn’t sound right. Its 3 small sections the middle part with the guesthouse being read it quite nice with the tune behind it. The start is all over the place. The last section with Obama singing? is just pointless. Army of One: The last of the Pop songs on the album. It’s very similar to Fun just without another voice on it. The rest of the band fighting the production again & sounding like they’ve given up at one point. It popped into my head on about the 10th listen of this song that I could imagine Taylor Swift singing this song when she wanted to sound edgy. I think that’s the problem people will have with this album as a whole. It’s too much a product of the music around at the moment. As a pop song it’s fine, it’s just missing that Coldplay magic. ‘X’ Marks The Spot: The less about this song the better. It’s bad. Fair play for trying something so different, but maybe keep it to a b-side not a song on your album. If you thought Chris was trying too hard on Hymn for the Weekend, it gets almost comical here. There’s one line (you’ll know when you hear it) that’s probably the most cringeworthy in the bands history. It might be the worst thing they’ve done. Amazing Day: The contrast between this & the last song is night and day. This is a song that says don’t worry as much as we sound like a pop group we’re still Coldplay. When Johnny’s riff kicks in you know it’s going to be ok. Plus you can actually hear the whole band on this song, what production there is, actually compliments the song, it isn’t fighting the band like on previous ones. Chris’ voice sounds good, Will & Guy are guiding the song along. One of the best on the album. Colour Spectrum: Another interlude. Nothing really happens in this one, lots of distant voices. A bit pointless really they’ve done these so much better before. Up & Up: Great song love it. The way it builds is good. Will be a great end song to a gig. Does have a ‘We are the World’ vibe to it. But as an album closer, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s not perfect, the production again is fighting against the band, the most glaring example of it is when Noel Gallagher’s guitar part kicks in where he’s playing with Johnny. It’s almost drowned out by the backing track. That should be front & centre in the song. In conclusion it’s not their best album. The flow in places is off. The main issue is the production on the album. I’m not sure how many songs Stargate have produced on the album, but you can feel it on nearly all of them. The constant battle between the band & the production on the songs is evident & sometimes gets pretty ugly. But it does redeem itself I’d say the album is half good half bad there are 5 songs I like AHFOD, Birds, AOAL, Amazing Day and Up & Up. Like everyone, this is just my opinion. If anyone has bothered to read all of this, thanks you’re a trooper!!!

Cheers for that guys. I'll give block 130 a go en route to Manchester at the moment!!!!

Quick question. Will there be any unreserved seating for general admission like there was when they did wembley stadium?

This is a joke right? People are taking what is printed in that rag seriously. I love how at the first sign of something they don't agree with some people on here are so easy to turn their back on the band. Nobody's seen the video so let's reserve judgement until its released. Something tells me it's not as clear cut as that "article" is making it sound!

I picked up a couple yesterday afternoon, because I'm staying in London for the weekend because of the gig on the 9th. I was put off this one originally because of the price of the tickets and it wasn't clear what you were getting. But on the off chance I had a look yesterday and saw the £29 tickets so decided to go for it when I saw they were doing an hour and I like Steve Coogan and my gf likes Tine Tempah so hopefully it should be a good night. I expect most of the tickets to go now after the apperance on the One Show last night. They must have been struggling to shift them I guess if they had to do that. Now its much clearer what is happening then I expect most of them will be sold in the next day or two. I have spent so much on tickets the last two months with the two shows in the O2 and going to Manchester next year! But its worth every penny!!!

Got mine too! Whoop

From what I remember when I saw them at the NIA in Birmingham on the last tour, it was all seater but everyone on the floor seats stood up anyway. Saying that When I saw them at Wembley Stadium the following summer the same thing happened when I was sat up in the gods. So if you want to stand that badly the floor would be the place to go, but if its all seating I get the feeling a lot of the floor seats would be the most expensive because of the view you would get (unless there's someone with 'big hair' in front.

My view Well I like it, not the best song they've ever released but I like it. I respect the fact they've tried something a little different from their norm. If you feel they have betrayed you or the song sounds to commercial (which I find a bit of a pointless accusation because they have been pretty commercial. They have never been a niche band), then don't listen to the song, wait for the album. If you don't like that then its not a horrible thing, calm down they are only a band and they have plenty of songs that you like that you can listen to. I just think some people need to calm the hell down. If you like it, then like it if you don't listen to the old stuff, plus there are plenty of artists out there that are 'less poppy' & 'less commercial' that you can listen to. All power to the boys for trying something they wanted to do. I personally can't wait for the new album this song hasn't changed that at all. If there are other songs that sound like this on it then cool because I like it. That's just my two cents anyway.

UPDATE: 1ST DECEMBER 2010: Coldplay - Christmas Lights, full video... [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1rYmzQ8C9Q&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - Coldplay - Christmas Lights[/ame] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE: 29th NOVEMBER 2010: Coldplay - Christmas Lights, Making Of... [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAqCTnV69OY&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - Making Coldplay's Christmas Lights video[/ame] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE: 28th NOVEMBER 2010: Coldplay - Christmas Lights Behind the scenes Parts 1, 2 & 3 [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4FMZatacnE]YouTube - Coldplay - Christmas Lights Behind the scenes Part 1[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mArQLCMlQec]YouTube - Coldplay - Christmas Lights Behind the scenes Part 2[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYhOzNopwtY]YouTube - Coldplay - New Christmas Lights Video - Behind the scenes part 3[/ame] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quick get over to the coldplay site they have just announced a new song out 1st december called 'christmas lights' theres a countdown and everything!!! The countdown has begun... Next week at 8pm on Wednesday 1st December, we are releasing a new song called Christmas Lights. It will be on iTunes and everything. It is in the Key of G. *We are doing the video right now. It is a mid-tempo number. We hope you have a great Christmas and /Holidays. Your's Truly, Coldplay. *(the scribbled out bit)

Me Me even if im in the good old uk

I think i can see the top of my head but i may be just out of the pic but that was about the eyeline i had to the stage!

It sounded amazing it sounded like they have been playing it all along!

they played talk instead of low yesterday

does anyone know a fix to the problem with rapidshare when you are on a LAN? I tried the cheat where i flush my dns. That doesn't work. Does anyone else have any sugesstions because i don't want to keep annoying people to host files on other sites. Any sugestions?

Miggy I was writing a post just like yours just now then i realised that i couldnt put it any better than you have you've "Hit the nail on the head". You feel the same way about this that i do - Best post i've read in a very long time!

I giggled like a little child when the chorus started!!!!!!!

I thought i read on this site that they actully lost out by delaying the album, because they missed their bonus for not releasing the album last December when they told EMI the album would be ready for December.

All part of the excitment of folling a band! :)

Well form what they said at the gig the other night "What If" is a song their really proud of. I get what you mean about it sounding like Amsterdam, owenrees. I think "Speed of Sound" is probably the most easily accessible song out of the new ones that they played, it's gets going straight away just like "Im My Place" does, so i can see why they've done it! I think "What If" is going to be their trump so they won't show it just yet!

I reckon it's all a big publicityt stunt to stop us fans getting all grouchy!!!!

:rolleyes:

:confused:

I heard that the other night and It took me a second to realise what he's ripped off.

So if the first song comes out this far away from the album release maybe they might move it up even if it isn't on the album!

It's good, it does sound like it's being sung for you, a bit more personal that the full version but just as good!