TryWhistlingThis

I'm still deciding which side of the cover I want as the front cover, they both suit it well.

Yes, I do and a lot of it is really good. I think Wilco is a noteworthy example here and definitely deserve a lot more acclaim.

There's certainly no question of them not giving their best. It's just kind of like watching the same thing twice though. As bigger fan I am of him, Sting does this a lot too but what is really frustrating is that when he shares an anecdote with the audience, not only is it the same but he actually uses the same words, phrases and sentences, almost like a script. I got the symphonicities album and blu-ray before going to the concert and I was a little shocked when he started telling precisely the same story relating to the inspiration for Why Should I Cry For You. I m ean, exactly the same tone, choice of words, everything. An excellent concert, my favourite in fact, but if I had paid for two shows, not only would I have owned a copy at home, I would have paid to see it live twice again.

There was one thing which prevented me from going to more than one VLV show and that is, judging from reviews, the setlists are quite identical to one another. There's the odd change here or there but 90% of the songs and running order seems to be in tact. I'm guessing this is for technical reasons such as staging and lighting? I'd love to see them just do a new list each night, it just makes the surprise more thrilling. If I had to think of something that frustrates me with Coldplay, it would be that just as it would be any other act.

1. Every teardrop... 2. Paradise 3. Major... 4. God Put A Smile... 5. Violet Hill 6. Talk (band version, not the remix they did during the last tour) 7. Spies 8. Fix You 9. The Scientist 10. UFO 11. Viva La Vida 12. Hurts Like Heaven 13. Us Against the world 14. Strawberry Swing 15. Clocks 16. High Speed 17. Lovers In Japan 18. Twisted Logic ===Encore 1=== 19. In My Place 20. Lost! 21. Speed of Sound ===Encore 2=== 22. Glass of Water 23. Charlie Brown 24. Yellow

Princess of China maybe?

I remember Chris making those comments when Viva was released and frankly, since then, i've just learned to take the comments with a grain of salt. The discussion of MX being an acoustic album should be a reminder. I think the comments just stem from the fact that as they were back in 2000, they simply have no idea what to do next. As for Coldplay in the mainstream, I couldn't care less. The last respectable decade for music (to me) was the 1990s as music sounded like it was being played in a studio, not scripted through a laptop. I'm disgusted with the state of modern rock and pop. The voices sounded live because not all of them were perfect. There was still an art to writing and performing your own music. Then there's the diversity. We had jangly pop rock, grunge, metal, RnB, rap, techno. I didn't like all those genres but at least at the time it felt less of a cookie-cut recipe and more as just a scene. That's totally unlike the industry now. Not that i'm claiming that didn't happen back then, but it's a heck of a lot more apparent in music now with auto-tune and Timberland-style backbeats. I'll stop here as that's another thread entirely. But at the age of 26, I honestly believe i've found the artists that will define my music collection. I can't see my tastes being too much different in 40 years. If Coldplay stop charting simply because it doesn't fit the current model of what is considered popular, i'm fine with that. Though, judging from some of Chris' comments, I actually think it bothers him :(

CD for me all the way. Nothing substitutes a physical copy that can occupy an empty space on your shelf. Besides, in 20 years when i'm looking back at my album collection, I want something more than the file properties of an MP3 to remember the moments by. The packaging, though not the critical point of an album, strongly contributes to the representation of a band or artist at that point in time. Very much, or literally, like old photographs. Funny anecdote: picked mine up from JB Hi-Fi in Bourke Street only to step out of the store to see anti-capitalism protestors getting arrest. How ironic would it have been if Viva La Vida was the album being released instead? Ahahah. Oh well, no Coldplay for them.

Well, Viva-Mylo-Album 6 seems to be the Help-Rubber Soul-Revolver for me. Regarding The Beatles albums, during that era there were still a lot of sounds of their Merseybeat era while at the same time you had some exploration too with new riffs (Ticket To Ride), instruments (Norwegian Wood's inclusion of the sitar), styles (Eleanor Rigby) and things there were totally unlike The Bealtes (Tomorrow Never Knows). Almost the same thing is happening with Coldplay. So far Viva and Mylo have some of the things that are typical to Coldplay - melodies, harmonies and soaring anthems just as The Beatles during their relative era still were writing short, catchy, 4/4 pop & rock love songs. At the same time, we're seeing things that are unfamiliar to Coldplay recordings. Let's analogise with The Beatles example above: New riffs (Violet Hill, Major Minus), instruments (Yes, Lost, Princess of China), styles (Princess Of China, Every teardrop..., Paradise and the title track, Viva La Vida) and things are totally unlike Coldplay (Yes and Princess Of China). The point i'm making goes back to my review in the sense that we can see Coldplay are serious about moving forward but their taking it step by step. If anything, Chris Martin is to Coldplay what Paul McCartney and Sir George Martin were to The Beatles where the lines between Producer and band member become quite blurred. Once again, based on this gradual evolution, i'm starting to think the band is working up to something bigger. Though at once stage Chris claims that Guy (in an interview to which I cannot source the weblink) walked in and expressly stated that the album at the time just wasn't working. So perhaps the result that is Mylo Xyloto is symbolic of a potential creative tension within the band where one wants to go further into the deep end while the other is concerned about alienating fans.

Forgot about this thread. I posted a review in another thread, i'll paste it in here (apologies for double post). I'm definitely glad I held off because each of the songs are intended to be heard as an album rather than merely hand picked. First thing to note, before buying the album, the only songs I listened to were those which were officially released on the band's website (Paradise/Waterfalls/Minus). I didn't listen to any leaks or even the live versions which have been circulating YouTube for the last few months. Absolutely love the artwork to the album, I get a choice of two covers! Mylo Xyloto- nice intro Hurts Like Heaven - the first thing I notice with this album is that it's not suited for small speakers or mobile devices. It sounds fantastic on headphones, but currently i'm playing it again on my iPod Touch (via the built in speaker) and it sounds really messy and loses a lot of the layers. I've tried different settings but it doesn't improve it much. I know it's not the best way to hear music, but other albums (including Coldplay's) sound great on mini-speaker. But because the production this time around is at its heaviest, there's just too much noise saturation. Paradise - i like this one, always have. But i'm skeptical about how this will play out live because the production is a major driving force of this song with the harmonies, strings and synth. I'm guessing Will is going to be playing electronic drums on this? Live drums would drown out the sound too much for the type of song it is. But it's a great anthem. Charlie Brown - a nice mix of early Coldplay and Viva La Vida (the song). Johnny's electric guitar riff harkens back to something off the Parachutes album. But, that's where the similarities end to early Coldplay. A great song which I anticipate should translate live and will make a very nice single for the radio (assuming the band is still concerned about that). Us Against the World - not quite into this one yet. Up until this track the production has been one of the most apparent elements of the album but not in a way that takes away from the music. It just seems strange to have a song that is now so stripped back and intimate which, up until now, has been the antithesis to the album's tone. It's just a little too gentle for me as we've heard a lot of this from Coldplay in the past. It's nice but it's not something i'm always in the mood for. M.M.I.X - i've always been a bit funny with interludes because i've always found it's something that just really belongs on a main track but for some reason is used instead to add to the track listing. It's especially odd when you can buy the track stand alone off iTunes. But it serves its purpose as a nice segue to... Every teardrop is a waterfall - the controversial track that introduced us to MX. The use of electronica and synth did surprise me at first but it's grown on me a lot since and sounds very relevant to the album when heard in the context of the entire body of work. Major Minus - I have always loved this track. It's easily my most listened to track in the leadup to the album. To my dismay, it hasn't been so well received on the forums. I just can't express how much I like this song enough. It's flawless; musically, lyrically and vocally. This will sound increadible live. Easily some of Johnny's best guitar work. U.F.O - strangely, unlike Us Against The World, I like this a lot and it first with the album. Sure, it comes across more as a Martin solo piece Princess of China - another track that may not work live. Rhianna, electronic drumming and the saturation of synth kind of does take away from what the song has to offer. I'm mixed on this at the moment but i'm not a fan of too much post year 2000 music so i'm clearly not a fan of Rhiannon, auto-tune, contemporary pop or electronica. I admire the desire to step outside of the boundaries, but something is lost in the translation here. Whereas the duet with Chris Marin and (if I recall the artist's name correctly) Kanye West worked brilliantly and would have been a great coldplay song. But, with Pricess, there's just a little too much Rhiannon. Up In Flames - this is kind of like a Coldplay meets Massive Attack, mainly the backbeat gives it this feel. But it's mostly familiar Coldplay territory and by this point of the album, quite welcome. Another potential single. A Hopeful Transmission - i'm a little annoyed with this one as it would have made a great full length instrumental, but instead we just get teased. A shame. Don't Let It Break Your Heart - can't get into this one yet, it's not speaking to me. Up With The Birds - not my favourite Coldplay closing track, but nice enough. I haven't got much to say about it just yet. Overall, a good Coldplay album. For now, Viva La Vida is my favourite Coldplay album but I certainly prefer Mylo Xyloto to X&Y. After the innovation we got on the fourth album and its offspring EP, my expectations were obviously pretty high. I wouldn't say Coldplay have stopped inventing or tweaking their sound or even taken a backstep. I get the impression that while Chris wants the sound of the band to move forward, at the same he's very self-conscious of what critics and fans will think. He doesn't want to leave anyone behind but he also wants to keep people guessing with optimism. The transition we're seeing now to me resembles the Help-Rubber Soul-Revolver-Sgt Pepper transition of The Beatles in the sense that Coldplay is working up to something bigger. The transition in their sound is very methodical on this album in the sense that it doesn't take a massive leap forward like they did between X&Y and Viva. Next time around i'd love to hear a darker, moodier Coldplay with some atmosphere. While I like Mylo Xyloto for its exploration of sound, at the same time its done in a way that is decent and relevant to what is popular in the industry right now. I stress again, that does not make it a bad record but when you take into account the talent of the band and where the album could have gone, you can't help it wish for just a little bit more. 4 out of 5 So for now its: 1. Viva La Vida 2. A Rush Of Blood To The Head 3. Mylo Xyloto 4. Parachutes 5. X&Y

There's only one good thing that will come out of a breakup - a boxset of all the bsides, demos and outtakes. Apart from that, it would suck. But to answer the question, no, I don't think the band are done though I don't see them as being a band that will record and tour till death like The Rolling Stones or U2. Coldplay remind me more of Crowded House in the sense that Chris is almost obsessive compulsive over the identity, sound and reputation of the band just as Neil Finn was back in the day. Though Crowded House did recently reunite and have since released two albums.

Fixed :)

My review after 2 listens... First thing to note, before buying the album, the only songs I listened to were those which were officially released on the band's website (Paradise/Waterfalls/Minus). I didn't listen to any leaks or even the live versions which have been circulating YouTube for the last few months. Absolutely love the artwork to the album, I get a choice of two covers! Mylo Xyloto- nice intro Hurts Like Heaven - the first thing I notice with this album is that it's not suited for small speakers or mobile devices. It sounds fantastic on headphones, but currently i'm playing it again on my iPod Touch (via the built in speaker) and it sounds really messy and loses a lot of the layers. I've tried different settings but it doesn't improve it much. I know it's not the best way to hear music, but other albums (including Coldplay's) sound great on mini-speaker. But because the production this time around is at its heaviest, there's just too much noise saturation. Paradise - i like this one, always have. But i'm skeptical about how this will play out live because the production is a major driving force of this song with the harmonies, strings and synth. I'm guessing Will is going to be playing electronic drums on this? Live drums would drown out the sound too much for the type of song it is. But it's a great anthem. Charlie Brown - a nice mix of early Coldplay and Viva La Vida (the song). Johnny's electric guitar riff harkens back to something off the Parachutes album. But, that's where the similarities end to early Coldplay. A great song which I anticipate should translate live and will make a very nice single for the radio (assuming the band is still concerned about that). Us Against the World - not quite into this one yet. Up until this track the production has been one of the most apparent elements of the album but not in a way that takes away from the music. It just seems strange to have a song that is now so stripped back and intimate which, up until now, has been the antithesis to the album's tone. It's just a little too gentle for me as we've heard a lot of this from Coldplay in the past. It's nice but it's not something i'm always in the mood for. M.M.I.X - i've always been a bit funny with interludes because i've always found it's something that just really belongs on a main track but for some reason is used instead to add to the track listing. It's especially odd when you can buy the track stand alone off iTunes. But it serves its purpose as a nice segue to... Every teardrop is a waterfall - the controversial track that introduced us to MX. The use of electronica and synth did surprise me at first but it's grown on me a lot since and sounds very relevant to the album when heard in the context of the entire body of work. Major Minus - I have always loved this track. It's easily my most listened to track in the leadup to the album. To my dismay, it hasn't been so well received on the forums. I just can't express how much I like this song enough. It's flawless; musically, lyrically and vocally. This will sound increadible live. Easily some of Johnny's best guitar work. U.F.O - strangely, unlike Us Against The World, I like this a lot and it first with the album. Sure, it comes across more as a Martin solo piece Princess of China - another track that may not work live. Rhianna, electronic drumming and the saturation of synth kind of does take away from what the song has to offer. I'm mixed on this at the moment but i'm not a fan of too much post year 2000 music so i'm clearly not a fan of Rhiannon, auto-tune, contemporary pop or electronica. I admire the desire to step outside of the boundaries, but something is lost in the translation here. Whereas the duet with Chris Marin and (if I recall the artist's name correctly) Kanye West worked brilliantly and would have been a great coldplay song. But, with Pricess, there's just a little too much Rhiannon. Up In Flames - this is kind of like a Coldplay meets Massive Attack, mainly the backbeat gives it this feel. But it's mostly familiar Coldplay territory and by this point of the album, quite welcome. Another potential single. A Hopeful Transmission - i'm a little annoyed with this one as it would have made a great full length instrumental, but instead we just get teased. A shame. Don't Let It Break Your Heart - can't get into this one yet, it's not speaking to me. Up With The Birds - not my favourite Coldplay closing track, but nice enough. I haven't got much to say about it just yet. Overall, a good Coldplay album. For now, Viva La Vida is my favourite Coldplay album but I certainly prefer Mylo Xyloto to X&Y. After the innovation we got on the fourth album and its offspring EP, my expectations were obviously pretty high. I wouldn't say Coldplay have stopped inventing or tweaking their sound or even taken a backstep. I get the impression that while Chris wants the sound of the band to move forward, at the same he's very self-conscious of what critics and fans will think. He doesn't want to leave anyone behind but he also wants to keep people guessing with optimism. The transition we're seeing now to me resembles the Help-Rubber Soul-Revolver-Sgt Pepper transition of The Beatles in the sense that Coldplay is working up to something bigger. The transition in their sound is very methodical on this album in the sense that it doesn't take a massive leap forward like they did between X&Y and Viva. Next time around i'd love to hear a darker, moodier Coldplay with some atmosphere. While I like Mylo Xyloto for its exploration of sound, at the same time its done in a way that is decent and relevant to what is popular in the industry right now. I stress again, that does not make it a bad record but when you take into account the talent of the band and where the album could have gone, you can't help it wish for just a little bit more. 4 out of 5 So for now its: 1. Viva La Vida 2. A Rush Of Blood To The Head 3. Mylo Xyloto 4. Parachutes 5. X&Y

This is exactly why i'm holding off. I've spoilt previous albums by listening to the live versions first and have been disappointed with their translation onto a studio recording. This is why Paradise, Waterfall and Major sound amazing because all I have to go by at the moment are the studio versions.

I believe I have found the perfect set of metaphors to spoiling an album. Mr. Tom Waits: Tom Waits on Leaking - YouTube

It's this Friday :lol: Come on, think of how long it's been since VLV, what's a few more days? In fact, the gap between albums this time around has been better than ever for Coldplay when you think of it because we've had an EP, a free live album and a Christmas single. I think some fans are just a little spoilt ;)

I can't say I haven't been tempted, it's been pretty damn hard actually. Keep in mind I have heard three songs (Waterfall, Major & Paradise) because they were officially unveiled on the band's website so I assume the band actually want the fans to hear them in the same way they'd want a single to be appreciated. I actually don't believe there really is any such thing as a single anymore, so I consider the online YouTube streams at Coldplay.com to be the next best thing. But, October is a very good month for me as the following artists, of whom are also favourites of mine, have albums out this month to keep me busy: - Noel Gallagher - Joe Henry - Tom Waits - Metallica/Lou Reed collaboration It truly is ROCKtober for me :)

If Major wasn't on the record, i'd be pretty pissed. Given how the band is describing the album (I actually haven't listened to the album yet), it would seem odd not to include the song as it would contribute to the varied textures the band claim they're striving for.

I'm holding off because in listening to Major, Waterfall and Paradise I feel i've actually spoilt more of the album than I originally felt I would because a good number of the 14 tracks actually consist of interludes, so I won't have 11 unheard tracks when I purchase the album. So i'm definitely holding off. I like the three i've heard so far. The last few years I have spoiled albums for myself by listening online. There's just a certain thrill I get from putting the disc on for the first time and track by track getting to know the album. I will ask though; if I liked the three tracks I mentioned above, i'm going to like the album?

I've been a fan since about 2004, so not quite since the beginning but early on as my liking for the band began between their second and third albums. I first heard of Coldplay on a television advertisement in 2000 (I was 15). Around this time I was obsessively into Crowded House, The Beatles, REM, Sting, Travis and Oasis. That was about it. When I saw the advertisement for Parachutes, I said to myself "I already have this" given all the music I was into and just dismissed it. I was especially dismissive when my Mother said, "you should try them out, they're meant to be quite good". The tides turned dramatically after then as in about 2002, we were driving back from a family function and I heard "Clocks" for the very first time, I urged my parents to turn it up as the melody was so beautiful. But Mum changed the station because she thought it was Sting, an artist that she absolutely loathes. It was after then I purchased my first Coldplay album, A Rush of Blood to the Head and had the same reaction to that album as I did Oasis' (What's the Story) Morning Glory - "why didn't I own this earlier?" When X&Y was released I was disappointed. To this day it is still the lesser of the Coldplay albums for me but i've grown to like it. After my first few listens to that album, I immediately went out to buy Parachutes and enjoyed that more. But my passion for Coldplay wasn't quite cemented. I had enough respect for them, but I was skeptical if i'd ever bother going to a concert. Then Viva La Vida came along - my favourite Coldplay album. I was blown away by the change of direction: darker tone, more guitar, great production and best of all, fantastic conert! So, while A Rush... was an incredibly important album for me, my liking of Coldplay wasn't entirely realised until VLV. As for the new song, i'm glad to see them pushing forward in a new direction. Many bands, Oasis and Travis come to mind, will release the challenging fourth album and come the fifth, will immediately jump back to basics. That to me is something of a letdown since the more obscure fourth album becomes forgotten and almost regretted. For Coldplay to return to the sound of their first two records would undermine what made them so amazing in the first place. Inevitably, they would just come off as echoes or impersonation. But, Coldplay seem more and more inspired by their experiences in VLV, so I welcome the change.

Just before The Joshua Tree I hope ;) I want to hear their take on Exit and Bullet the sky!

In all honestly, it's more of a case of Coldplay's vision of themselves not being in alignment with your vision of the band. I understand that you may not like the sound or overall direction they're taking for now and i'm not saying you're in anyway wrong to think the music isn't as good as the first three albums, but to assert the band's new direction to be the product of sheer arrogance is a little ignorant. We don't know much of what has inspired the new direction or who really had the final say. Eno has a reputation for pushing artists outside of their comfort zone. There's a few interviews with the likes of U2, David Byrne and Talking Heads concerning this. Again, nothing personal against you or engaging in any kind of argument with you, just giving you my $0.02. Personally, I like the song and happy that we're not getting pale imitations of their first two albums simply for the fact that I have so much respect for those two records, i'd just hate to see even Coldplay try to outdo them.

I agree that the first two albums are generation defining which is precisely why I support Coldplay moving forward in new directions. By replicating the classic albums, they just become a dwarfed shadow of themselves by replicating something they did in the past a lot better. For me, some of the acoustic tracks on Prospekt's March were evidence of this. They just didn't stand up to the ones we had on the first two records which is why the more adventurous stuff from VLV/PM makes a much bigger impression on me.

Rebecca was excited about going down on Friday, Chris excited about going down a waterfall - geez :lol: Is it really that hard?

Very interesting point. While I obviously don't agree with the literal meaning of the statement, "...who buys the records these days...", while touring VLV Chris had stated in an interview that the listening patters of music has indeed changed over the last decade and they wanted their next release to kind of embrace that. Maybe by having a more accessible sound like that of ETIAW allows the casual listener to pick and choose the songs they like. For the record, I personally hate this aspect of modern music because rather than being about establishing the song within the context of an album, there's a real fast food/confectionary store mentality to it where it's merely about taking the bits you like and basing the album on that. Before iTunes, this did happen with things like piracy, but not to the extent that it's at now where it's commercially advantageous and in full practice.