RhysBP

Hey everyone! For those of you going, looks like we are in for a fun night. Walked past the Enmore earlier today and there was lots of roadies loading the equipment in. I'll be hanging out around the front from 4:15 onwards to get a good spot. Feel free to join me if you want! RhysBP

Anyone wanna guess what time our tickets will be emailed to us? Getting antsy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

See you there!

To close off the album, listeners are treated to a surprising double bill. It’s only listed as being one song but don’t be fooled! There are two songs here to enjoy. The first one, Fly On, can be applied to one of my favourite sayings - “Less is best”. The main part of this song is Martin playing a gentle melody on the piano. After the optimistic A Sky Full Of Stars, the lyrics found here go back to a very melancholic state. The whole song is a metaphor about how love is like a flock of birds flying away. Touching but very sad. What I enjoy most about this song is the contribution from Buckland, Berryman and Champion. Buckland is making bird like noises on the guitar, Berryman is gently plucking his bass and Champion is doubling up by singing in harmony whilst producing some very quiet guitar through an e-bow. Whilst Martin solo sounds outstanding, the contribution from the other three is what makes this song. After a two and a half minute wait, O comes to life. Listeners may be fooled as to thinking it sounds like the start of the album again. However, this time there is a gentle bass line present and extra vocals. The one lyric - “Don’t ever let go” - is a three way harmony between Martin, his daughter and her friend. By far, this is the most angelic part on the whole album and it is the perfect way to bring the album to nice, ethereal end. Coldplay have always had an uncanny knack of ending an album brilliantly (best one is still Up With The Bird) and O is no exception. RATING - 5/5

Coldplay have always managed to create a show stopping number on each album that will stand the test of time - Yellow, Clocks, Fix You, Viva La Vida, Paradise. Ghost Stories’ candidate can be found in A Sky Full Of Stars. I am going to say this up front - this is the most positive song on the album. It almost seems out of place in the overall scheme of things but that doesn’t mean it’s a disappointing song. This is a song that is bound to get your out of your seat and dancing. Filled to the brim with pulsating EDM beats and a piano riff from another unlikely source in Avicii, Martin’s lyrics are extremely delightful, although they do get a bit repetitive. However, this song is too glorious to even care. It’s in the lyrics “Cause you get lighter the more it gets dark” and “Go on and tear me apart / I don’t care if you do” that listeners get the impression that this is a love song of a different kind. The only negative I have with A Sky Full Of Stars is that it sounds like any pop star could’ve made it. However, Coldplay have managed to keep their trademark soaring melodies and climaxes that makes them so identifiable. RATING - 5/5

I find Oceans the most interesting song on the album. Unfortunately, like Ink, this song barely features Buckland and Berryman. Martin can again be heard on the acoustic guitar and the song can basically be made into a solo for him. However, through the power of his amazing falsetto, Martin delivers the most haunting melody on the album. This is backed up by some rather disconcerting lyrics - “I’m ready for it all love / Ready for the pain”. The eery vibes of the song are manfully assisted by three main components - Martin’s echoed vocals, the squealing fiddles of a string orchestra and the repetition of a ship’s radar, which is surprisingly coming from Champion’s drum pad. Buckland makes a cameo with some synthesized strings but due to its dominance, it comes across as rather unnecessary. Not before long, the songs comes to a peaceful end but that’s not where the fun stops. Instantly, a pump organ (?) takes over before an instrumental wash of synthesizers begin an interlude to the next song. As the sounds shifts from one side to another (listen to the song through headphones and this will make sense), distant church bells toll and to quote Up With The Birds, “good things are coming our way”. RATING - 3.5/5

True Love may be quite sad but it’s nowhere as sad as Another’s Arms. Here, listeners get to listen to Martin moan on about how is lover has moved on with someone else. I’ll say right off the top that the lyrics in Another’s Arms sound quite amateur. The song features the same elements as some of the other songs on the album - electronic drums, idling synthesizers and the occasional piano. However, the main ‘star’ on this song is the pre-recorded voice of an anonymous female vocalist. Like the piano on the previous track, it helps bridge the verses. Seeing as this one of four songs heard live before the release of the album, fans were greeted with a demanding burst of passion and exuberance. However, on the studio recording, the production makes the song come off a bit soft sounding. That’s the only disappointment I can find in the song. Having said that, the last two minutes of the song are quite special. Buckland delivers another guitar solo and although it could’ve been more prominent, it instantly demands your attention. The melody changes slightly to allow the song to sound more aching and even a vocal sample of Jane Weaver’s song Silver Chord can be heard. The song finishes off nicely with a repeat of the opening chorus and thus completes the saddest song on the album. Down the track, I don’t know if the band will play this song live after the Ghost Stories era but one thing can be said. Along with Politik, Major Minus and God Put A Smile Upon Your Face, Another’s Arms is a song that sounds much better live. RATING - 4/5

I really like the one of Guy.

Having watched the Ghost Stories TV special, how is this performed live? I understand what Guy and Johnny are doing but what exactly is Will doing on the reactable?

Launched before the release announcement of the album, Midnight is as far away from old Coldplay as the band can get. Built around a pre-existing track from producer Jon Hopkins, Midnights features no guitar, minimal drums and a very different vocal sound. Yet, the experiment works a treat. The song begins with the ticking of synthesizers that sound very foreboding before a heavily vocoded Martin chimes in with some rather dark lyrics. There aren’t a lot of lyrics in Midnight but you get the feeling this song is all about danger; just read the opening verse - “In the darkness before the dawn / In the swirling of the storm / When I’m rolling with the punches and hope is gone / Leave a light, a light on”. A laser harp that produces the bass note takes part as the second verse commences, which again features dark lyrics (“When I’m rolling with the thunder / But bleed from thorns”). Some minimal piano helps bridge the choruses and you can feel a big climax coming in very soon. However, listeners will be very surprised. As Martin pleads for a light to be left on, the bass and drums pick up tempo as a rave like aura builds. Eventually, an arrangement of bubbling synths come in as they help bring the rave to a restrained end. You can be forgiven for not seeing that coming. Whilst this song has be known to alienate Coldplay die hards, Midnight is the best song on the album. It is something new from the band and it remains to be seen if whether or not the quartet will go in this direction in the near future. RATING - 5/5

True Love would have to be one of the three best songs off the album. It can be compared to older Coldplay as it sees the band going back to pre-Viva days when strings wouldn’t make such a dominating presence. At first, the song sounds like it is continuing on with the upbeat vibe left over from Ink. However, as Martin takes centre stage, you can tell it’s going to be another story of separation agony. The chorus is made up of Martin asking his lover that even if she doesn’t love him, she should lie to him anyway. Ouch! From then on, you can tell that True Love is one of the saddest songs on the album. In similar fashion to Strawberry Swing, the percussion heard on True Love is very minimal but very effective. Featuring a mix of electronic drum beats and a bass drum from an unlikely source in Timbaland, the riff is capped off by what sounds like a hand clap. It doesn’t change much from that formula but its repetition doesn’t seem to drag the song down. You can almost thank the string arrangement for being played at over the top of it. There are two really shining moments on this song, the first being Martin’s falsetto. He doesn’t sing pass the three minute mark but in that short time, his falsetto is magical. It is well exemplified in the chorus, where he draws out the world ‘lie’. The second part occurs not long before the end of the song. Buckland comes in with a demanding guitar solo from that literally slices through the song like a hot knife through butter. If it wasn’t for this solo, the song would’ve petered out very quickly. Overall, this song is so heartbreaking but so addictive to listen to at the same time. I won’t be surprised if this was released as a single in the future. RATING - 5/5

U2 have made a living out of that.

I think a good game plan would be to play Ghost Stories in its entirety and include around 3-5 older songs. Having said that, I would love to hear the following songs come back... Politik A Rush Of Blood To The Head Daylight Square One Speed Of Sound Life In Technicolor ii Cemeteries Of London Lovers In Japan Strawberry Swing Major Minus A good set list would be... Always In My Head Magic Ink Clocks Another's Arms Lovers In Japan Midnight The Scientist True Love Charlie Brown Paradise ~ENCORE~ Oceans A Sky Full Of Stars O

All sorted. Ticketek got back to me. By the way I will be going alone. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

To anyone that is going, check your transaction history on Ticketek. Has your booking for the concert disappeared? Mine has :/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ink best reminds me of one of those songs you would hear in the background of a market. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There is a lot to like on this song and that is mostly thanks to Martin and Champion. The only negative I have of Ink is that Buckland and Berryman don’t make as much of a contribution as the previous two songs. Champion starts off with one of his catchiest drum beats on the album and it is becoming apparent by now that he has ditched his acoustic drums for a complete electronic set. I am not complaining as I find it adds a new element to an already multi talented musician. If there is one guaranteed success in a Coldplay, you're always going to find it in Martin on the acoustic guitar. That’s where the main drive of this song come from. It's nothing too complex and it adds a relaxing charm to the song. Once again, we have a song that mainly features a subtle arrangement of synthesizers but as Martin and Champion play away, the sounds of a flute (?) join in the mix. The chorus, which features Martin and Champion singing in harmony, is one of the album highlights. The lyrics are so simple and direct - “All I know is that I’m lost whenever you go / All I know is that I love you so much that it hurts”. Therefore, this allows listeners to truly take in the music and not get too worried about what Martin is singing about. Obviously, the song is also about separation but what makes this track so unique is how surprisingly upbeat it is. Having said that, the rest of the lyrics are slightly corny (especially the opening lyric - “Got a tattoo that said 2gether thru life”) but that doesn’t take away from what could be the the most underrated song on the album. It is a joyful song and listeners should enjoy this rare glimpse of positivity on an otherwise melancholy album. RATING - 4/5

Magic is one the strongest examples of how much Coldplay have changed their sound. Everyone knows Madness by Muse and it’s easy to see the similarities Magic shares with it. Consider it its sister. Instantly, listeners will hear the sounds of a heavy electronic drum beat, a very steady bass line, but no Jonny or Chris. They eventually come in but with more gusto than the previous track. The funny thing is that Jonny starts off on the piano as Chris goes solo with his vocals. Still, the quartet deliver an instrumentation thats sound as optimistic as any One Direction song. This comes mainly from Jonny’s occasional piano. Again, the lyrics are all about separation, with Martin going on about how the time spent with his loved one is simply magic. Yet the chorus, which is made up mostly of the repeated line “I don’t”, lacks a bit of polish. It is at this point that the song begins to sound a bit too repetitive and mind numbing. However, the band have a trick up their sleeve (no pun intended). After the repeat of the chorus, the band bring out of the best sounding verses on the album. As Martin sings about how far he wants to fall, Jonny comes in with some of his trademark guitar work and you feel the song growing a new lease of life. This then leads to an all-out jam and as a result, the most pleasurable part of the song. The song ends with Martin stating that he still believes in magic before the song quietly fades off into the distance. Whilst Magic may not be the best song on the album, it is a good choice for the lead single. As for being part of a live set, it sounds as though it would fit best as a crowd sing along after some of the more energetic songs. RATING - 3.5/5

Coldplay have always made a habit of opening their albums with rather explosive numbers. However, on Ghost Stories, listeners are greeted with a rather subdued piece that could be labelled as one of their best openers since Politik in 2002. As the band make a gradual shift to the new territory of electronic, Always In My Head sounds the most like the Coldplay of old. Starting off with the ethereal sounds of a distant choir under a wash of ambient synthesizers, you can hear a slight crescendo right before Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion all kick in at the same time. 
 There are two things that are most interesting at this part in the song. The first is that out of the three, Berryman on bass produces the most prominent sound, which is very uncommon for a Coldplay song. The second fact is that Chris Martin doesn’t make a contribution until his opening lyric, which occurs one minute in. I find this interesting because it gives listeners a chance to appreciate Coldplay without Martin. From the minute mark onwards, Martin delivers some of his most heartfelt and direct lyrics yet. You can really hear the anguish and despair of his separation in lyrics like “I think of you / I haven’t slept” and “Though I try / My heart stays still”. The song never reaches an amazing climax like most of Coldplay’s album openers do. Instead, the sounds of swirling guitars, heavy bass and resounding drum beats form a very dreamy song that certainly sets the tone for the rest of the album. The song may be only around three and a half minutes long but any more time and Coldplay would have definitely over cooked it. RATING - 4/5

$119.90

Where should we post our reviews?

1. Lovers In Japan 2. Life In Technicolor 3. Cemeteries Of London 4. Lost! 5. Strawberry Swing

Was online whilst teaching a Year 10 class and kept refreshing for twenty minutes. And I got a ticket! :D

1. Mylo Xyloto 2. Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends 3. A Rush Of Blood To The Head 4. Ghost Stories 5. X&Y 6. Parachutes

Always In My Head Magic Ink True Love Midnight All Your Friends Another's Arms Ghost Story Oceans A Sky Full Of Stars Fly On As good as O and its reprise turned out to be, I have to question their necessity to the album. Considering it is briefly played before Always In My Head, they are the only two songs I didn't include.

WOW WOW WOW That was one gem of a song!