robsmith7

Antidisestablishmentarianism was a political position that originated in c19 Britain to oppose proposals for the disestablishment of the Church of England as the state church. Many of its supporters at the time sang the title line of the Coldplay song 'God Put A Smile Upon Your Face' to persuade others of the benefits of the religion! Gosh that was a hard one! New word: Impartiality

Hi. This is fantastic, I got 16 but feel I should have done much better! Can't believe I didn't get Easy to Please, Brothers & Sisters and Ode to Deodorant. Pressure must have got to me! Think the timing was good, any more and it might become too easy. I guess it's a bit of a pain having to scroll up to the YouTube clip but its not really a big problem. Good effort!

Here's my list; Violet Hill (4) Clocks (4) In My Place (4) Yellow (4) Fix You (4) Viva La Vida (4) The Scientist (4) Politik (3) Christmas Lights (3) 42 (2) Strawberry Swing (2) Life in Technicolor (2) Talk (Techno) (2) God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (Techno) (2) God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (Heavier Arrangement) (2) The Hardest Part (Piano) (2) Postcards From Far Away (2) Lost! (2) Green Eyes (2) Lovers In Japan (2) Death and All His Friends (2) Life in Technicolor II (2) The Escapist (2) Cemeteries of London (2) Mylo Xyloto (2) Hurts Like Heaven (2) Major Minus (2) Us Against The World (2) Charlie Brown (2) Every Teadrop Is A Waterfall (2) Speed of Sound (1) Chinese Sleep Chant (1) Lost+ (1) Glass of Water (1) Death Will Never Conquer (1) Trouble (Acoustic) (1) Life Is For Living (1) Paradise (1) Up In Flames (1) Shiver (Acoustic) (1)

The grey one 100%. The colourful one is a bit of a mess to be honest, definitely Coldplay's weakest ever album cover design.

[Review] Dale & Co - Coldplay With a New Spring in Their Step Hi guys. I write for a website called Dale & Co, which is mainly focused on politics and current affairs, but I managed to persuade the editor to publish my review of Mylo Xyloto. Hope you like it (it's as unbiased as I could make it!) http://www.iaindale.com/posts/coldplay-with-a-new-spring-in-their-step Coldplay With a New Spring in Their Step Robert Smith reviews Mylo Xyloto, the latest offering from Coldplay which looks set to take the world by storm. Bono once said during the promotion for All That You Can’t Leave Behind at the turn of the century that U2 were “reapplying for the job of the best band in the world”. To the same extent, Coldplay, the apparent heirs to the Irish rockers, seem to have been justifying a similar position with every output since X&Y in 2005. This time, with the release of the mysteriously named Mylo Xyloto, they certainly explore different musical approaches, but retain an underlying desire to go big. According to the band, while the naming of the title is entirely frivolous - the criteria being that “it couldn’t be found in a Google search” - essentially it documents “loosely a kind of romance [between two protagonists, Mylo and Xyloto] in an oppressive environment”. Originally planned as a stripped back and acoustic record, the final result is the polar opposite; washes of colour, dance beats, synths and electronics show the band moving out of their comfort zone, though the guitar hooks, piano solo’s and heartfelt lyrics which are so synonymous with Coldplay remain. Brian Eno, this time “more a collaborative writer than a producer”, stamps his mark of so called “Enoxification” on the record from the outset with the opening title track, one of three instrumentals on the album, which according to lead singer Chris Martin involves all four members of the band trying to “play their instruments as fast as they can” in order to “shake off any nerves” at the start of live shows. However, as it blends into ‘Hurts Like Heaven’ it’s hard to comprehend how even the famously self-depreciating Martin could possibly be apprehensive. The upbeat nature of the track suggests the band have a newfound spring in their step as jumpy guitars, energetic beats and talk of “spray can soul” liken it to the post-punk of Echo & the Bunnymen and the Cure. On reflection, it’s now difficult to believe how the second single, ‘Paradise’, was so divisive among fans upon it’s release. With it’s epic strings, R&B influences, piano jigs and ultra-singable lyrics, it now seems to fit comfortably within the repertoire. However, despite its’ obviously lofty pop ambitions, the next track, ‘Charlie Brown’ is more likely to provide Xyloto’s ‘Viva La Vida moment’. Buckland’s guitar hook throughout is instantly recognizable to the extent that you begin to seriously question whether you’ve heard it before. It’s certainly hard to comprehend how it was once the focal point of the early acoustic LP initially planned by the band in their North London studios ‘The Bakery’ and ‘The Beehive’, and that it originally “featured an organ”. Thankfully, the version we are presented with today is less of a church hymn, and more of a hallucinogenic licence for stadium crowds to spring into action. “Took a car down town and took what they offered me, to set me free, I’ll be glowing in the dark” exclaims Martin rather uncharacteristically considering this is the rock band who are known for having a self-imposed policy which strictly prohibits the use of hard drugs. That being said, the recently released music video for ‘Paradise’ may suggest the rule is less stringent now that it once was... ‘Us Against The World’ brings Coldplay back to their musical roots, and thus would not feel out of place on their debut album Parachutes. Nevertheless, as the band have pointed out in numerous interviews, it’s appropriate in describing the band’s current mindset. “We felt so many people had already made their minds up about us, both good and bad” admits drummer Will Champion “[so we decided to] sort of start again from scratch and try to reflect all the music we listen to and love’”. The cringe-worthily named lead single ‘Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall’ confirms this by showing that they have no issue with breaking away from the mould in which people might like to fit them in. The now familiar synth-led song, with its’ youthful lyrics and high pitched guitar riff remind us of how long Xyloto has been in the pipeline. However, unlike with the taster EP released in June earlier this year, the song is greatly enhanced by the preceding simplistic instrumental ‘MMIX’. ‘Major Minus’ shows Coldplay at their edgiest, darkest best, and is perhaps more representative of their rockier live experience. Muffled vocals become entirely justifiable when considering the ‘Big Brother’ context of the song as “They’ve got one eye watching you, so be careful what you do” makes Chris Martin’s description of Mylo Xyloto as a “schizophrenic” album clearer. It also provides an insight into where Coldplay could take their sound post-MX era. Contrastingly, ‘UFO’ is a song which, despite its cosmic name, has its feet firmly on the ground. Just like ‘Us Against The World’, it’s the sound of Coldplay when they were more often described as “just a bunch of geography teachers” than the dinner friends of Beyonce and Jay-Z. That’s not to say it’s any less worthwhile; it proves that they can still relate to their roots despite coming an extremely long way over a relatively short period of time. The much deliberated ‘Princess of China’ fits more comfortably into the track-listing than one might think it would; but fundamentally the vocal input of Rihanna’s still seems slightly false. Indeed, it might be the one moment on the album where Coldplay take one step too far out of their natural comfort zone. Unfortunately, despite it being believable that the band are fans of the Barbadian diva, it inevitably comes across as a marketing stunt. For one of the most “Marmite” of bands, this offering will only continue to divide opinion. But expect it to become a guilty pleasure, do well in the charts and introduce Coldplay to a new audience. Still, Chris Martin’s “Hugh Grant moment” when approaching Rihanna to sing in the song shows his inability to act like the frontman of the world’s biggest rock band. But arguably, his modest, self-effacing personality is principally what defines his knack for emotional, often troubled songwriting; a style which is displayed perfectly by the following track ‘Up in Flames’, which initially appears, with its repetitive beat and ultra-simple structure, to be a rare example of a Coldplay filler, but after a few plays grows on the listener to become the album’s unexpected gem. ‘A Hopeful Transmission’, in effect a remake of the instrumental opener, leads into ‘Don’t Let It Break Your Heart’, which more or less serves as a microcosm for the band; lyrically poetic and heartfelt, if perhaps sometimes a little shallow, but packing a distinctly melodic punch created by the layering of flourishing instrumentals. ‘Up With The Birds’ is a song of two halves; initially appearing to provide a cloudy, dreamy end to the record, before Buckland’s input of noticeably Edge-like strumming finishes the 45 minutes on a high. It’s not often that an album fundamentally consisting of pop tunes satisfies the need to be experimental, but Mylo Xyloto seems to do just that. It manages to easily please those who demand a continuous supply of stadium-ready anthems, yet at the same time provides enough progression that it doesn’t make us feel as if we’ve heard it all before. It might not stand the test of time like their magnum opus A Rush of Blood to the Head will - in thirty years time that will still be the piece of work which will define them as a band - but Mylo Xyloto is an album immersed in the present. It’s more modern, urban and expansive offerings may indeed satisfy those who up till now have not felt a likening to the “nobody said it was easy” and “I never meant to cause you trouble” nature of Coldplay songs past, but essentially it’s still the same four-piece at heart. As Martin wails “It’s Us Against The World” it’s hard to see how the “nice guys of rock”, with a new spring in their step and armed with new ammunition, will not come to “rule the world once” again. Rating: 8.5/10 http://www.iaindale.com/posts/coldplay-with-a-new-spring-in-their-step

I came across this t-shirt of the Major Minus eye the other day. Looks quite cool and isn't too in-your-face that it's Coldplay. From here: http://twistlogic.spreadshirt.co.uk/cp-one-eye-watching-graffiti-A17312842/customize/color/2 They seem to have a couple of other Coldplay ones as well. ALSO, does anyone have a picture of a running man t-shirt from the back?

I can't really take part in this poll, there's no such thing as the worst Coldplay album! But I voted for Viva La Vida, as I guess it's my least favourite.

Has this guy even listened to the whole album? Mid-paced conservatism? This is their least conservative album yet! It's got Rihanna on it for god sake. No stand out singles like VLV? What about Charlie Brown? I'd like to see his reaction when it hopefully goes to number 1 and becomes a massive hit. NME are just a stuck up joke now really. They're happy to take advantage of Coldplay's popularity by making 'exclusive' Top 10 and interview videos, and then they slag them off. Bring back NME of the early 2000s...

Parachutes: 9 AROBTTH: 10 X&Y: 8 VLV: 7 MX: 7.5?

Nothing coming up for me too. I'm with my friend and we were both refreshing the button on laptops on the dot at 9.30.

This comment made me laugh! The interviewer guy is nuts.

It's great that the Times have been giving away these free tracks, but they've made so many mistakes. Surely the idea of giving tracks away is to get people buying the newspaper? I bought it yesterday but now I know you can just get the link and download them. Not that I'm complaining! Well...apart from this; "Don't miss tomorrow's exclusive free download, Yellow, a previously unreleased track from Coldplay's new album Mylo Xyloto." Shocking!

Thought Paradise did seem epic live, but it's noticeable how much backing track there was compared to the other songs. Shame really. God this is late for me...

This is brilliant news. I've always wanted a live version of the current GPASUYF and it'll be interesting hearing a couple of new songs through the headphones too! But it does seem a bit strange how Coldplay haven't said anything officially about this, and there's no indication as to what the album/download is called or what the cover looks like?

This is brilliant news. I've always wanted a live version of the current GPASUYF and it'll be interesting hearing a couple of new songs through the headphones too! But it does seem a bit strange how Coldplay haven't said anything officially about this, and there's no indication as to what the album/download is called or what the cover looks like?

I found this version of the back cover on Facebook. I think it's an even better, more realistic looking design than the one earlier in the thread. Still don't think it's legit though, just good work on Photoshop. But I guess the real one will look something along these lines.

The album name and artwork I think are really important, so I was nervous for today. I have to say I'm not sure about the name, but I really like the artwork. I don't really like the graffiti aesthetic generally, but this really works well, and the silver cut-out side on the right looks really smart. But whats the front and whats the back?? How does a reversible cover work? And what about Charlie Brown? Surely that has to be a single still!

AROBTTH > Parachutes > X&Y > LP5 > VLV I hope LP5 will be better than X&Y, but I doubt it will be as good as the first two classic albums.

Yes it reminds me of Extras too! I still think they will probably release one, but as I say, once they get towards the end of their careers. It might be released by EMI, that's true. I don't think it will be a bad idea to release one. It really would increase the chances of there being a Coldplay CD in every house in the world! After all, how many people do you know who have Queen's Greatest Hits, or the U2 ones. Loads of people. I could see CP's GH selling like that! As for making fans pay more than once for music; how many times are we going to end up paying for ETIAW? Probably three times for me, taking into account that it was basically free when buying the ETIAW EP on iTunes.

Lets compare Coldplay with similar but older bands; Coldplay (1996) - 5 albums U2 (1976) - 12 albums R.E.M. (1980) - 15 albums Radiohead (1985) - 8 albums Travis (1990) - 6 albums Oasis (1991) - 7 albums Clearly the others are ahead, and most may release a couple more albums in the future I'd say. The thing is with Coldplay is that they tend to take a while between albums. So lets compare the bands together when they were a similar age. Chris Martin is now 34, so this is how many albums each band had released once their lead singer turned 34; Coldplay - 5 U2 - 8 R.E.M. - 9 Radiohead - 5 Travis - 5 Oasis - 4 So Coldplay have been slower off the mark than U2 and R.E.M, but about the same as Radiohead, Travis and Oasis. One thing I would say is that Coldplay albums tend not just to be the albums, but they tend to be like eras, with quite a few b-sides. They have also released a number of EPs, especially like Prospekts March, which added to the VLV b-sides could have made a second album. Obviously I hope they go on forever. I think as always, there was an element of joking around when Chris said that they wouldn't continue beyond 33. Hopefully they'll bring out many more albums and will cement themselves as one of the greatest bands ever. In my honest opinion I'd say that somewhere around 9 albums would be a best guess. I also wonder when they'll bring out a greatest hits album? (if they do). R.E.M. and U2 have had a few, even Radiohead have had one. I don't like artists releasing too many greatest hits albums, but I'd like to see Coldplay release one near the end of their career perhaps.

What an asshole. I was at Main Square Festival, and to be fair Portishead wouldn't have been a great loss. They were just about better than the unbelievably boring PJ Harvey, but were not as entertaining as Bruno Mars. That coming from a Coldplay/Radiohead/REM kind of music fan is saying something. Beth Gibbons, the lead singer, I think said something positive about Coldplay coming up after them, so perhaps its just him.

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This song is certainly more like it. Much more optimistic now than I was after ETIAW.

Hurts Like Heaven live I've uploaded this to YouTube but as I'm new I need to make a few normal posts before I can post links!