Tryptophan

I'm sure there hasn't been an official announcement about PoC yet. I voted other because I didn't know we're talking about the 4th single already, how silly of me. Charlie Brown

Last year I once listened to all 4 albums plus Live 2003 and LRLRL in one single day. I don't remember the particular order of the albums and it wasn't in one go. I challenged myself to do it and it was fun.

I'm pretty sure that's not originally theirs. Chris loves to play classic piano pieces during shows.

I totally agree. But, there are two or three songs on MX that evoke emotion, though that's not enough. Keep in mind that there are also one or two songs that move me in a negative way because I dislike them so much. That's never happened before in any Coldplay album.

Princess Of China, but Paradise comes close. Major Minus for the win.

I mostly agree on this. The songwriting is below average and a massive cut below Viva. MX is boringly average at its core (UWTB aside), and it's seasoned with a thick layer of sweet sugar syrup, but that doesn't make up for anything, quite the contrary. The "packaging" with electronic elements show that they are trying to do something different, but to me it doesn't work out. Note: even Charlie Brown bores me after hearing it for months. Why is everyone but me praising this - good, but not a lot more than that - song into heaven? Now, I'm not trying to defend EMI or anything, nonono. Their review and general reputation is close to worthless. It feels like I'm missing the boat along with some other fans, because I seem to be one of the few that aren't impressed. Am I really that wrong?

Not sure if trolling, or just devoid of any morals...

Makes me think of Hamlet. So the king is dead and is replaced by his brother. That means the princess is the new king's niece. Still, incest. Oh whatever, nevermind! :p

Agreed. Favourite album anyone?

I know right? People who spread their hate about the album and diss the people who do like it, piss the "likers" off, and as a result the opinion of a "disliker", even of those who are constructive like me, isn't taken seriously and becomes irrelevant.

Because a princess is usually the daughter of the king.

Whoa seems like not many people still have A Rush as their favourite. What happened? :(

A Rush Of Blood To The Head (*****) Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends (****) Parachutes (****) X&Y (***) Mylo Xyloto (**1/2)

Sigh. So it's the narrow-minded fangirls versus the narrow-minded conservative fans? Can't we just all be friends or at least get along a little? :(

I don't know what that word means. Is it good or bad? @ Ronnie: Well, yeah, indeed, I'm just afraid that they will continue in this PoC direction. Now they have something that's reminiscent of the old Coldplay and something completely different. I'm afraid they will leave the vintage stuff behind and fully concentrate on PoC-like music. Don't worry, even if the chance is not so great, I'm just mentally preparing for the worst.

Indeed, you're right. Still, Paradise sounds like it's ready for the charts from the first time you hear it. It's mostly experimental because it uses sounds Coldplay is not familiar with, but these sounds are not new to the hit lists.

Mostly true, yes.

It's both poppish and experimental, two things that aren't mutually exclusive. For example, the tunes and ooohs every song seems to contain can be seen as poppish, whether you like it or not.

I don't think it's the worst Coldplay song... It's the worst Coldplay song so far. For me, it's down there with Paradise (and Lost, but at least that one still sounded like Coldplay). First of all, it's not Rihanna's fault. She does a good job. The song suits her better than Coldplay. In fact it sounds more like Rihanna feat. Chris Martin to me. But, as a Coldplay song, it's really bad... 1. The lyrics lack any deep meaning and the whoas and ooohs and lalalas are spread around the song to make it catchy. This is just unsubtly, unashamedly screaming for big record sales and conquest of every hit list. 2. Instrumentally, the song is drowning in messy synths, basses and R&B beats with additional bells and whistles. Jonny seems completely gone and Will doesn't show any of his skills. It's not Coldplay at all. This song really has nothing in my eyes. It's actually terrifying me that everybody seems to like it so much (I'm not saying no one should like it, it's your own opinion of course). It makes me think that I'm wrong and I'm alone. If this is the new direction Coldplay is taking, I'm very heartbroken. I never thought they would go down to this level of collaborating with superstars (I thought Jay-Z was a one-of that would pass relatively unnoticedly) and milking all the sellout tricks like popular hit radio artists do. I always thought it was great that Coldplay stood out in the hit lists by just making their own music minding their own business in the sea of cheap artists. With this song, that is completely gone. I feel like they cheated on me. Of course, teens are going to love it and they'll think they love Coldplay because of this song, though they'll never know about the history of the band. This kind of song will become the definition of Coldplay and as a Coldplay fan, people will associate my favourite band with Rihanna and Princess Of China. That will make me feel terrible. It makes me feel disoriented and disconnected. Anyway, just my two cents.

I thought the exact same thing. The love story in Princess Of China gets an incestuous feel.

If you listen to the beginning of POC very closely, you'll hear Takk by Sigur Ros in the background. It's true. So, what does Up With The Birds say? No Cohen?

Alright, I'm looking forward to Tintin! Uh, it splits the fanbase indeed. I'm on the skeptical/displeased side of the fissure, but we can still all be friends, alright?

Keep in mind that the same people who crapped on their old songs aren't the same people who want them to return to their old sound now. But I do think that the rest of you post holds a lot of truth.

It's weird agreeing with NME, right? Know the feeling.

That part of the review wasn't even negative. "It's the album's simplest and best moment", he continues.