Mark

I know exactly what you mean. And a lot of these artists are glorified because they died too young. People like Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Nick Drake never had time to release a bad album.

There are two alternatives for the new companion:

Keith Moon.

I think it'll be interesting to see if they stick with the pop thing. They've always had hits but it's getting harder and harder to make an impact on the charts. They were almost lucky they had hits on Mylo Xyloto... it's only really because it fitted in with the state of mainstream music. If they twist the formula, try say, symphonic rock, they could be abandoning two/three heavy pop hitters. Would Chris do that? It's always been so much easier, but rock's decaying. Coldplay might be the last 'rock' band to have a number one in this country :/

This.

I was inspired by the Mylo Xyloto artwork to paint my keyboard (and give it a lid), but to use song titles etc from my band... ...and before MX, I did a Viva-style guitar for my sister. Sorry in advance for any irrelevance!

I was lucky that I had a teacher like Chris Martin had, who let us go and play on the keyboards in school, with no other goal than to "make music". It's from there that I formed a band, and five years later, we play our penultimate show tonight. And it's true that you don't always need money, but how many bands, releasing their debut records today, would be dropped, thanks to low sales/poor acclaim? Blur, Muse, The Beatles, Nirvana, Kings of Leon, U2, Pulp, Radiohead, Beck, Primal Scream, Jay-Z, Led Zeppelin... for every Stone Roses/Arctic Monkeys/Oasis, I'd say you have four bands who don't quite get it right. Some just need a big tour, time and the right producer to gel together into the band they'll be known as.

I don't think we'll get many great albums ever again, until music has a bit more money in it. Which won't be any time soon. If you look at British sport, it's been success of late because of the government-funded projects; I don't see why we can't fund music. Or at least give all kids in schools music lessons, so they grow up knowing what art is.

Applied. Gotta be in it to win it.

That's not the point I'm making, or have been making, so I'll just keep quiet about it now.

I can, and do, only speak subjectively, and when I voice my dislike of X&Y, I do so knowing that my opinion is not gospel. I simply think that's it's a dreadful album that sent the band backwards. Anyone is more than welcome to disagree with me, because as you say, it's a matter of opinion. The same goes for my opinion of Major Minus and Moving to Mars; I started that sentence with "I don't think". They're alright, but they just sound unfinished to me, both lyrically and musically. I think it would be the wrong direction for the band to be heading in; I'd like to see something unexpected. I'm sorry if I've offended you, but I've not gone round telling anyone that they're wrong. In fact, I've often backed up my opinion with why I believe such things. I apologise if I haven't implied respect for anyone, but it is there. I just don't necessarily agree.

It hasn't got a personal touch in the slightest! Everything is so overblown, so huge, every song cascades into a stadium-filling singalong, it's madness. Most songs on that record mean absolutely nothing, the words are just place-fillers for the melodies, and there's very little variety. When have Coldplay had a personal touch? Green Eyes, Warning Sign, Everything's Not Lost, the "Yes I feel nervous" part of Hurts Like Heaven, Violet Hill, 42, Us Against the World, even Strawberry Swing sounds connected to a part of Chris Martin's life. A song like Swallowed in the Sea however, is meaningless, rehashed rubbish. X&Y justified Coldplay's bad reputation. Yes, I'd go that far. ^ This. Although, I think that Glastonbury show was fantastic. I wasn't there, but it really was something special; anyone can release a good album - Coldplay have released four - but it takes something different to play one gig, and for that gig to be remembered. Which Glasto 2011 will. I don't think that's where the strength of the band is. Both sound like undercooked ideas. They won't do MXII but you're right, that's what I live for as a Coldplay fan; the excitement of hearing fresh, exciting new material.

In what way? I simply think it's ignorant not to appreciate that it's one of the boldest albums ever recorded. Same as it's ignorant not to appreciate what The Beatles have done for music, the impact of Nirvana or the quality of some Coldplay material. I'm not forcing anyone to like Kid A, just think we should all recognise it as a great record. It's cool, you don't have to apologise.

I'm not saying that at all; I think it's fair enough if you just don't like the new stuff. And hey, there's no denying that they've changed. And I agree somewhat with the depth to the lyrics, but at the same time, there are some absolute clunkers throughout his career. I didn't like The Resistance all that much and I'm not raving about what I've heard from The 2nd Law so far. But then there are tracks like that on all Muse albums that I don't like, or don't go mad for. Supermassive Black Hole. Time Is Running Out. Plug In Baby. Resistance.

I think it's ignorant to not appreciate it, reasonable not to enjoy it, let's put it that way.

You know what, I'm gonna start throwing stuff away.

16,770 items, 47.8 days, 102.91GB Including: Some would call it hoarding, really.

Oh dear, lol. It's fine if you don't like Kid A, don't think I'm being one of those people telling you "You have to like it". You don't. But I didn't, and now I do, and you might be one of those people. It's worth hanging in for. No one should hate it. Everyone should appreciate it, but not everyone has to enjoy it. :dozey:

:D

I agree with everything you're saying, except this. This is the bit I'm struggling with. I don't think there's that much of a decrease. His lyrics have always been poor to average, his melodies just "there" to highlight his quite beautiful use of chords. The fact it's so sparse leaves them reeeally open on everything, but I don't think it's musically worse than (one from each) Undisclosed Desires, Supermassive Black Hole, Time Is Running Out, Hyper Music or Sunburn. And it's not lyrically worse than I Belong to You, Invincible, Hysteria, Plug In Baby or Unintended. Tried to pick some favourites here. As for the progressing forward thing, people are giving them a break with this because they're doing something different. This is why Kid A is so revered, this is why The Beatles, Bowie and Blur are held in such high esteem, and why Be Here Now, The Resistance or X&Y aren't given the benefit of the doubt in hindsight. Clearly from what you've said, you judge music on its merit, not on its direction - which is good and what everyone should do - but there will always be those that praise/slate a band for changing direction, regardless of what the actual music sounds like.

If Mylo Xyloto sounds tired or uninspired, it's not because of the band needing a break, it's because they were left to feel comfortable within themselves. Eno had a "catflap" role, so I'm betting he wasn't pushing them as hard as he was on Viva La Vida. When they made X&Y, they sat back and wrote Coldplay songs. It wasn't a good album. A Rush of Blood and Viva La Vida were both albums in which the band were striving to be different, push themselves. LP6 either needs Eno or someone else to push them into being something entirely new again. That's all the band will ever need to be successful; a horizon.

Gimmicky rubbish.

It shouldn't matter that it's a drastic change, the songs are still there. That's the genius of Radiohead; no matter the album, the production means fuck all. ...also can we stop judging it by its tracks, and start judging it as a whole? You wouldn't judge the Mona Lisa by brushstroke, would you?

It's subjective. I believe Kid A's the greatest simply because it's the most challenging record ever to be so, so brilliant. It's ambition that I regard highest in music. But don't try too hard to get into it. Leave it until you need the songs, rather than want them, if that makes sense. Wait til you feel low, and play How to Disappear Completely. Wait til you're scared, and play Idioteque.

Honestly can't see what makes him an arsehole, post-drug addiction.