Mark

That's fair enough if that's your favourite, I'm well aware that it's just me that doesn't like it, sorry! :P But I'm still surprised that they went for that over Funeral, OK Computer, All That You Can't Leave Behind and Hooray for Boobies.

Tonight The Streets Are Ours. Richard Hawley.

Easily the worst-written review I've seen so far.

This. Is This It is superficial, overrated rubbish, so I'm surprised a band of substance like it.

Not sure if you're aware of the colour outside the UK but it's basically a pretentious way of saying "beige".

As for the "Coldplay are magnolia"... I hear lots of colours in Mylo Xyloto, magnolia isn't one.

Oh no you're totally right. And Chris is right too. A good song is a good song regardless of genre. As for the standard of songwriting... You can talk about lyrics, but really? Some of Coldplay's songs mean bugger all, these songs have a theme and a message. Hurts Like Heaven, Charlie Brown, Princess of China, Major Minus, Paradise and Us Against The World all have some of the finest melodies ever sung by Chris. Oh, and the way Johnny and the rhythm section have pulled their game up for MX is worthy of at least another star on any reviewer's chart.

Not only is it fantastic and understated, it comes at such a point on Viva where it's needed. Every album should have a Strawberry Swing as penultimate track.

...Listened from albums 1-4 (or 5 now) start to finish, one after the other? I did this the other day whilst queuing for Kasabian tickets. I put Don't Panic on at 3.30 in the morning, and Strawberry Swing started as the sun came up. Perfect.

Noel is an absolute legend. They should've got him on Princess of China.

Coldplay are never going to build songs around sound, they're not that kind of band. All production can ever do for them is enhance the songs they've written.

If you want to be really picky, men dressed as elephants make poor zoo attractions.

Went for Paradise because it's actually a fantastic song that people have been rather unfair to. I like the three I've heard (haven't listened to Princess of China yet)

Has anyone noticed the NME headlines about Coldplay recently? Kanye West "changed the way Coldplay listened to music" Charlie Brown was written in a kids' dolls house Chris Martin's family don't listen to Coldplay Rihanna turned Chris into a "Hugh Grant-like mess" Paradise divides NME users (one compares it to Cliff Richard) It just seems that they listen to an interview and conjure a piece to rile indie fans. Doesn't matter that Kanye is a visionary, Coldplay are open-minded people and that Chris Martin is actually, a rather nice bloke. Oh no. They don't use distortion pedals. They don't ape Stone Roses. They want to play big crowds. How dare they aspire.

Why do we need video/song relevance? Are we that stupid that we can't enjoy a song without someone providing actions?

I'd like to see them release a double A-side. Maybe Charlie Brown/Hurts Like Heaven and then Princess of China after that...

That's ok, you're right.

I'm on this list.

That. I think a lot of people will feel the same way about having heard 7/8 of the songs. Look at this way though; it's a risky new direction, it's not exactly going to have crept up on us, we've had all summer to know what's been coming. Radiohead made that mistake this year of "We're releasing an album next week. And it's not the rock epic you thought. And it's eight tracks long. And if you like one half of the record you'll probably dislike the other, or vice versa". And what do you know, most fans hated it.

I hate X&Y. One of the worst albums of the last decade. Don't laugh at me despite our differences, try and be respectful. There's a difference between blindly conforming and liking everything a band has done and then just throwing round bullshit statements of "it's 75% Coldplay" or "it's a Rihanna song really". If I'd have put my heart and soul into a song, I would want my effort to be recognized and not dismissed in the way that it has been by some. That word "respect" again.

You can hear it? :o

Whose video is it? Hype Williams' or Matt Whitecross'?

You guys need to open your minds a little more. Jay-Z's cameo in Lost+ was stellar and Princess of China has been praised by quite a many critics. They're both 100% Coldplay songs. Get a grip.

I'm not listening to this as I want a surprise. But Johnny's guitar? He wasn't all that prominent on Viva La Vida or Clocks and they were still big hits. Just accept it. MX is Johnny at his best.

I didn't mean that, I simply meant that a lot of people have been putting them down unfairly. To be constructive (as you have been) is fair. I think it'll be a good album but I'll comment on this again once I've actually heard it.