gentleparachute

Count me in! Although I can't promise I won't 'join the dark side' at some stage in the coming week :laugh3: I'll probably continue reading and discussing on the main threads but I promise I won't spoil it for you guys here :D It was funny, I was reading all your posts on the LP7 thread and thinking that I actually like all the posters there who have decided to wait for the album release... You all strike my as pretty sunny, well-adjusted and positive posters. My kind of people! :hug: And @LiquidSky, good to see you here again... Haven't spotted you around the boards recently... I remember you as a mod from back in the day... You've always been a reassuring constant here! Nice that you're still around from the original team :nice:

Well, you got your wish (and well-deserved too) - no one can mistake you now! :D

Congrats jc90! Good to see someone who's been around awhile and actively contributing for all our benefit get some recognition and joining the team here. You truly deserve it jc90! :D

I'm not too worried about coherence - they traditionally have been a band that has cared a lot about how an album flows, so I'm sure they'll figure this one out (unless they decide to toss this principle out the window with AHFOD as well :laugh3:). I'd really love a peek into their quirks / pet loves etc with this album - I think it is as close as we'll get to getting an idea of who / what they like about music and what moves them... the result may well be less stellar than usual, but I think if fans keep an open mind and listen closely and pay attention to what the band are trying to get at with the music in this album, then they will gain insight and enjoyment into what the band itself likes about a particular song / genre / sound... That to me, is gold, and really excites me :D They sound a bit like they are going through commercial music of the past 30 years and showcasing what they love about each era / genre, and taking a stab at their version of that sound in the process... Glad you've had a chance to follow a band you love - hope you've enjoyed the journey!

^ I think he / she means the video for the song / b-side Ghost Story... Personally I know Paradise was a bit cheesy, but I loved it :D

Welcome Cheryl, glad you've finally come to join us converted... Look forward to your posts :)

Welcome Paulo! Glad you're here to join us... Hope you enjoy being here! Coldplay really are heartwarming, aren't they? Viva Coldplay!

Hello Brandon, glad you finally joined us lot! You're a brave soul :laugh3:

Welcome to the forums... Currently a lot of activity, and some heat going on... But make yourself at home - look forward to your posts. And don't get intimidated by some of us oldies :D

Give it a chance... Wait for the actual album version! I think a lot of us here are excited about the possibilities this song offers based on their recent performance... there's usually a deeper dimension to their studio recordings although it also tends to sound less "electric". Although if you are a "lyrics person" then maybe your opinion won't change...

I'm really excited for the diversity of sound... I hope it really gets fully explored when I finally get to hear the whole album. Although I've been a fan for a long time, this is actually the first time I've had the opportunity to follow the band from pre-release all the way through this exciting period and then eventually afterward! Life previously always got in the way... too many other more important things I had to do. Go Coldplay!

^ There! That wasn't so difficult to write... I think what some people have issue with in this forum is lack of in-depth discussion like this (ie actually stating reasons why) as opposed to just general bashing of the band (eg they've sold out, it's formulaic pop shit etc) - tell us and explain to us why this is the case... I think everyone can appreciate there are differing opinions and deal with that and accept that, but it is difficult to accept when it is not explained why, whether it is praise or criticism for the band. P.S. None of this is directed at you in particular Choldplayer, I just liked that you took the time to explain what you find worse in their music now compared to previously and thought your post was a good example of how to convey that view! As for more interesting key changes and melodies - you are probably right... I think now they compensate with richer sounding music, better instrument playing, and more complex layering - each person is now playing more throughout the whole song and everyone tends to have something to do throughout the whole song rather than just be Chris' backing band... I dunno whether it is going to happen, but I think they are still learning how to do this (keep busy throughout the whole song, and adding more parts) while maintaining the quality of their previous output

We should have 4 emoticons for happy! (I guess we kinda do...)

^ Anyone here old enough to know Destiny's Child (the band before Beyonce went solo)? I don't know what Beyonce sounds like now, but I reckon HFTW really sounds like a Destiny's Child hit... It's got that signature vibe going all over it... I did like it when they made a good hit.

It is fun +++ But I do have mixed feelings about it - smart product placement (but still product placement nonetheless). At some level they are making fun of themselves (and anybody else who is taking them too seriously)... Unfortunately (for some fans here), they have gone totally pop. Not just that - they take the seriousness of rock and their own pretensions in it and stomp it in the face and break any remaining preconceived ideas about who they are / should be and what they can / can't do...

I agree with this post that Coldplay have never been the most original band... Even from their 1st album, I always felt I could always hear other bands in their sounds and in a number of their songs (I should know, I've been around since Yellow, and I listened to far more different bands and music back then than I do now). If people are looking for original, they've come to the wrong band... People only remember a lot of their old songs as classics because they've lasted through the years, and after awhile, the songs get identified as uniquely Coldplay, along with the unique Coldplay elements, long after the original music that has inspired the song is forgotten... The only thing that strikes me as being unique about Coldplay (and that's probably just because I haven't heard this from another band / musician that actually does do this) is the way Chris careens his voice to squeeze out that emotion particularly doing falsettos, the way Jonny + CM combine to bring out subtle layers and nonverbal emotion in a song, the unrivaled rhythm section (almost too dependable to the extent of boring), the multiple layers in the music with fully formed lines... And nowadays, that joyful sound of togetherness and feeling of pure joy, particularly in concert. Oh, and that the favourites never get old... the rest is strictly speaking more to do with how the band conduct themselves as people and with each other rather than music per se... To their credit, they did make it fashionable and acceptable for reasonably good musicians to be doing soft / soothing rock rather than the Oasis /RH/Muse harder-sounding kind... they've always gone for soothing and connecting rather than emotionally/sonically challenging. Remember when people used to compare Chris' voice with Jeff Buckley (remember Shiver?), or criticise their rock sound as being bed-wetter music? I personally thought the Bash-bash-bash opening for Politik was totally inappropriate and just lazy, while the repeated arpeggiation in Clocks was unoriginal and uninspiring (coming from a classical piano background where this was one of the drills)... But over time the songs (as well as these features) have become unique, and are now considered classics. Maybe the Oldplayers who don't like their newer sounds forget / do not know that they weren't that great in the first place (there's a reason I often joke that they are the greatest covers band /session musicians- it's because they are not the most original but they strive hard to achieve a sound), or maybe they identify with the wrong things that make Coldplay unique... The point is, those bits aren't that special/ unique anyway.

^ don't forget We Never Change... :love:

^ Is it possible to ignore the "god-awful" lyrics then? I realize that will take the song down a peg (eg from 8/10 to 6/10 or whatever)... But it's a bit unfair to call a song awful / uninspired or tag it negatively just because the lyrics aren't the best... I guess I take this view because I've never taken Chris' lyrics (or most songwriters' for that matter) particularly seriously / thought he was a great lyricist - I might if it's absolutely outstanding but then again, books do that better anyhow...

Btw PoC would have made a very good Chinese pop song. The lyrics are way too blatant/ direct in English but would totally make sense in Mandarin :) As for Everglow... I still can't download it from my pre-purchased album in Australia... It's almost 2pm now lol... C'mon, Apple Australia, you guys make enough tax-free $$$ from us already as it is... Better service please!

What??? And I thought it was to celebrate the love between two people... :shocked2: :rolleyes: :laugh3:

My absolute favourite thread! It may get :wacky: or whatever, but never fails to warm my heart and put a smile upon my face! These two have created so many beautiful moments and shared them with the world... They always give me hope. Thank you!

But not on the iTunes pre-order in Australia :(

@Batman - you forgot Goldplayers and Allplayers.... That makes a C-O-N-G-A(line), which is what we all are... A varied random mix of people all lined up in one place, thrown together by the one thing we are here for... It really is like attending a wedding- there are people you love and look forward to seeing, people who do things that make you :facepalm:, relatives you can't avoid, together with all the associated emotions that come with it!

Anyone else feel the gut punch from this song? Coming from Chris' familiar voice it made my eyes moist... Had to curl up into a ball and hold myself for comfort. It is so bittersweet... Brought back feelings from Trouble but in a different way. Sure, lyrics and production are uneven and cheesy in some places but that combination of emotional voice + warm piano lines + Jonny's signature 'soft wailing' guitar teasing out the emotion from the piano.. That's their chemistry right there! I really love the band when Jonny empathizes with Chris' turmoil on his guitar - it's like him throwing his arms around, giving him an all-encompassing hug and saying everything's gonna be alright when Chris is so emotionally exposed... It's one of the most beautiful things about this band!

Sorry for being ignorant but don't you guys have a free 3-month trial if you have iTunes?