gentleparachute

Maybe? :P Nah, it was when Gwyneth was pregnant with Apple... It was to celebrate the birth of Apple I believe... Although I suppose in hindsight, a lot of things were revealed with that one, weren't they... I was both surprised and touched that they (CM in particular) shared that one with us - they could just have easily decided to keep it private, although I suppose maybe CM wanted to show and share his joy with the world

Don't underestimate your thread... I think it has been a good uniting one that brings into focus for each of us the reasons we persist with the band (despite differing opinions) ;) The only thing I feel sorry for is that it has been somewhat hijacked (me included) away from its original intention of celebrating all things Oldplay, which is actually quite different and unrelated to recent posts about how poor / annoying Newplay are...

1) It's not that people get hurt with not being liked, it's what is implied with those criticisms... Are you saying that when you say 'x song is shit', you don't mean that the band is shit for producing it? Or that other people aren't somehow lesser for disagreeing with that view? 2) It is a forum... For discussion and debate... How about we do so respectfully when putting our points across? And actually debate (i.e. to-and-fro of comments between parties) as opposed to imposing views unto others. There's no debate if the mind's already made up, it's just stating your own view with no engagement 3) No one wants a fake smile here, much less yours... But what's with the constant perpetual sulk? What did Coldplay and / or all the other users here do to you to get such scornful comments? So what if it is indulgence? Don't eat the cake if it gives you a stomachache / diarrhoea / vomits... Believe it or not, some of the fans here enjoy a bit of their indulgence... I'm one! I don't want it for all their future albums (if they do continue putting new albums out), but I feel it is a rare special thing that they can indulge in and celebrate their happiness (including CM's corny version), and invite listeners / fans along for the ride... How many bands get to the stage where they can do that, and then invite fans along for the ride? Sit this one out if you like / if it disgusts you / is not worth your time, but imho their 'indulgence' is much deserved... They've worked hard without an extended break (and had to organize their personal lives around this as well) for over 15 years - give them a break, and time to look back and celebrate this achievement with their loved ones... As a fan, I feel it is a nice ending to join them in this celebration after going with them all this way through the years. The reality is of course we all have had to go on the journey by ourselves, but I've always felt this band have been right there with me, and made my journey all the more meaningful by their presence... Yep, we're no longer talking purely about music anymore, but hey, to me they are so much more than just music to listen to, and rate, and compare to whatever arbitrary music standards out there... They are my first long-term dependable, emotional constant - 15 years of striving, earnestness, shared fears / quiet secrets, love, hope - all expressed through music! I'm sure I'm not the only one with such sentiments when it comes to this band... So dammit if I'm going to let something like inoffensive lyrics get in the way of me enjoying this album!

Obviously... Has anyone actually tried to pass these off as lyrical genius content-wise? However I will point out that these: 1) fit the musical style 2) express the sentiment of the music at that point of the song... Yep it's blatant and obvious, but sorry bud, that is the type of song and what they've decided to do for parts of this album 3) it's not Shakespeare but hey, they're not insulting/ offensive to anybody- one describes a heart beating, and another one is about being drunk and on life and high on love... Did you miss the message? So sorry, particularly with CM, you're never going to get a whole album of lyrical gems, but what's the lambasting of these particular lyrics about... It's like picking the mundane bits and saying they are mundane / worst things over, and over

Oh dear, mental capacity of a ten year old, as opposed to what, mental capacity of a 20 or 30 year old? Last I checked, there were no restrictions on mental capacity on this forum... Don't forget, we were all young once anyway. As for being juvenile, I thought one of the hallmarks of maturity was the ability to tolerate and moderate views anyway, and not see everything as purely black and white... (i.e. the loss of idealism to some degree), so on that basis, where does that put your mental capacity?

Whoops, my bad... :P

How is mainstream not pop (ie popular music)?

Some people like the music more because of the people behind it... If you want the best music, why the hell are you here? Go listen to Radiohead, or Muse, or even Oasis (if they're still around)... Even U2 are probably more credible nowadays (I'm not saying that the people behind these bands are not good people, just that usually they are considered technically more brilliant). They don't put out "crap" like Coldplay. I'm not saying I'll accept anything that Coldplay put out, what I am saying however is that Coldplay have always challenged perceptions... previously softly and quietly, but with this album, they are just putting it out there and being more obvious about it than ever before... How about trying to listen to what they are trying to say / express with the album and be respectful if one doesn't connect with the material, rather than just slagging them off... It's not Coldplay's fault that fans have jaded and cynical opinions - fans who think this band have lost it / sold out are the ones with the problem, not the band! The band themselves have expressed their own views on what they are doing / trying to achieve with this album, and very sincerely at that - it'd be very high and mighty of anyone to actually dispute them on those intentions - you can of course (it's all a matter of opinion), but you will not win the "fact" debate... And if "fans" won't believe what the band is telling them, why the hell are they still "fans"? The more accurate term would be bitter, disenfranchised "ex-fans", because technically this person is so disconnected to them that he/she won't even take what the band are saying at face value anymore... One might well like their older music (have been a fan), but you'd be hard-pressed to argue that they are still a fan if they hate their new music so much - what is there left to love except a shadow of the band's old selves if one can't love / at least see a glimmer of hope in their new selves?

Would that surprise you? They are after all fans of the band, not necessarily the whole music world. Coldplay aren't generally considered to be the most technically challenging band - they are technically good, but were never as seriously brilliant like Radiohead or Muse, so fans may well tend to listen to CP mainly and not explore other music that much. Idk but the music this band puts out seems to feed an obsessiveness... probably more so than a lot of other bands. Put that together with the emotionality of their music, you will get emotional + somewhat obsessed fans, quite possibly with skewed views. That includes the Oldplayers, Newplayers, and any other Coldplayers that really have been listening to and putting an emotional investment into this band's music. That's why so much gushing, and hate about this band... we all feel very emotional and passionate about the band, and that pushes emotional buttons when other people disagree with what we feel - I think a lot of us feel invalidated when other people put forward opinions in a more personal way that are in opposition to how we feel about them. That's why with Coldplay forums it may be better to put things in a less personal way to keep the peace (I guess, that may also mean on the Oldplayer's behalf, that they would like less gushing from people who love the new stuff, right?)

I think it means trying so hard to do something that is so gargantuan in scope that it is almost hopeless, but still doing it nevertheless because you feel compelled to do it / it's the right thing to do, ie it's hopeless trying to empty out the ocean with a spoon, but the person is still doing this hopeless task anyway because he / she has to / has no choice... That's him saying don't ever give up :)

My only "complaint" about this song is that it probably needs one more element / idea towards the end to give it the oomph / completeness factor. Idk, maybe a short rap (by a guest), or more full-blown airy guitar, a different mix at the end, or something... It already has so many good / great elements - a beautiful well-constructed beat complete with effects (kudos Will), a dark-ish atmosphere haunting the track, some pretty edgy and dirty guitar work in both low and high registers along with those synths + falling guitars, and is that the first time Chris is musically playing with the rhythm section rather than his usual playmate Jonny? :eek: :p

Unfortunately some of the arguments about the new fans cannot be neatly summed up to include the old fans... Look at the ones who joined up here, before say 2005... most of us are a bit less extreme with our views on the band. I think we can acknowledge some aspects are not the best lately, but then given the number of changes this band has done, we usually try and look for the positives. Also, I think some of us genuinely do enjoy the music in a different capacity

The ba-boom, ba-boom, boom! is actually a good musical choice - it's in keeping with the style of music, expresses the heart beating very directly, and also (I think most importantly) emphasises and propels the beat forward into the drumming hook that immediately follows - it does a great interplay / syncopation with the drumming beat

OMG! That is pretty bad :P The beat once it gets going is pretty good, and I guess the dancing there is ok... I think really it's CM giving 2 middle fingers...

It must be slowly growing on people... :) I've always liked the beat (and actually the laid-back way Chris sings) on this track. Wish it was its own track though - but maybe that would somehow make people take notice of it less. It's tacked on to Army of One because it's got exactly the same tempo... Army of One fades straight into this one without missing a beat!

He should be allowed to be happy on Everglow, it is supposed to be the realisation that even when love dies, something positive lives on, in "Everglow". All the good that came out of that relationship, is that not worth smiling about? Btw I have not seen the Ellen performances so am not really qualified to comment on this particular performance... But have you seen him sing Everglow at the Hackney Church (album launch in the UK), also at Belasco Theatre (Tidal stream)? Also Amazing Day at these (as well as Global Citizen) - he really concentrates on the song and squeezes out every bit of emotion there... please don't call it cheesey (otherwise I'll just say there's no pleasing you guys - how else can he show emotion then?)

With the band "trying to be cool", particularly CM... A few things, he and the band have said that they have never been particularly cool... They are just putting out their own interpretation of it, and I guess this is it (he may be exploring some things he didn't get to do as a young person, you know... let him have his fun - and the band as well). Secondly, particularly for the lead singer, he has mentioned his kids love Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber (iirc), and they named Ariana Grande as the person to collaborate with for Global Citizen... Lighten up guys - he probably sees this as a chance to connect with his kids and be cool to them - might as well be happy doing that (well he's got to do something, so must as well become the good parent and see the good side)... It may not be truly his thing, but hey if it connects him to his kids, I'm sure he will try his hardest! Did it occur to anyone that they may have their own kids / similarly aged people in mind?

Unfortunately for you... If this is true, it is their choice, and theirs alone to make. And also unfortunately for you, they have already made their choice and are standing firm. Btw, in our modern enlightened world (we hope), no one should belong to anyone but themselves... Sure they will have to lie in their own bed they have made, but it should be their own... Are we really having this conversation? In terms of Coldplay living the dream... It is their dream (and their journey)... They never were Oasis and never will be - CM himself has said that they were 4 "average" kids coming from middle income families in the UK who met in college... and that they have never had it particularly tough (although everyone does have their own trials and tribulations in life to overcome). Btw, a note about shit work and shit jobs / life... we all have those from time-to-time (some more so than others) - Coldplay are trying to learn to take the sweet and bitter together as graciously as they can... that's the whole point of AHFOD. I understand if it's not your cup of tea, but that's the direction they are moving towards. The other point was that we all have a responsibility to ourselves to work on our own lives and try and make it better (rather than just bitch and whine about it) - call it personal responsibility. Of course sometimes we don't have control over some situations / circumstances eg education, what family you were born into, which boss you work under... but you know what? Most of us no longer live in dictatorship countries... If you job is shit, try and look towards changing that situation (retrain, gain experience, look for other jobs, etc, etc); same with your relationships - we all got to learn to manage them... And yeah, sometimes trying to find that extra bit of energy to smile and be kind to others helps make other people's life less shitty as well - look at it as your contribution to humanity / others... That is also one of the messages of AHFOD (or the process of it anyway).

^^^ All of you have very valid points... I do see where you guys are coming from and I do realise the loss that has occurred... That perfectionism is gone (the music is still pretty good but no longer as perfect as it used to be). For some of you I know that is all that matters (and that is valid as well), but where does that leave you and your relationship with the band? They are no longer content to hide behind maybes and ambiguity, that's why with this album they have come out and clarified a lot more aspects of it early on than they previously have... The problem is that 'the chicken has flown the coop' so to speak - they no longer want to obsess about this perfectionism (most psychologists will tell you it helps achievement but is not healthy emotionally nor for relationships long term) and are moving on with other bigger, broader concepts... Celebrating love and life (their version of celebrating anyway), recognising some inequalities in the world and this time offering what they can to uplift and help (i.e. acknowledgement and empathy) while recognizing for their own emotional health they can't take on everything, and finding joy moment-to-moment in what they do... These are just some of the things they are drawing attention to with this album... Obviously you can disregard it if you feel it is not relevant / they are not sincere about it... Unfortunately you may be missing the point (they have made references to these aspects already in their various interviews this time around) and again, it doesn't help your current relationship with the band given that they seem to have indicated they are more focused elsewhere this time around... I am moving beyond the mere quality of the music... Obviously in a perfect world that would be all that matters, and I agree that no amount of glossing over can change the negative points... But yeah, that leaves you in disconnect with the band when they have offered their vision for the album as a way to move forward. They have grown and matured and have other responsibilities now than to obsess just over music... Can you live with that?

Have you paid attention to Chris when he sings Amazing Day or Everglow live? He really concentrates on every word and emotion in those songs (although you have to empty the mind / emotional distraction to feel it)... The other songs are more music and less lyrics (I feel) although CM still puts in a quite a lot of effort for Up&Up. As for the other band members, I've never seen them enjoy the prominence / limelight on-stage as much... In their prominent parts, they are now more willing to "show off" a bit - I interpret that as them "feeling it", although it is more reflective of their state of mind and feelings, than them trying to move us with the sound... They have changed there... with this album (and even GS), they have found themselves and feel more confident... there is less "trying to please" as they used to do, as opposed to inviting people to join them for the musical experience that they have created (and which they enjoy themselves)... It may lose them fans (particularly as they have always tried to please), but I guess maybe they think "we lose fans with each new sound anyway"...

Guilty as charged! Although that last bit about playing raw, earnest, emotional songs... I think the band still do that and they probably sincerely and truly feel that they still do that (ok, maybe not raw - no point picking at healed scabs, but still earnest and emotional) - just may not connect with the same audience that they did previously. What now for you guys then? The band have clearly demonstrated (with this album at least) that they are currently looking at enjoying what they are doing, caring about the process (quite possibly more than the outcome - although if you want to be kind, it is possible that it is still learning for them), and celebrating their lives & this milestone they've reached... They have invited us to come along, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. You could of course argue whether the milestone is worth celebrating, but really, it's their album and the significance is theirs to interpret and to confer, so who are we to argue if they say it is...

That's what I thought... *crosses fingers*

Maybe it's a sign that some of you may need to have a look at what this band is saying and getting at (ie the deeper meaning if you can find it) with what they are doing... They have always been a thinking band, I don't think they are less considered now, but maybe they are 1) listening more to their hearts (tends to happen once people settle down, become happier / more content, have kids - I know it's becoming repetitive, but it's often true), 2) they are learning that some of the secrets to happiness are to be a bit more "in the moment", look for / create joy and meaning in life, and be less critical of things - these all translate in the album (the process of making it, not so much necessarily making the best possible end-product) - they have decided pop is the biggest platform to bring joy to the masses (and uplift / entertain / reach the most people), and have proceeded to make their version of it, tried to enjoy the process of making it, and I think allow more outside influence (ie let go / cede control) and find meaning through the lyrics, joyful emotions in the music, acknowledgements (musical nods) to their influences, and the collaborations with people that inspire / matter to them (ie their world, not necessarily the rest of the world at large). Rock may well still have musical freshness, but the band are probably tired of the defining / associated characteristics - the excesses, the posturing, being cool / trying to be cool, lack of causes to "rock and roll" about where it actually means anything / makes a real difference... They may eventually return to its roots and try old-school rock from the 1940's-1960's, but it would not be easy I imagine given the market / audience is not readily prepared to hear those sounds again at this point - I think we can all agree that the band is too mainstream now to ever cater to just a narrow segment of the musical market (much as we'd like them to), although they may be ambitious enough to try and turn people's ears and introduce the public to genres / types of music they think are worth listening to in future (eg if they choose early rock and roll). Does this make AHFOD the best / worst Coldplay album ever? I guess it depends on how much weight you put into the factors above... From a purely musical perspective it is probably not the most inspired, but as the end-product of a process, I give it top marks! It's like the musical version of Jamie Oliver (sorry if anyone cringed)... celebrating and nurturing relationships, wholesome roots, crowd-pleasing and lots of flavour. Then again, I might be totally over-reaching with the Jamie Oliver comment :P

It's I ran away's turn. This is her riddle... I wonder whether it is related to Mozart's Jupiter Symphony

I think most of us are looking for the UK debut where they have a chance at #1 and doing the Beatles' record... With the US, I think most of us are ok that they will debut at #2, as long as their long-term overall sales are ok - a few people think this will be buoyed by their scheduled Superbowl half-time appearance early next year... That will keep the album in the charts, and introduce the remaining vestiges of civilization who somehow haven't heard about Coldplay's new album to their music, and I'm sure will boost interest and sales.