Lobabe

I feel like Oceans was Coldplay's attempt at trying out the Parachutes-era sound again, but it just wasn't a good enough song to me. I loved Ghost Stories though, and I like this album as much, if not more, than it. And Chris's vocals on GS were not the best to me. In fact my favorite song, Another's Arms, was mainly just all rhythm section with Chris letting the music do most the heavy lifting. But in this album, there's a lot of prominence in his vox again. The end of Up and Up... obviously .. but even the beginning of Fun. His vocals are just perfect. They're still on top of their game. Can't wait til the next one. And can't wait to see them live again. It's been since the X&Y era, but I think it's time to go back.

We'll have to agree to disagree. Low bitrate is almost unnoticeable. Now the crappy quality I first heard Everglow was on... that radio show. Basically, that's really stepped down sound... probably low-bitrate ...studio adds a bunch of compression...then it gets put on the internet at streaming quality...then someone copies that... once that hits your ears...it's a copy of a copy of a copy.. When I downloaded the first leak - all the songs put together as one mp3 track- the initial leak.. the sound was about on that level. Now 2 days later- a newer version surfaced...that you might could argue was just low bitrate... but even then... substantial clarity was missing. And I'll still argue....that whole sounds were missing. Leading me to believe that ... it was mixed differently. For instance, on Up and Up... when the music goes quiet ... before the 2nd guitar solo comes in... there's a new sound there. And I may even tomorrow .. run both versions through Pro Tools and share an audio clip if you and ..maybe others are interested.

It makes a world of difference. I was complaining about the album a good bit...but now I've heard the finished version, I feel so much better about it. Songs like Everglow, Up and Up, and Army of One sound so much better to me. There's so many elements I didn't hear before. I think the leaked version- may have been unmastered, if not unmixed..

BRENTWOOD, Calif. – Chris Martin wears an impish grin, a cross between a kid just let out of school for the summer and a dog newly liberated from his kennel. At first glance, the reason could be the french fries he’s scarfing down at an outdoor chicken eatery or perhaps his 9-year-old son Moses’s fresh flag-football team victory. But ask a few questions about Coldplay’s seventh album, A Head Full of Dreams, out Dec. 4, and the answer blossoms like a rose. “That this is our job after 16 years of being together is simply a miracle, I’m so grateful for it and I don’t take it for granted,” says frontman and pianist Martin, 38, who recently sat down with USA TODAY along with guitarist Jonny Buckland, 38, bassist Guy Berryman, 37, and drummer Will Champion, 37. “Sometimes we weren’t sure where we fit in (musically). But with this album, we’re embracing the fact that we don’t have to fit in anywhere,” Martin says. “We’re allowed to listen to (Beyoncé’s) Single Ladies, we’re allowed to listen to Champagne Supernova (by Oasis) or Good for You by Selena Gomez or the Pogues. It’s all OK.” It may be more than just OK. A Head Full of Dreams crackles with a dance energy that stands in contrast to the band’s last effort, the brooding and tour-less Ghost Stories. Dreams song titles telegraph the mood: Fun, Amazing Day, Up&Up. There’s no better example of this new Coldplay vibe than this album's first single, Adventure of a Lifetime, a joyful guitar-driven shot of summer in winter that recalls Daft Punk’s 2013 disco-tribute triumph, Get Lucky. The new video for Adventure features the band as computer-generated apes. A recent The Voice taping ended with ape-clad dancers grooving on stage with the British foursome, pure infectious jungle boogie. Coldplay hits the stage for the Global Citizen Festival, Coldplay hits the stage for the Global Citizen Festival, an effort to end extreme poverty by 2030. (Photo: Theo Wargo for Global Citizen) For Martin, Adventure encapsulates the band’s newfound respect for each other. “I’m so happy it’s the first song out there, because it’s a real band piece,” he says, switching from fries to a bar of chocolate. “As a listener, the singing is the last thing you’re think about.” While Martin’s distinctive and often soaring voice remains unmistakable throughout Dreams, there was a deliberate group effort on this project to slightly mute his contribution. “If I may speak for the band, sometimes you need a break from the singer,” he says with a laugh. Conversations with all four Coldplay members sketch out the band’s patchwork approach on Dreams. While Martin did offer up some nearly complete musical ideas, most songs came out of jam sessions in London or Los Angeles, whose results were then worked on separately by each musician. Berryman says the band wound up with "six versions of the title track, each one musically unrecognizable from the other. Which means come time for a concert, we have to go learn the version we opted for." Once the tracks for this new release took shape, the band presented them to Stargate, the successful Norwegian pop producers Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel Storleer Eriksen. The duo, who've crafted hits for the likes of Beyoncé and Rihanna, overlaid their unique sonic palette on Coldplay's songs, adding staccato vocals, symphonic interludes and simple silence. “Stargate’s biggest skill is finding space for things,” Champion says. “As a band, we tend towards thick and dense sounding things. Their skill was boiling things to a bare minimum.” Adds Berryman: “They work in a genre that isn’t quite ours. And we were trying to go somewhere different.” Contributing to this Rik Simpson-mixed effort were special guests such as Noel Gallagher (ex-Oasis and now High Flying Birds), who provides guitar work on Up&Up; Swedish singer Tove Lo, vocals on Fun; and even ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow and current flame, model Annabelle Wallis, vocals on Everglow and Up&Up, respectively. Arguably the biggest name lending an assist is Beyoncé. What did she contribute? “You mean apart from her godlike talent?” Martin says of the singer, who lent her silken pipes to Hymn for the Weekend and Up&Up. “She made our album 90% better. And we were already 20% good. So now we’re like 110% the band we used to be. You do the math.” Berryman adds that none of this high-powered help would have made a difference if the band members had not been welcoming of outside input. “We’re not fighting to prove anything to ourselves or to each other or to the wider masses,” he says. After a long career peppered with a few monster successes – notably 2008’s Brian Eno-produced Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, that year’s best-selling album and winner of three 2009 Grammy Awards – Coldplay has earned the right to call the musical shots, says Anthony DeCurtis, author and longtime Rolling Stone contributor. “There are only a handful of bands that can really command an audience, and they can and they sound ready to play,” he says. He adds that he’s puzzled by critics who downplay the band as U2-lite. “I’ve never understood that sort of attack. Are they U2? No. But have they evolved their own style that’s as recognizable as any of the biggest bands? Yes,” DeCurtis says. “Few artists truly alter the course of music. Bands like Coldplay make music for fans. And they’re nothing wrong with that.” Zane Lowe, DJ for Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio, says Coldplay’s new effort “hits you with wide eyes and open arms. It’s the sound of a band that’s happy to be alive.” For Lowe, Ghost Stories had the feel of a closed session dedicated to intimate ideas (which Martin at the time described as a journey toward unconditional love, and was recorded as he and Paltrow’s 11-year marriage was headed for a split). In contrast, “Dreams is them saying, ‘We want to be around people again.’” Coldplay didn’t tour around Ghost Stories, but is indeed planning a global jaunt for Dreams. Guitarist Buckland can’t wait. “For us, being a band has never been easy, but I will say it’s now more fun than it’s ever been,” he says as Martin nods while he sips on a water. “As we’ve gotten older, we’ve gotten nicer and more tolerant of each other. In your early 20s, you’re quite abrasive, more egotistical. But we’ve gotten nicer, all of us.” The four do seem like old college friends, which they were in the Oasis-meets-rave-culture stew of mid-1990s London. Sometimes they finish one anothers' sentences, and other times they lapse into impromptu comedy. When asked what they think of EDM, electronic dance music, Martin puts on a serious face and says: “Michael Stipe (of R.E.M.) is one of the great frontmen of all time …oh, wait.” Buckland laughs, then answers: "It’s like any genre. There’s good polka, and there’s bad polka.” Martin: “I don’t know much about polka. I just know you have to get five good cards, right?” Buckland: “Be careful of online polka.” Martin, hanging his head: “I’ve lost so much money on online polka.” And so it goes, into the brisk L.A. night. One gets the feeling that this latest iteration of Coldplay could put on a concert and have a ball even if the hall was empty. “It feels amazing right now,” Martin says. “It’s also humbling. We’ve learned that we wouldn’t be anything without the others. So when you hear us, you’re hearing four guys who are happy to be with each other, more than ever.”

Honestly, the most original sound on the album comes from Kaleidoscope. If only they would've expanded the music and made it into a full song... Birds is probably 2nd- just very fresh and works best with the production used. And Amazing Day, both the most Coldplay-ier Coldplay songs on the album, which would've been much better is some of the feeling wasn't drowned out by over-produced rhythm section. For a more natural sound- listen to the TidalX version of Amazing Day. Following those top 2 tracks- There's Hymn For the Weekend- definitely not Coldplay's usual style but still some great use of mixed styles. Fun- great pop song- could've used some more change-ups to spice up the melody a bit, but still a solid song. Army of One, which is about the same. Kinda feels like they conjured up a good song...and instead of really trying to build it into something- they pasted a couple more verses and choruses and called it a day. And Everglow as well, I liked it more when Sarah Mclaughlan did it, but still a solid song. AHFOD- lots really like that song but for me it just doesn't do very much. If it would've been produced without the ...almost salsa type drum production.. and more prominent guitars probably would be a song I'd listen to. X marks the spot- yeah, it's really that bad. Up and Up... just don't really care for this one either. I like the build up attempt...but too weirdly put together. It sounds like when you start a good track, but listen to it ...way too many times and start slicing the song up to death. Basically, this whole album is a good solid pop album that could've been great if it wasn't for over-production.

What's so bad is, not just how it's very unlike Coldplay, but it's just cliche already. Any band could've done this and I would've been like...be original, turds!

A good way to tell how the rest of the album will sound is - listen to this leaked version of AOAL, then listen to a proper mp3 of AOAL - either from itunes or whichever source.

That's why I'm reluctant to say anything about the music. First off- I have the Coldplay bias. I can't just listen to these songs without fitting them with other Coldplay songs..and just the idea of what I think Coldplay is. The first time I listened to HFTW, I didn't like it. Then I listened again...just on my way to work, and I liked it. I couldn't imagine the AROBTTH era Coldplay singing- "like I'm so drunk and high...so high.." Like...noooooo!!!! But aside from that kind of bias, there's listening to songs in low quality... a lot of people can't tell it is...but when these people listen in high quality...the songs will just have more energy..and they'll like them more. Including myself.. But besides that..I'm just trying to wrap my head around the different sound..what I feared the most is that they were gonna go the way of Taylor Swift. I fear it's studioheads whispering in their damn ears to go this direction. Cause that's what's "poppin".. But as long as they keep doing good pop songs, I guess I'll listen.

I thought the same thing. They should've allowed that guitar to sorta...overtake the music.

I don't think you can really say the production to AHFOD sucks- unless you hear the high-quality version. The leaked album, so far, is only low quality. You can hear the signal crush on the bass- I don't know how it was ripped..but it wasn't done right.

I know. I'm not happy how they produced it without the prominent piano. But I don't know... with the piano, it kinda sounded like a Taylor Swift melody.

Indeed. So far, Amazing Day is the only song I truly love from this period.

I disagree with this X 200000 Haha Chris is so straight-forward- it's why he's a bad lyricist. A good lyricist, in the traditional sense, takes a simple idea or feeling, and expands it ...makes it complicated ..breaks the words down into complex, witty phrases, etc.. Chris is like "I never meant to cause you trouble.." It's so devastating simple, you know he means it. And to me, that is as straight-forward as it gets. I like Coldplay lyrics because of what they don't say..

To me ...the vocal melody, and especially the chord melody- sounds like what's really popular in America right now. That's why so many people thought it sounded like Taylor Swift. That same melody is also used in country here too. It's just that american sound to it. But I do love the noel and johnny part...and I think I will end up loving this song. But right now...I'm just hearing something that irks me..and getting in the way of enjoying the song...for it's potential. I think that's why so many people don't like Coldplay's initial new songs, there's so much riding on them- that we don't even listen as we would ..just some song we strolled across. We want Coldplay songs to be the sountrack of our lives, and cure our pain. And we just want to sway our heads and have all other music just...not suck- and we're fine with that. It's not fair! Haha.

VLV is still the less-listened-to album by Coldplay for me. It's definitely not poppy, in the traditional sense. But other than 2 songs, Lost and Violet Hill- I just never took to the songs. That john lennon meets Radiohead song was pretty good (see? I don't know remember the name!) but, to me, it sounded like Coldplay just trying too hard to be a band they're just not. But one thing I've realized from these forums, I'm completely in the minority on those feelings. But that's okay too. I think Ghost Stories is the album I've been wanting Coldplay to do since AROBTTH- but most people don't care for that album. Everyone is so different...and that's okay!

double post

I've been mostly awaiting Army of One. Based on the beat and melody- it's just the one I could tell I'm going to like. Also- Amazing Day. I didn't used to like this song at all but listening to the version at the TidalX show .. I suddenly love it. It's interesting, you know? How your first, or even 2nd or 5th listens to a song, and you feel one way toward it. But suddenly that bias completely changes. I remember listening to Clocks and In My Place, both songs are part of my all-time favs, and having that feeling of lackluster. I had liked Parachutes but Coldplay just isn't doing it for me this second time around. It wasn't until I decided to give the album a chance after my brother's reaction was like. ...dude...dude.. you have got to listen to this album, AROBTTH.. that I gave the album a listen- and after Politik ...I felt completely different about In My Place.. and even Clocks became one of my favorites.. after I started listening to the album more. So I guess my whole point is musical bias .. you can not trust your own ears at first. Even Up and Up.. I don't quite know what to think of it, which makes me know not to give up on listening to it. I don't know yet. It could become my favorite. I do think it's a good song now- but I don't like as a Coldplay song. Which is funny because I keep hearing that about other songs. Haha. I don't like Up and Up as a Coldplay song because the melody is so... American. And I am American. I love the british part of Coldplay. I really do.

so is hymn for the weekend available now to listen to? Or just that small snippet?

Have you ever tried to dance around onstage to a couple thousand people ...in midst of grabbing someone's phone and trying to operate the camera app, make sure to use the correct frontward or backward lens...then hand it back to the person ...all within a time frame of a few bars before the chorus drops? Exactly. :P

I think it'll happen. It's because the album's gonna be out real soon anyway.

Noel Gallagher would be awesome- if only they'd co-headline a tour. I don't think the big suits in the market would allow it. I say....Metric!

And they link to another article...where they say the same thing. And they go "In addition to Adventure of a Lifetime, there's this song from a 34 second clip- likely to be another hit." Except...the song is obviously Adventure of a Lifetime... these people who write this, are they high?

Look at this idiotic article about Coldplay playing at the AMAs ...this is from Billboard too. Read the first paragraph. Really? http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/amas/6770313/coldplay-adventure-lifetime-amas-2015-american-music-awards

I actually got teared up during Amazing Day. I think I'm pretty immune to Fix You at this point.

Though, if you ask me..RED ..which obviously borrowed from U2- like on the first song of the album. If you haven't heard it...you should listen. They're all sharing from each other. I think a lot of musicians share from Coldplay. It may come off sounding more U2, Keane, Snow Patrol ..whatever.. but it's that sound..and you know when you hear it.