lennyrott1

Just downloaded and listened! It is incredible. The best since In Rainbows....not what I was expecting. This should be a nice reminder for Coldplay that dreary beautiful music is where the most beautiful, creative and best music lives!! Seriously, if Chris isn't jealous of this record I will be mad. There will be talks of whether this album is their best...

Hate to destroy the excitement here, but the piano at the beginning of Kaleidoscope, and maybe throughout the song, is sampled from Khatia Buniatishvilli--see video. Chris had mentioned really liking Chopin during the recording of AHFOD, so I bet he was listening to Khatia's amazing renditions and wanted to use it for the track. I am not a classical music expert, but maybe what he was playing at the end of Trouble is a known classical piano song? Just my first thought... Regardless, it is absolutely lovely and makes me mad. Why? Because I want an entire Coldplay album where there is just Postcards style piano tracks with the rest of the band adding awesome atmospherics. Tis my dream. Even if it was a Chris solo album....*braces for reactions*

Well for those of us who always complain about him talking about Ariana Grande...he mentioned Beach House in this interview who has had two solid nuwave atmospheric indie pop albums the past few years!!

^ I am completely with you on this and will join the rant. I will always argue that this album is chock-full of great ideas that are half-completed. I think it is the first Coldplay album that fails on demonstrating a clear concept and consistent sound. In terms of overall songwriting as well, it is significantly weaker than most Coldplay albums. Lyrically, it does often improve on GS, but just. Overall, GS is a better album in my opinion because its sound and mission is consistent. Sure the lyrics suck, but the album flows from one great track to another all the way up to the mediocre ASFOS. AHFOD just starts on a low note and has bright spots throughout. So a lot is missing... the pop production really removes what made MX and VLV special, and the instrumention/song writing is not bold enough to remake the alternative rock of X&Y or AROBTTH. I guess I will always appreciate AHFOD for its discernible messages and few fantastic tracks--but it is definitely the worst Coldplay album, in my opinion and I think in the opinions of most critics. I think their future work should pull a U2 and go back to their roots. Maybe that would suck, but when you have a hip-hop track that rips off Kendrick Lamar on your new album--your usage of musical freedom has gone too far. Albums need to have clear paths, messages, vibes.

Hey everyone. Since AHFOD is closing in on 6 months and we have got to see it in action on the live tour, I was curious of what we think about possible alternative versions of the album that improve on the original (I think a lot could be made). These would be fan made--and could mean cutting tracks, adding tracks, expanding on tracks, you name it! Here is my idea for track listing: AHFOD- Add a bigger intro and include the Charlie Chaplin sample (like live tour)!!!! Track starts with warm synths similar to AIMH while the bells and jangly instrumentation slowly fade in. Then Charlie Chaplin comes in, says his stuff and ends on "Adventure!" and the song bursts into the bass and drumbeat. --This makes the spoken word on Kaleidiscope feel more earned. It sets a precedent for these spoken word samples. --Also, it would help the song feel longer and more completed! Birds-make strings more audible. They are beautiful HFTW- More emphasis on horns in chorus and bridge! They sound great. Everglow- Make Jonny's guitar more audible--like live version. AOAL- No changes, maybe more emphasis on outro. Fun- Make the song fun. I don't know how. Just do it. Too mopy. Kaliediscope- Longer intro with more classical piano and weird atmosphere. Song ends right on "has been sent, as a guide...." Army of One- Add a 20-30 second intro that we heard for live version. More of Jonny's guitar playing off the synths would be great! Incorporate those more diverse synths throughout track. No X Marks the Spot Amazing Day- Keep the same. Maybe turn down the drums on the mix. Colour Spectrum/Amazing Grace- If you are going to use Amazing Grace...use it! It is a great song. I say take the Obama sample and make it up to a minute long so you can get more parts of it. Add that cool jazzy instrumentation, and have it fade into Colour Spectrum which has a new mix that is not identical to the intro of the album (because that is lazy Coldplay). Up&Up-Turn down that bass drum...this isn't an R&B song. BONUS TRACKS 1. Miracles: Actually a nice transition from Up&Up if you want it there. Otherwise, just stop with that wonderful "Believe in Love" ending! 2. X Marks the Spot: It is a silly song to put on your album. Tonally, lyrically, and instrumentally it doesn't fit at all. Just make it a bonus track or a B-side off of HFTW single....

Okay so I bring this up way too often, but I really can't help it. Will this be the single with an EP?? I think if they were going to release any B-sides at all, it would make sense to put them with Up&Up since it is one of the more meaningful, lush, and alternative rock tracks on the album. I guess I just have been waiting since December for some announcement about additional AHFOD era tracks and have been bummed about having nothing yet. GS is an album that I really like, but when you add the uniqueness of Ghost Story, the darkness of All Your Friends, the reverb of O Part 2, and even the awesome piano of Atlas--that whole era becomes much more rich and full of experimentation. With AHFOD, the album taken as a whole isn't giving me enough to munch on. Yeah, they kinda delve into disco, hip-hop, synthpop, new wave, britpop, but it is all too sparse and short lived. I wanna hear B-sides with a real dance edge, or a real electronic experimentation, or even just with a real ROCK sound again.

Not to speak for all Americans, but we sure love our massive stadiums, fancy exclusives VIP packages, and incredibly huge sums of wealth. :) In other words, we are filthy capitalists who have no sense of decency when it comes to wealth distribution. So yeah, it sucks. I always noticed European shows were more equitable and really just served those that try the hardest to get good tickets whereas in America you have to have absurd amounts of money to get near the front of a show. That is a big generalization of course...I just saw George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic in a tiny venue in my town and I paid $30 f0r an amazing 3 hour show. It is too bad Coldplay's tour works with massive corporate ticket interests and only churn out a 90 minute show. Even the Foo Fighters, who I don't love, are known for doing shows over 2 hours at a slim price.

This morning was a stress explosion for me! I had never done the whole presale thing--and I didn't realize it didn't include floor seats. Also I didn't wanna pay more than 200 a ticket but that quickly was impossible. But literally the two best sections in Salt Lake were sold out within the first hour and the other decent sections were running out quick, so I snagged a couple decent tickets--both combined cost me $410. Are tickets usually this steep for Coldplay? I wanted to hold out for floor tickets, but I read somewhere that those seats were going to be over closer to $400 or $500 each? I don't want to believe that is true, but I also didn't want to risk holding out on the presale seats and then not being able to afford the floor seats.

^It is a pity Bring Me The Horizon isn't better. The genres I first fell in love with were post-hardcore and emo. They aren't a terrible band, but they take themselves way too seriously. Like their lyrics try to be so deep but are about as shallow as *ahem* Coldplay's. The difference being, of course, that Coldplay doesn't necessarily take their music that seriously. That whole stunt at the NME Awards was kind of just rude. Look. I love punk/metal music with anti-establishment messages. But to make a mess of someone's table like that? It is just inconsiderate. Find a nicer or more thoughtful way to make a statement that doesn't trash people's stuff or make some poor employee have to come clean up after you.

I am buying tickets tomorrow for my sister and I! It will be our first show. We live in Western Montana and are afraid it is the closest they will get on this tour--especially if they skip Calgary. Hope the venue is cool. I can't say I am a fan of SLC-- in my past experience, crowds in Utah and Idaho tend to be really conservative and not excited about dancing/going crazy! But hopefully I am wrong.

I will be road tripping 6+ hours to Salt Lake City!! Will be my first Coldplay show!!! Anyone got any tips for a first-timer? I am excited that the arena prices will be better, but nervous about getting good seats that have both the view and acoustics! Would love any advice of where the best place to be during an arena show is!! Thanks!

Did anyone catch them in Seattle, Edmonton, Calgary or Portland last time around? Those are the closest places they might stop around me--though they did The Gorge in Washington state which is pretty close to me too on the Viva Tour. I know those were arena shows which hopefully will be better priced for a poor college lad like me. My sister and I have been die hard fans since we were kids and are afraid if we don't catch them on this tour we will be in trouble. Just wanted to gauge how those venues are in case they announce them soon! If I am going to invest in tickets and a long roadtrip I wanna make the best decision :)

Looks like U.S. is getting some more dates added! This is good news for me. They haven't confirmed anywhere within 800 miles of me yet. Hope there are some smaller venues. [MEDIA=twitter]717803139987017730[/MEDIA]

Yeah. Never. He has always said it and I will trust him. As the principle song writer for Coldplay, I think he already gets what he wants on most the albums, especially with ASFOS and with bringing in Stargate on AHFOD. Not saying the boys don't contribute or that they have totally stopped caring--but at this point Chris has written so many tracks, hundreds we probably haven't even heard of. Where else would he go? If he went solo and tried doing that stuff it would just be too weird--and possibly legally messy considering everything he has done as a Coldplay stamp on it. My greatest fear would be that on future records, Jonny Guy and Will take a backseat and let it be Chris' pop joyride. In essence, that would make them a studio band. But every album cycle Chris says it again: "We are very much a band."

^ I think that is a decent comparison! So long as the acoustic version has a new vocal track :) I like the instrumental acoustic PoC but they literally just remixed the original vocal track to soft music and it is very off! I hope they have a version of Army of One with Chris on Piano, Guy on Mandolin, Jonny on Slide Guitar, Will on acoustic guitar.

Thoughts: I really think this song's final mix is either under produced or overproduced. Why? So these covers are stripped versions with pianos--and they are AMAZING! The melody is great, the piano makes it far more meaningful and uplifting rather than the thumping drums and uninteresting organ. These covers feel more Coldplay than the actual song. The live version performed at Buenos Aires is also really awesome because Jonny is allowed to play around with his guitar--and they weren't afraid to add extra synth sounds into the mix. The studio version with this free style guitar jam would be infinitely better. My last word is this: I really hope we eventually get a Army of One Single that includes alternative mixes or perhaps an acoustic version. I think of all the AHFOD tracks, it would have the best acoustic version--would feel very X&Y.

I am super nervous for tonight's episode!! This moment in the comics wrecked me on so many levels and apparently the script for the episode was so brutal that the actors were scared of coming to work for the day!!! So basically, this is going to be the red wedding of the Walking Dead, at least I hope.

I will mix it up: I am trying to introduce Coldplay to a skeptic--someone who hates them for no reason and thinks they are crap pop: Parachutes: Don't Panic- Reliance Shiver- Anxious AROBTTH: Politik--Desperation Daylight--Crashing X&Y: Til Kingdom Come--Romance Low-- Swirling VLVODAAHF Cemeteries of London--Haunted 42--Commemoration MX HLH-Colorful :) UWTB--Sparkles GS Midnight--Confusion Magic--Optimism AHFOD Birds--Floating Up&Up--Hope

YES YES YES.

I will always be a big critic of Fun... I really can't get into it. When I first listened to the album I distinctly recall enjoying the album right up until Fun. It is a really odd song in many ways in my opinion, the odd man out. First of all, the title is just awful because the song is NOT FUN. Second, the lyrics are very sub par nature metaphors--sun, rain, waves. Third, the meaning for me me is sweet, but kind of odd. The whole album is about feeling free and "alive again," and Everglow lyrically does a great job closing the whole GS themes of a broken relationship. Then Fun comes along with the lame lines "don't say it was all a waste." and "then, maybe we could again?" So...you are over the relationship or not? Just feels off. I don't think it is a Taylor Swift inspired track as much as it is an 80's pop throwback (which is what the brilliant 1989 went for). The murky guitar, cheesy drum fill, ballady chorus. They were going for a style I like, but in the end I think the melody is very pedestrian and forgettable. I am a big critic of modern pop, but Taylor Swift's last album was pop perfection--just amazing. If Coldplay was going for that here, they failed badly. Fun should have been a B-side in my opinion. It just is a weird center to an album. It completely dissipates the energy of AOAL. Imagine listening to MX and having U.F.O follow up ETIAW...it just wouldn't work. Fun feels like a style of music that they could throw in an EP with Ghost Story, All Your Friends, maybe some X&Y tracks? I don't know. It just has the low-tempo alt-rock feel to it with a forgettable pop hook. If we do get an EP or some B-Sides (PLEASE GOD!!!!) then I would consider replacing Fun with something more upbeat or alternative. Edit: This s me acknowledging that this post is maybe too critical. I think the song is average, and has grains of a better song in it: I actually like the electronic elements and especially the outro with that acoustic guitar--reminds me of Famous Old Painters.

Personally one of my least favorite...and Synth-pop is one of my favorite genre. I just don't find it very pretty or uplifting. The beat is too repetitive and the little electronic Chris voices feel kinda amateurish. A good synth-pop song needs lots of complex crazy sounds. I personally think this one is underproduced, but just for my taste.

I find it hilarious that folks tend to like either Avicii's version of ASFOS or the piano only version most! It goes to show that Coldplay had a more mellow version, which would have been the most fitting for Ghost Stories, while Avicii had an absolute banger and they came together to make something that is just kind of lukewarm with the final product. I like the acoustic piano version too, but it goes to show that the melody gets old after awhile (song is too repetitive). I will say however, when the song is played with real "rock" drum fills rather than the dull 4x4 bass kick, it is way better and more energized. This performance blew me away--felt like a whole new song on that chorus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CadI8BDmE38

Somebody needs to ask about AHFOD B-sides!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously! Where are those B-sides??!??!?!?!?

Okay, so I was browsing the boy's wikis and it says Jonny plays saxophone? Is this part of the Jonny plays Jazz gag? Or was that his first instrument. I ask because there is that small section at the beginning of AHFOD where a sax/synth is in the background--which I love, but then it disappears :( If this is true then I demand more Coldplay with saxophone, even if subtle (like how Alt-J uses it). I love the sound of a sax...