lennyrott2

One day I am going to be an old man who has a dusty Coldplay catalog when suddenly, one day, they (even older men) release a five disc set of every B-side they never released and glorious euphoric nostalgia will rush over me....such a rush.

Just threw up a poll. I tried keeping it pretty simple and consolidated a bit. Let me know if I missed anything major or made an egregious mistake!! :D

^ I think that is a solid prediction actually! I think that after an album like Ghost Stories or MX they will use electronics more sparingly in the future. I would love an album that sounds like Ghost Story. That song mixed electronics and instruments really well. They just played A Whisper recently, and we know they are working on music, so maybe a modern follow up to A Rush is due!!! Lets hope so!

^Haha I love that video. But I am with you. My answer would be for folk. It is a genre that seems to have entered popular music recently with Mumford and Sons, Lumineers, and Of Monsters and Men, but in the Viva Era Coldplay killed it. I would love a mostly acoustic record with explosive folk jams. Jonny on electric, Guy on Mandolin, and Chris and Will jamming singing it out on guitars. That is my dream. Proper releases of Lukas, Famous Old Painters, Don Quixote would make me faint.

Now that Coldplay is definitively in the Ghost Stories era and will likely be for the rest of the year (Atlas--GS--GS (Deluxe)--possible EP) we can now define its sound: a mix of the old (somber atmospherics, low-key, introspective lyrics) and the new (minimalist electronics, pop driven, occasionally big sounding.) So where do you want their sound to go next? They have already successfully explored alternative rock, world and all out pop, stadium-rock, acoustic/piano ballads, shoegaze, electronica, even folk to some degree. Where could they go next?

When it leaked I was jumping around my house like a madperson. I have probably listened to the album twenty+ times now, but honestly, it has worn on me significantly. I don't find myself wanting to revisit most of the songs like I did with their other albums. I think that confirms that it remains my least favourite Coldplay album, one of the main reasons being it just doesn't have that replay ability. If that made you fart, I hope it was a relieving one.

I just listened to the podcast and really, what is so disagreeable about it? I mean, these guys all are not Coldplay haters, two of them seem to love Viva, Parachutes and a Rush just as much as most coldplayers. Obviously they really really don't like Ghost Stories, and I disagree with their overall assessment, but the points they make are often valid. Here are a few of their criticisms that I am completely in agreement with: Usually Martin's somewhat poor lyricism is negligible because of the incredibly emotive music going on in the background. On Ghost Stories, we don't get that very much. Coldplay is amazing at taking ideas and sounds from other bands and making it their own in a unique and wonderful way. In Ghost Stories they try to replicate themselves largely, and it sometimes comes off flat. Lyrically the album is somewhat excusable considering Chris' circumstances, but at the same time, we don't know really what he is singing about specifically, and that distances the singer from the audience, the ideas aren't necessarily universal here like with other albums. Coldplay does have grit and big rock-band caliber, but on Ghost Stories, they don't use Will Champion and some of their best elements enough. All of the things people hate Coldplay for (lyrics, mopy sound, not enough teeth) are all on the forefront on Ghost Stories, and unfortunately critics will rip it apart, which is too bad because we all know Coldplay can do better.

^ There is the comparison I was looking for!!! It sounded so much like a few other songs to me, one being by Pearl Jam that I can't remember, and the other REM.

If the song O and MX had a baby, and the song was produced by The xx, then the result would be O (Reprise). I enjoy it immensely. I prefer the original O for its more minimal approach, but this is a great rendition as well that I only wish was longer.

^Definitely their worst music video to date. Charlie Brown is not a rave song for me, it is an alternative rock dance song. This video felt like Rihanna's We Found Love video but for tweens. Didn't enjoy it at all.

A very interesting tune for Coldplay! On first listen it reminded me of Pearl Jam strangely enough, certainly something that could have fit in to AROBTTH B-sides, but of course with a few modern twists. I love the raw acoustic guitar strumming patterns and the influence of Jonny throughout the track. The Ghost Stories elements are definitely here though, the faint woodblocks in the background, the flute, the electronic echoes. I might liken it to an OK Computer sounding song were it not upbeat. Hearing the whole band jam out is really refreshing in this track. My only gripe is Chris' vocals. They don't sound convincing to me,like he isn't invested and I don't feel like singing along. On first listen, I was already not liking his falsetto when he cries "disappeeeear." It isn't their best b-side, but I love the song. 8/10

Really interesting to see this reviewer actually loving all the other albums...I am not sure I buy it entirely though. I actually enjoyed his review, I felt his history of Coldplay was pretty good. Of course, I don't agree entirely with his criticisms with Ghost Stories, I would probably give it a 6 or 7. But that still for me, like this reviewer, is the lowest score I would give a Coldplay album.

It took me about a year. I didn't love it at first, but a year later I listened to the whole thing through, and honestly, it was amazing. I really love this album. The sort of things others don't like were my complaints but became my loves. Sure, it is poppy, very over the top, very produced. I think people need to embrace that though. If I am in a good mood, I just turn that album on because I can dance to it, I can sing along to the massive explosive choruses, and I can put on headphones and pick out all the little details that are hiding in each song (because the production is amazing!!!) MX, like every Coldplay album, has a certain taste to it. Its taste in particular though, is one of their strongest. They really went all out on it with the style they were going for, and some love it and others don't. I don't blame people for hating it. I mean, I still am not a huge fan of POC or Up In Flames, I think they are weak Coldplay tracks. MX is not as great for me as Viva, A Rush, or Parachutes, but then again, it has fresh sound, it is extremely bright, it rocks out occasionally, and it is incredibly unique sounding. That is why I love it. Now I am waiting for the flavour of GS to settle in....hahaha

Pitchfork only has one individual review an album and I think they rotate reviewers for artists every album. They are hard-pressed to give many albums good scores, but I usually agree when they give great reviews. Truth is, some of them probably like Coldplay and others don't. The GS reviewer clearly doesn't, whereas the MX reviewer clearly just had a taste for that power alternative pop sound. People harp on pitchfork for being hipster and hating the mainstream, but often times they give the mainstream albums the best reviews: Beyonce, Yeezus, Lorde. I don't worry about one reviewers opinion though. There are a lot of people who like to hate on Coldplay. That is why I prefer metacritic or rotten tomatoes for my reviews. they are more of a consensus which we can listen to.

All Your Friends is notably the darkest track on Ghost Stories Deluxe Edition. The misty atmosphere, leading bass guitar, Massive Attack style drumbeat, and echoing guitar are very reminiscent of the The xx. In many ways, I imagine this song belonging on an album with Moving To Mars, as often the electronics and piano become deep, spacey and sharp. It certainly sounds like a Coldplay B-side, as it is difficult to classify in their discography, but the track is very enjoyable and fresh sounding. The lyrics are overall decent, and I especially like the electronic flare at the end of Chris' "fire." Most of all, it does a wonderful job in balancing live instrumentation with production value, something that Ghost Stories as a whole could have done better, making this track very welcome. 8/10