British rock band Coldplay may as well be considered one of the greatest musical acts ever, molding themselves after the amazing U2, but lead singer Chris Martin helps the group create material that stands on its own. The band recently celebrated their third US number one album with the release of their fifth record strangely titled, Mylo Xyloto, which hit stores on Oct. 24. Preceded by two top twenty singles, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” and “Paradise”, the new effort follows the same formula that the band has found success with in the past. Vocals are perfect as always, but some lyrical content is quite questionable. Overall, a nice record from a group we expect to charm us.
After a short self-titled intro, the album kicks off with “Hurts Like Heaven”, a track that begins so quickly I thought there was something wrong with my copy. Martin’s vocals come off innocent and sweet, and the material is the type he excels at. It sounds like the ordinary Coldplay song, a nice way to bring fans back after a three year absence. The chorus is fairly catchy and one that makes you want to jump all over the room. Current single, “Paradise”, did not impress me much upon my first listen, but after watching the overly cute music video, I decided to give it another chance. I will admit that the track is filled with cliché and cliché, but even with that said I still find myself singing along. The beat helps the song so much, I think I enjoy that more than the lyrics, but overall the track is a nice piece of work. The album continues with “Charlie Brown”. An eerie, “voices in the forest” intro begins a very impressive performance from the band, probably one of the best moments on the effort. Everything comes together nicely to form a track that sticks with the band’s strengths, but comes across as something completely new and fresh. The lyrics are top notch here, a big step up from the songs that preceded it. On “Us Against the World”, Martin begins with a somber tone in his voice, and even though it may not be his greatest vocal moment, it still draws the listener in. The attention will not be kept for long as the song never changes a single note, and stays flat throughout, becoming a big disappointment. Again, the band relies on clichés to tell a story of love, but all the moaning and repeating gets annoying after a minute or so. Some people were worried the album would fail after the “too cute and cuddly” first single “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” made its way out to the public. However; every aspect of the song is enjoyable in my opinion. The fast paced production really helps the song and I could not keep myself from smiling when the track was playing. The thumping drums take the song to another level and it never seemed to stop impressing. The album’s sound changes for the better on “Major Minus”, which contains a rock vibe that I come to expect from the band. I enjoyed the guitar instrumentals and the mellow tone that stays throughout. The track never reaches the level of a hard rock performance, but it is far better than the airy, too sweet, synth-pop sound that had been dominating the album prior. Very different and a nice surprise.
The second half of the album starts with the shortest track, “U.F.O.”, another innocent moment that simply lets Martin’s vocals shine and come through untouched. It is a nice short escape from the album, very soothing and relaxing. Just close your eyes and let go of everything. Coldplay called on R&B sensation, Rihanna, for help as their only feature guest on the project. The song is crafted as a duet, and what seemed a usual and interesting pairing, came a track that brings nothing to the table. I enjoy both artists separately, but the two lack chemistry and the song could have been left out. It is far from impressive or good, very bland and a way to capitalize on Rihanna’s current fame on the charts. “Up in Flames” is a dark ballad-type about the end of a relationship, when you realize everything you have is going up in smoke. The track is a soft and somber moment on the album, one that would have been perfect except for one problem: the chorus. After the second run-through, the repetitive lyrics are too much to bare. Other than that, the sadness that can be felt is a reason the song is a favorite. Coming after a couple of similar tracks, “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart”, seems to be a decent song that gets lost among the others. There is nothing really memorable about it even though the vocals are an aspect to be commended as usual. I could not find myself really engulfed in the track, it felt like it was going through one ear and out the other, no message or anything. The background heartbeats are a cool touch though. The album closes out with the extremely uplifting “Up With the Birds”. Once again I felt encompassed by the soothing vocals of Martin and had to just close my eyes and enjoy the moment that was the closing track. I am not a huge fan of Coldplay’s more mellow performances, but it works here and wins me over. The piano-driven beat allows the song to soar high and even though some stumbles in writing are heard, nothing too bad to halt its power.
Mylo Xyloto is a decent fifth album by a band that has been criticized by the press for trying to mimic U2. On this record they do not have to worry about those comparisons, but face problems with songwriting abilities instead. Some tracks on the effort could have been gems; however become disposable due to too many clichés. Is the album better than their previous effort? No. Is the album the greatest thing ever? No. But the record does a nice job at solidifying the band’s status as one of the best. The Rihanna feature was not needed, some tracks could have been perfected, but the album shines extremely bright when it does and receives an 82%.
Tracks to Hear: “Charlie Brown”, “Everytear Drop is a Waterfall”, “Major Minus” and “Up With the Birds”
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