Think about one of the greatest bands in the world coming out with a new album after three years. A band with fifty million albums sold worldwide changing the way the world views alternative music and millions of fans having no idea what to expect other than pure greatness.
When you thought about that, I hope you were thinking of Coldplay.
If you don’t know who Coldplay is, then you must not know much about music. Coldplay is one of the biggest, if not the biggest alternative bands of all time. They are also one of the greatest, and my favorite band.
Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay’s fifth album, was released on October 21 and has been downloaded by yours truly onto her iPod.
Let me start off by saying Mylo Xyloto is a great album. It’s full of empowering lyrics and blood-pumping energy. This album is uplifting and pure fun. It is most definitely an album that will do very well live and get the audience on their feet and dancing.
Even though it’s completely different from any of their other albums, it’s still got that sound that screams Coldplay. To me, the album sounds much like the songs “Lovers in Japan” and “Life in Technicolor” from their previous album Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends. The album has the same upbeat and quick movement of the other albums.
It starts off quickly with “It Hurts Like Heaven”, which is a fast paced song with a computer-pop sound mixed with Buckland’s beautiful guitar leads, and of course, Martin’s great vocals.
The third song on the album, “Paradise”, my second favorite song on the album, is going to be one of the more memorable songs on Mylo Xyloto. The song has such a freedom to it that makes you feel as if you could jump off the roof of your house listening to this song and actually fly. It’s an absolute masterpiece.
Of course this album isn’t all fast paced, as it has some beautiful slow melodic songs that take you back to the old Coldplay wonders such as X&Y, Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to The Head.
The first easy-going acoustic song that appears, and the best on the album, is the song “Us Against The World”. I love this song so much because it takes me back to the old sound of Coldplay, that classic acoustic sound that feels like home.
The next calming song on the album is “U.F.O.” and it is beautiful, but unfortunately is only two minutes long. Still, this song is so lovely and peaceful and Martin’s voice is so soothing that you will find yourself leaving this short song on repeat.
And of course with Martin’s talent, there just has to be a piano-filled song on the album. “Up in Flames” is that song. With its persistent calm drum beat and Martin’s famous ‘oohing’, accompanied by a lovely piano melody, this song will definitely satisfy any Coldplay fan.
I love all the songs on this album except one. That song being “Princess of China”, a Coldplay collaboration with Rihanna. This song did not fit the rest of the album just as Rihanna does not fit together with Coldplay. I was really disappointed with this song and Coldplay’s choice to collaborate with Rihanna, but I don’t wish to go on about that tiny mess up on Mylo Xyloto.
All together I was impressed with Mylo Xyloto. It included every type of sound and quality an alternative album should have. Coldplay couldn’t have left me any happier with this album.
