Kris Fronzak
Editor in Chief
Coldplay, “Mylo Xyloto”
Released: Oct. 24, 2011
Recorded: London, England
Genre: Alt. rock, electro rock
Album number: Five
Highlights: Up With The Birds,
Charlie Brown, Hurts Like Heaven
Before I launch into the official review of the mysteriously named “Mylo Xyloto,” I’d like to lay to rest a disturbing rumor I’ve been hearing about the band.
According to several friends, Coldplay is pretty widely recognized as “mom music.” For a band that lingers on the fringes of alternative music, indie rock and pop, they seem to be on the receiving end of a lot of flak. Fans generally don’t publicize their appreciation too loudly, since liking them is the equivalent of liking U2 or Nickelback, which have fallen into the ranks of bands everyone knows but are a little ashamed to listen to.
Those of you hesitant to broadcast your love of Coldplay to the public, this is a call to action. Don’t let the lofty, overanalyzed music tastes of others hinder you from enjoying what you know you like. My advice to those people who are putting Coldplay into the ranks of mom music, or looking down on it for related reasons, is to get off your high horse and just enjoy the sound of a band who knows how to play a tune, writes their own lyrics, and doesn’t need auto-tune to enhance their voices. Coldplay may not be the greatest musical achievement of our time, but they also don’t deserve relegation to the rank of bands like Nickelback.
Their latest release “Mylo Xyloto” is pleasing enough for staunch lovers of the band. In a way, this is because it is just more of the same. Though Coldplay has proven to be fairly adaptable and seems to span a number of music genres, their sound has essentially been the same since their debut in 1996.
And yet, it’s not.
This album offers a pleasing combination of modern, independent EPs and old-fashioned music, with tracks that seamlessly transition from one to another. In just 42 seconds, the title track successfully sets the mood for the entire album, purely using instrumentals and electronic sounds that crescendo perfectly into the second track, the bouncy but somewhat cliché “Hurts like Heaven.”
Being a sucker for feel-good music with nice harmony, I’d probably single this track out as my favorite. Wonderfully danceable twangs and crooning falsetto somehow blend perfectly with more intense guitar riffs. Add that to the oft-repeated line “Cause you use your heart like a weapon, and it hurts like heaven,” and you have a four-minute ballad of the highest quality.
These openers are followed by more expressive tracks, such as “Paradise,” “Charlie Brown,” and “Up in Flames.” Rihanna even makes an appearance for a verse in “Princess in China,” a mournful break-up song.
Chris Martin’s soulful voice is great for relaxed, mindless listening, but successfully acts as an uplifter as well. Whether you’re ultra-depressed or feeling overwhelmingly optimistic about life, Coldplay’s music fits the mood.
Note: Since it’s a concept album (it follows the lives of a fictional couple named Mylo and Xyloto), “Mylo Xyloto” functions best as a whole. Most tracks run smoothly into one another, and follow a larger storyline that is bound to go over your head unless you listen to the songs in proper order.
