Coldplay’s fifth full-length studio album “Mylo Xyloto” was released Sunday night after much anticipation. Fans finally saw the countdown meter on the iTunes Store homepage show all zeros, and almost instantly after, sales soared. It was number one on the album charts after only hours.
Band members Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion pack a colorful punch with their new project. They used the imagery of retro American graffiti as an inspiration for the lyrics, tour, videos and artwork. Even the sounds have a feel of color to them.
Rich, synthetic melodies fill the song “Hurts Like Heaven.” Catchy trap beats pulsate through “Paradise,” which, by the way, has a killer video directed by Mat Whitecross. And “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall,” the famous single released last June, shows off some stunning electric riffs. Rihanna even adds a bit of flavor to the album—her voice meets with Martin’s in “Princess of China.”
“Mylo Xyloto” was written based on a love story. Lyrically, it is simple, but in a positive way, full of innocence and genuineness. Overall, the album is light-hearted and high-energy, which is a bit different from Coldplay’s style in many of their previous songs.
Coldplay has displayed a timeline of changing energies. They developed an image early in their career with albums like “Parachutes” and “A Rush of Blood to the Head,” which shaped their calm style. The piano and guitar parts brought tears to listeners. Coldplay began to receive respect for their intricate music, rather than interest put into just a few hot tracks.
More recently, Coldplay has produced a greater amount of pop-tinged, beat-heavy tunes, which has caused some fans to turn away. The mainstream attention is not always handled well by original followers.
Moods have changed, and there’s no guarantee they won’t shift again. Coldplay is continually coming up with new ideas and writing down every detail. That is one characteristic that makes them who they are.
Even if they have alienated some of their first fans, who’s to say that mixing it up was a mistake?After all, they have won seven Grammys. They know how to win over the hearts of listeners and critics new and old.
One thing that remains the same about the boys from London: their visible passion for making music.
“Mylo Xyloto” has rekindled the Coldplay fire, and they show no signs of slowing down.
