Review: Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

Grade: B-


Few pop groups in the last decade have been as inventive as Coldplay.  Chris Martin and company have hit the target of every aspiring musician; to be able to experiment with their sound from album to album while maintaining an astonishing level of popularity.  "We are not as good musically, but much more attractive," Martin recently said of fellow British band Radiohead, a band which has achieved something similar to Coldplay.  But while Thom Yorke is willing to alienate his fans in the pursuit of achieving an artistic vision, Coldplay prefers to cater to the masses.  This is extremely apparent on Mylo Xyloto, where Coldplay expand their horizons a little bit but still keep their sights focused on pleasing their fans.

To be honest, I was put off a little by the first two singles, "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" and "Paradise."  "Every Teardrop..." had the sound of a band that was content with where they were, simply going through the motions and accepting their paychecks.  "Paradise" at least showed some signs of creative flair, but the song was stagnant, on its own it sounded like one big shambling sigh.  Both of these tracks, though, take on new life when put in context of the album, which is a good sign.  "Paradise" becomes the closing fanfare to opener and standout track "Hurts Like Heaven."  "Every Teardrop..." transforms into an invigorating re-energizer after a couple of subdued tracks.  This really demonstrates Coldplay's ability to order their tracks and craft a real album rather than merely a collection of songs.

This record finds Coldplay using a lot more electronics than we're used to, which is apparent right from the start with Martin's modified vocals on "Hurts Like Heaven."  Coldplay aren't an electronic band now though, there are still a couple of acoustic songs, but these mostly miss the mark for me (see U.F.O.).  The most interesting move is the inclusion of Rihanna on the song "Princess of China."  Coldplay fans will probably be divided on this one, but I think it was a good idea that could have been executed better.  The record ends with a fantastic duo.  "Don't Let It Break Your Heart" is a dense, fast-paced epic that leads into "Up With The Birds."  A beautiful piano ballad that transforms into a pretty standard piano/guitar Coldplay tune, "Up With The Birds" ends the record on a note of wistful bliss.

While Mylo Xyloto is a step away from the epic instrumentation of Viva la Vida, it manages to be almost as effective.  Mylo Xyloto balances its highs and lows well, and if not for the inclusion of a couple of questionable guitar ballads, it would be right up there among the group's best works.  Still, the band has to be commended for their ability to think outside the box and deliver an album of fresh tunes that are sequenced beautifully.