Album review: Coldplay - 'Mylo Xyloto' (Music Universe Australia)
From WikiColdplay
It’s hard to believe that twelve years ago (that’s right, twelve years ago) Coldplay’s breakthrough single ‘Yellow’ was released. Four albums and over fifty million album sales later, we have their fifth record Mylo Xyloto.
The arrival of producer Brian Eno on their fourth studio album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends was more than enough to shake off the ‘safe’ tag they had acquired after their third record, X&Y. Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends married heavy yet steady beats with loud choruses, fortifying their sound to produce an invigorating record not just for the band, but also for the music market. Therefore, whether they would stick to the same tune or formulate a new sound for their fifth record was suddenly anyone’s guess.
As far as Coldplay records go, Mylo Xyloto has quite an eclectic mix. The most prominent transition would be the evident shift to electro-pop. The record opens with the forty-two second, slow-building dreamy musical piece ‘Mylo Xyloto’, before smoothly transitioning into the first track, ‘Hurts Like Heaven’. Much like a Phoenix song, ’Hurt Like Heaven’ jingles along with the same catchy beat and nostalgic undertone. Unfortunately for diehard Coldplay fans, the washy vocals are the tracks’ nemesis, as Martin’s lyrics evaporate into the cloudy electro-backdrop.
Their first single off the record, ‘Every Teardrop is a Waterfall’ is similar, yet has more of that classic Coldplay-twang. The track screams “summer hit” and is a fitting first single not only for its buoyancy, but also as an epitome of Mylo Xyloto and the musical direction that the band may be taking. The heavily layered, orchestral ‘Paradise’ makes for a monumental track, combining authentic Coldplay with their more contemporary sound.
Fear not, Mylo Xyloto still embodies a number of their signature sounding-tracks. The standout ‘Charlie Brown’ signals the return of their distinctive piano melody, whilst the stripped-back ‘Us Against the World’ is Mylo Xyloto’s answer to ‘The Scientist’ from their second album, A Rush Of Blood To The Head. ‘Up in Flames’ is a heartfelt, break-up track combining keys and a strong echoing-beat, used perfectly to capture the demise of a relationship.
It’s hard to know if Coldplay are evolving with the times or are just content enough to somewhat-conform. For me, their standout tracks are the classic Coldplay tunes on the record, such as ‘Charlie Brown’. Although the electro-pop tracks are quality pop songs, their purpose may be for the singles-chart success. This could be a reflection of confidence in their signature sound, or a bid to expand their fan base. Either way, Mylo Xyloto is an easy-listening collection with a little bit of old and a little bit of new, a sure hit with the legions of fans around the world.
