Mylo tops international iTunes charts (Tiger Online - 5/5 stars)
From WikiColdplay
In the summer of 2008, everyone knew the phrase “Viva la Vida,” as Coldplay’s hit album climbed to the top of the charts and remained there for weeks at a time. Three years later, the band’s new album is experiencing the same success; the only difference is that no one knows how to pronounce this one’s title.
Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay’s fifth full-length LP, represents the band’s first attempt at a concept album, and although the concept isn’t always readily apparent, the music is just fine without it. Fans of both old and new Coldplay will be pleased, as the album incorporates just as many intimate acoustic moments as it does electro-rock synths.
The record’s title track serves as a short, instrumental introduction to “Hurts Like Heaven,” the first full-length song on Mylo. Previewed many times at summer festivals, it’s an upbeat, drum-driven number that showcases the talents of guitarist Jonny Buckland. Following the subsequent “Paradise” comes the album’s high point, in the form of “Charlie Brown.” With an irresistible hook and beautiful outro, “Charlie Brown” is undoubtedly one of Coldplay’s finest songs to date.
Also not to be missed are “Us Against the World” and “Up in Flames.” The former features a rarely-heard duet with lead singer Chris Martin and drummer Will Champion, while the latter’s structural simplicity and falsetto vocals are heavily reminiscent of “Fix You” from X & Y. This satisfying blend of old and new sounds makes for an album that is surprisingly cohesive considering the standout singles it contains.
“Princess of China,” which precedes “Up in Flames,” has proved to be the most polarizing song in all of Coldplay’s works. The song features world-famous pop artist Rihanna, and fans are split—some see the track as confirmation that the band has sold out and others defend the decision to include the Barbadian singer. Regardless of the band’s motivation, the song (originally written with Rihanna in mind, says Martin) takes them in a completely new direction. Backed by hazy synths and a clubby beat, it seems like a track you’d expect to find on Beatport rather than a Coldplay album.
For a band older than some students at this high school, Coldplay has demonstrated a remarkable ability to keep its music current and fresh—Mylo Xyloto is no exception.
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