Coldplay - LP7: A Head Full of Dreams

[bobsaget77]

I wasn't here when MX came out. What's Interference's general reception to it?
I love "MX/Hurts Like Heaven" and "Charlie Brown", and the album version of "Paradise" (the single/radio version is atrocious). Everything else is pretty meh to me. "Waterfall" goes nowhere and never really ascends like many of their great anthems. And some of the songs are just really uninteresting.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[LemonMelon]

Didn't get a positive reception then and still doesn't really get a lot of love now, just more than AHFOD.

The last Coldplay album to get a warm reception here was Viva La Vida. Considering that was their last really good album...well...I'm not exactly sure that Interference is full of haters like some are claiming.

 

[scrumpyjsk]

I wasn't here when MX came out. What's Interference's general reception to it?
I love "MX/Hurts Like Heaven" and "Charlie Brown", and the album version of "Paradise" (the single/radio version is atrocious). Everything else is pretty meh to me. "Waterfall" goes nowhere and never really ascends like many of their great anthems. And some of the songs are just really uninteresting.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

I'm unaware of the Paradise single version - what is so bad about it? Listened to the album track last night, I think it is a truly great pop song.

I love most of MX, and I think it is aided by the structure - the interludes and lighter tracks (U.F.O.) give it this narrative feel, even if Martin's lyrics don't take things there. As a mood and feeling piece, I think it delivers on the hopeful optimism nearly as well as Rush of Blood does melancholy.

For a band that generally does killer openers and closers to albums, I think Up With the Birds is just splendid.

In fact, a greatest hits made only of openers and closers from their catalogue would be a terrific listen indeed.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Didn't get a positive reception then and still doesn't really get a lot of love now, just more than AHFOD.

The last Coldplay album to get a warm reception here was Viva La Vida. Considering that was their last really good album...well...I'm not exactly sure that Interference is full of haters like some are claiming.

I mean I definitely dished out some hate for mylo xyloto's roller coaster behavior. The idea that it offered so many "hits" but failed to offer real content in between those hits sort of pissed me off. I saw it as a collection of singles, peppered by a bunch of irrelevant songs and segues for the singles. It seriously lacked cohesiveness, but the singles *were* excellent. But it sort it maintained cheap, typical Martin lyrical value.

The last two coldplay albums have been opposite. The general lyrical value has missed the mark on the supplied cliches, but more importantly also failed to supply a chain of fun sounds. Well, at least... LESS fun sounds.

 

[bobsaget77]

I'm unaware of the Paradise single version - what is so bad about it? Listened to the album track last night, I think it is a truly great pop song.

Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

The version they play at my work cuts out the entire intro and kicks right off with "when she was just a girl..."
Completely cut out the best part of the song imo.



Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The music has gotten progressively worse since viva la vida, as they've clearly tried to cling on to whatever they think is hip with the kids

But the lyrics are the same vapid bullshit since Parachutes. There's been no drop off there, because they've never been good.

But the spies hide out in every corner
But you can’t touch them no
Cos they’re all spies

Really?

 

[LemonMelon]

1) Don't defend new bad lyrics by pointing to old bad lyrics.

2) There's nothing easier than combing through a set of lyrics and pointing out shit that sucks about them on paper.

2) There's something to said for vocal delivery in saving lyrics that are weak on paper. "We all live in a beautiful world/yeah we do, yeah we do?" The fuck is that lame-ass bullshit? "For you I'd bleed myself dry?" WEAK. EMO. But in context, I've never had a problem with either. Yellow has a gentle, plain-spoken delivery that fits the sentiment perfectly.

 

[RoKKeR]

I went back and listened to MX and Ghost Stories last night, which made me realize how much I dislike this album outside of a handful of songs. (3 favorites are title track, Birds, and Up&Up)

Those albums were at least cohesive, worked together as a package deal, and overall felt "tighter" than this one. I found myself really getting into Ghost Stories, there are some great songs on that album and I think the album as a whole has a great tone and color. Made me disappointed in the newest release.

 

[phanan]

The sudden ending to Birds is annoying. Decent song otherwise.

 

[Mack_Again]

The music has gotten progressively worse since viva la vida, as they've clearly tried to cling on to whatever they think is hip with the kids

Im surprised that Coldplay didn't collaborate with Sufjan Stevens if they wan to be "hip with kids today." or am I mistaken?

 

[iron yuppie]

2) There's something to said for vocal delivery in saving lyrics that are weak on paper. "We all live in a beautiful world/yeah we do, yeah we do?" The fuck is that lame-ass bullshit? "For you I'd bleed myself dry?" WEAK. EMO. But in context, I've never had a problem with either. Yellow has a gentle, plain-spoken delivery that fits the sentiment perfectly.

Yeah, you don't listen to Coldplay for the lyrics. I have that same relationship with Elton John, but I love him dearly despite the excruciatingly bad lyrics.

 

[iron yuppie]

Im surprised that Coldplay didn't collaborate with Sufjan Stevens if they wan to be "hip with kids today." or am I mistaken?

Yes, you are mistaken. Sufjan is very much a cult artist. A brilliant one, but a cult artist nonetheless.

 

[Mack_Again]

Yeah, you don't listen to Coldplay for the lyrics. I have that same relationship with Elton John, but I love him dearly despite the excruciatingly bad lyrics.

I barely listen to songs for lyrics. if it's sonically inventive, then I don't give a shit for words. I mean, come on, Beatles wrote some of the worst nonsense and still considered as God in popular music.

 

[TheFox]

I barely listen to songs for lyrics. if it's sonically inventive, then I don't give a shit for words. I mean, come on, Beatles wrote some of the worst nonsense and still considered as God in popular music.

Words mostly don't matter but when you're getting into the territory Coldplay are venturing into in their latest effort "drunk and high" and "you make my heart go boo boo boo boom" it's difficult not to hear them and cringe. They also seem to be over using woooohooos on the album. It sounds lazy and is poor songwriting.

 

[dan_smee]

The music has gotten progressively worse since viva la vida, as they've clearly tried to cling on to whatever they think is hip with the kids

But the lyrics are the same vapid bullshit since Parachutes. There's been no drop off there, because they've never been good.

But the spies hide out in every corner
But you can’t touch them no
Cos they’re all spies

Really?

That is one thing I've admired about them - that they can make music that is generally good enough to overcome those atrocious lyrics


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Mack_Again]

I mean when they were good, they managed to rip off Kraftwerk and not totally ruining the original vibe.

 

[bobsaget77]

Ghost Stories is a really good album. I've been listening to it a lot lately and I think it may be my 2nd favorite behind "Rush of Blood to the Head."
Great vibe and cohesiveness. It's sort of like Coldplay's "Original Soundtracks 1". It's a great album to listen to during late night driving. "Sky Full of Stars" feels a bit out of place, but gives the album some great energy at the end.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[TheFox]

Anyone read the Coldplaying.com forums? There's quite a funny thread at the moment where someone is trying to compare A Head Full of Dreams to Pop. It's a WTF thread lol.

Sent from my Nexus 6P

 

[prbiker15]

Pop is a masterpiece when comparing it to A Head Full of Dreams.

 

[Mack_Again]

Pop and A Head Full of Shit both contracted "too many cooks" syndrome but Pop was so much better .

 

[LuckyNumber7]

I get the comparison from a band timeline perspective... but really the albums are nothing alike lol. At all.

 

[Jarvio]

I've only listened to a couple of tracks. It didn't strike me as bad or anything, but I still need to hear the majority of the album.

Here's how I rate their other 6 albums:
1 - X and Y
2 - Mylo Xyloto
(Love those 2)

Then,
3 - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
4 - Parachutes
(Good albums by all means, but it was X and Y that got me hooked on the band)

And then, the terrible ones
5 - Ghost Stories
6 - Viva La Crap

 

[nielsgov]

What a weird ranking.

 

[Jarvio]

What a weird ranking.

Why is it?

I found Ghost Stories tedious because the lyrical content was all lovey-dovey crap, and most of the songs were boring.

As for Viva, I found it pretentious, especially with putting 2 different songs onto 1 track. Why?

Speaking of that, this new album, track 8 is two seperate songs. Why??? What is even the point? Why not make them track 8 and track 9??

 

[the tourist]

My ranking would go like this:

1. Mylo Xyloto
2. Viva La Vida
3. X&Y
4. A Rush Of Blood To The Head
5. Ghost Stories
6. Parachutes

I haven't listened to the new one enough for ranking yet.

 

[nielsgov]

Why is it?

I found Ghost Stories tedious because the lyrical content was all lovey-dovey crap, and most of the songs were boring.

As for Viva, I found it pretentious, especially with putting 2 different songs onto 1 track. Why?

Speaking of that, this new album, track 8 is two seperate songs. Why??? What is even the point? Why not make them track 8 and track 9??

It's just very far from the general consensus which has Rush of Blood, Parachutes and Viva La Vida as their three best albums, and X&Y, MX and the new one as the three worst. Your ranking is basically the opposite.

 

[LemonMelon]

4. A Rush Of Blood To The Head
6. Parachutes

Reported.

 

[Jarvio]

It's just very far from the general consensus which has Rush of Blood, Parachutes and Viva La Vida as their three best albums, and X&Y, MX and the new one as the three worst. Your ranking is basically the opposite.

My opinions do sometimes tend to be that way with things. I just really enjoyed X&Y and MX. For the record though, I do like Parachutes and AROBTTH.

GS and VLV are about level, but I haven't heard VLV in a long time, so it might actually beat GS... but I was not impressed with those 2 at all.

For the record, my 2 favourite Coldplay songs are Paradise and Talk.

 

[TheFox]

1.Parachutes
2.AROBTTH
3.VLV
4.GS
5.MX



1000. AHFOD

Sent from my Nexus 6P

 

[prbiker15]

01 - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
02 - A Rush of Blood to the Head
03 - Mylo Xyloto
04 - Parachutes
05 - X&Y
06 - Ghost Stories
07 - A Head Full of Dreams

Parachutes and X&Y switch every now and then.