Coldplay: Chris Martin And His Xylo Toes - Part 2

[monkeyskin]

Maybe if they had left the transition track titles blank like on (What's the Story?) Morning Glory we wouldn't be having this silly discussion.

FWIW I like them and find they enhance the album. It's true they are really extended intros rather than segues, but they are worthwhile.

Also, only liking 7/14 tracks on an album is always disappointing but that's still 7 new songs you can rip to an iPod and enjoy. Better end result than most below par albums.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Joking at someone else's expense, trying to make them look foolish? Even though there's no reason for what you said? Real funny. I guess I know nothing about The Unforgettable Fire though.

You could've used either 'normal' or 'regular' and you're still taking my words out of context. They become your words at that point. Just because I said them doesn't mean I meant them in the same manner that you're implying I mean them. That's taking them out of context. You're taking off with it as though I was saying 11 or 14 tracks isn't normal. In reality, I'm just drawing a relationship between track length, uniqueness, and significance. With all of that, when you measure each song, this album doesn't have much to offer. Certainly not enough to fill up a real album. Three of the tracks are musically belonging to three of the other tracks, and ideally shouldn't have been given their own title/track listing (although I understand why they were). So that basically leaves us at 11 unique tracks, musically. And a good four of them don't belong to the actual picture, whatsoever. One of those four is incredibly short and not exactly noteworthy. What is Mylo Xyloto, realistically speaking, is represented by about 7 songs on that album (if you figure the intro pieces are in fact just parts of the other tracks).

 

[bono_212]

Perhaps if they had been two different posts you could lighten up and see that as far as TUF is concerned I really wasn't making fun of you, I found the situation interesting in a way that is funny. Ugh, whatever.

As for this, if you'd look into the conversation, I think you'd see that at the root of the entire situation is that I still have no idea what you're trying to say. I think in the end you're saying you don't care for the album because they're aren't enough songs on it that you like which is a reasonable reason not to like an album. What I can't understand is what on earth that has to do with the number of tracks.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I love how heated the debate gets... Over Coldplay

 

[bono_212]

I love how heated the debate gets... Over Coldplay

And I love how some of you come in here and make comments like this. Not just in this thread but in any where arguments rise. I don't know if you hate arguing and try to break it up with levity or what, but it just comes across like you think you're better than someone who uses a message board as a place for argument/debate. It's really frustrating to me because I feel like I'm constantly going to be judged if I decide to take part in a conversation that isn't all "I love this, don't you?"

Or you could just be saying that Coldplay's not worth the effort to get even slightly worked up over, but I wouldn't think you'd think that.

I'm very much not angry or trying to start a fight, I'm simply stating how I feel.

 

[corianderstem]

I'm sorry if you got that impression from me - I know I've gotten into a lot of arguments that others might have seen at the time as "dumb," so I'm certainly not one to judge.

 

[bono_212]

It's not like we haven't had this conversation before, so I almost didn't even post anything. I just don't feel so hot right now, so I'm generally not in the best of moods anyways.

 

[BoMac]

I'm sorry, Ashley.

And don't take anything that fool Elfa says to heart. He's an idiot, pure and simple.

 

[corianderstem]

After reading the discussion, I was actually surprised that there weren't MORE transition tracks when I listened to it this morning. I think I get what LuckyNumber7 is saying, but I don't think it's a negative with the album, but maybe I like it more in general than he does.

None of them felt like a "well, this doesn't need to be here" kind of track, but I can't say how many of the full-length songs I don't like, so I can't really say if it feels like I'm getting "half an album's worth of songs I like" or anything.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

And I love how some of you come in here and make comments like this. Not just in this thread but in any where arguments rise. I don't know if you hate arguing and try to break it up with levity or what, but it just comes across like you think you're better than someone who uses a message board as a place for argument/debate. It's really frustrating to me because I feel like I'm constantly going to be judged if I decide to take part in a conversation that isn't all "I love this, don't you?"

Or you could just be saying that Coldplay's not worth the effort to get even slightly worked up over, but I wouldn't think you'd think that.

I'm very much not angry or trying to start a fight, I'm simply stating how I feel.

Well what are we even arguing? Nothing. That's why it's so silly. I have a viewpoint that I may not be able to put into words in such a great manner. A viewpoint that's an opinion, and even if it weren't there's really no reason to go on and on and on about it. It shouldn't be that big of a deal. I'm not saying you or I are solely responsible for being the next person to just drop it, but just as much as elevated's post might frustrate you, it's frustrating to me when I have a viewpoint and instead of just accepting that you can't understand what I'm trying to say you resort to belittling or acting like I'm a moron for not agreeing with what you've got to say.

I mean I could go ahead and have another shot at it, but it's just not worth it. Clearly we're at a lack of communication, and maybe it's my fault. Whatever. But I'd rather just stop than have to continue to be badgered over something so incredibly minuscule. It's not even an opinion of the album we're debating here. It's not a real debate, it's some fictitious crap creating argument for the sake of argument.

 

[bono_212]

The only thing I want out of this conversation is for you to understand that at the beginning I was trying to give you an example, using an album I suspected you might like, and showing how I feel that what you are saying about the short and transition tracks as not counting as silly.

Sorry, I lost track of what I was trying to say just now. What I mean is, I really just want you to understand that I was being sincere when I said I wasn't belittling you and that I really found the situation funny, not necessarily what you were saying so much.

You seem to have this tendency to think people are purposefully taking your words and trying to twist them into something they're not and by no means was that my intention.



Also, holy shit, when #7 called him Elevated just now, I momentarily had not the slightest clue who he was referring to.

 

[corianderstem]

Ha! #7 has probably been sitting there thinking "What the hell is an elfa?"

 

[cobl04]

Utoo, no offence, but what the fuck is the point of comparing this album to Achtung? I know I've said this ad nauseum but why is it seemingly impossible for some people on this forum to judge Coldplay's work on its own merits?

 

[LemonMelon]

I'm sorry. It seems like I make have walked into EYKIW or something. I'll just walk out now.

Coldplay ripping off U2 yet again

What is Mylo Xyloto, realistically speaking, is represented by about 7 songs on that album (if you figure the intro pieces are in fact just parts of the other tracks).

By your criteria (aka I really like it), there are maybe 2 or 3 songs on Mylo Xyloto. In my view.

When there is an IMO required here is where this argument turns absolutely batshit. What's a song? What is real? Who are we? Is there a spoon?

 

[Utoo]

Utoo, no offence, but what the fuck is the point of comparing this album to Achtung? I know I've said this ad nauseum but why is it seemingly impossible for some people on this forum to judge Coldplay's work on its own merits?

No worries, no offense taken. I know, it's not quite fair. I think the two things that led me to make the comparison were 1). that there's been history of both Coldplay and the media comparing the music of the two and the U2-inspired aspirations of Coldplay, and 2). the graffiti-laden promo images and cartoonish short promo videos from a month or so ago reminded me heavily of Achtung-era U2.

But you're right, MX is its own entity in and of itself, and doesn't warrant the comparison.

As I mentioned at the start of the post, what I'd written was in an email to some friends, and we routinely compare the two bands directly for various reasons. I'd hesitated to copy it here for fear that it wasn't fleshed out enough out of the context of our discussions, but I wanted to enter the conversation here and didn't feel like rewriting my thoughts. Party foul!

 

[Utoo]

Was very disappointed that the opening track sounded so distorted. I didn't notice it as much the rest of the album, but it's getting to the point where I actually get angry to hear something mixed so poorly.

Aren't we at the point in this loudness war bullshit that artists want to DO something about it? Do they not have a say in it? Do they actually think it sounds good? I do not understand why it continues to be an issue.

Agreed. I figured that since I was about to listen to an album from both Coldplay and Eno, I'd be in store for some lush clarity in my nice set of headphones. I was definitely a bit bummed that so much of it seemed garbled.

 

[cobl04]

Really good interview (leaving aside Dombal's annoying editorialising):

Interviews: Chris Martin | Features | Pitchfork

I think more people wonder why he's friends with me. Of course, I want to be friends with Jay-Z-- he's cool as fuck. In Britain, they're like, "How are you friends with Jay-Z?" It's almost like they're jealous. It's the same with my wife: "How the fuck did you manage to do that?" And my answer is: "I have no idea." [laughs]

I love this dude. His self-deprecation is very endearing.

 

[iron yuppie]

In the same vein, whenever I see someone complaining about Rihanna showing up on the album, I'm thinking that Chris Martin managed to get one of the hottest women in the world into the studio with him. I doubt that he gives a toss if people like the bloody song, nor should he.

 

[cobl04]

Couldn't agree more.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

And I love how some of you come in here and make comments like this. Not just in this thread but in any where arguments rise. I don't know if you hate arguing and try to break it up with levity or what, but it just comes across like you think you're better than someone who uses a message board as a place for argument/debate. It's really frustrating to me because I feel like I'm constantly going to be judged if I decide to take part in a conversation that isn't all "I love this, don't you?"

Or you could just be saying that Coldplay's not worth the effort to get even slightly worked up over, but I wouldn't think you'd think that.

I'm very much not angry or trying to start a fight, I'm simply stating how I feel.

Option #2 I'm affraid, to expend this much energy over a series of arguments which frankly, seem to be going around and around in one continous loop with the same person seems odd to me. But hey, what do I know? I'm just some stupid idiot who makes the occasional dumb comment.

 

[phanan]

I've listened to this album several times since I picked it up last week. I find it enjoyable to listen to and, despite my earlier comments about Us Against The World, Major Minus, and U.F.O. seemingly out of place, it's a very consistent album all the way through. It really does go together quite well, although it needs those little transitions here and there to help move it along, which I don't have an issue with. Viva was the same way - they just did the tracklisting differently and the transitions were a bit longer.

 

[nirniva]

Just got my vinyl copy today...it sounds way better than the digital version. (Oh, and the artwork is awesome. )

 

[cobl04]

How's the CD version sound? Anyone have it?

 

[intedomine]

Yeah, sounds like a Coldplay CD. Love cranking it.

 

[Scrumps]

I take back any criticism I had. Great album.

 

[LyricalDrug]

BAM! Week 1: biggest worldwide sales in iTunes history.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Take THAT U2!

 

[Badyouken]

I must say that I'm starting to warm up to this album, especially if I forget my initial expectations and just enjoy the music for what it is: catchy pop music with some musical sophistication thrown in here and there.

That said, I still think that it doesn't come close to their previous output.

 

[LemonMelon]

Take THAT U2!

...and still managed to sell less first week than NLOTH.

 

[phanan]

Not with the iTunes tallies added.