Page 2 of 2
"Princess of China"
The Rihanna one. Something cute about two of the most middlebrow, singles-only artists in recent memory being so in love with one another. But it's no "Disturbia." This is actually kind of chillwave -- check that stiff backbeat and frayed-out synth rain. But it cleans house significantly for RiRi's verse. If you think this isn't going to be a huge hit single, you're out of your fucking brain. "You stole my star" she sings. Uh, yeah.
"Up in Flames"
One of those pretty-good McBallads that Martin conjures up whenever he needs to fill that quota; it's this album's "Fix You" but with the space-rimshots from OutKast's "Elevators." But this is probably much tighter than "Fix You". Maybe even "The Scientist." I like this one a lot. Twisty harmonized falsetto hook of my dreams, and yes, guitar near the end. Weird how Coldplay's "pop" album is also definitely its "rock" album. Maybe this band is just gaining definition?
"A Hopeful Transmission"
30 seconds of muted worldbeat and strings, damn this went fast.
"Don't Let It Break Your Heart"
Lots o' big cymbal crashes and a skittering Pet Shop Boys bedrock in the verses. Occasionally the Irish bit from "Waterfall" sneaks back in. This one probably goes over huge live, if that's such a thing at a Coldplay show. I've never been to a Coldplay show. Do they rock?
"Up with the Birds"
Just a little trifle to end this remarkably joyous and fast-moving record that ends up being kind of greater than the sum of its parts. Certainly more so than that stupid M83 album. But is the biggest band in the world the biggest band in the world yet? Well, not necessarily. It's still too polite about space and musical economy, about not taking risks or busying up a chord sequence when they could drag out one somber note. But Coldplay isn't U2, because Chris Martin lacks the dominating ability to bludgeon you the way Bono does.
If there's an Only Band That Matters to compare them to, it's the Police, the never-cool band that nevertheless forced cool people to notice it in addition to the rest of the world. And Mylo Xyloto is definitely a Zenyatta Mondatta-esque title. You could call this Coldplay's Synchronicity, even though Sting/Andy/Stewart wrote both tighter ("Every Breath You Take") and looser ("Mother"). "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" makes the encrypted stalker's motto "Breath" sound as scary as it really is by comparison. And that's not necessarily a bad thing for either one.
----
Follow us on Twitter @SFAllShookDown, follow Dan Weiss @Kissoutthejams, and like us at Facebook.com/SFAllShookDown.
