It comes as no surprise that Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin — who named his actual living child Apple — would give the protagonists of his band’s new concept record the ridiculous names of Mylo and Xyloto.
Also, it’s no surprise that Coldplay’s aptly titled fifth record, Mylo Xyloto — an album about the titular star-crossed lovers finding a happy ending in a dystopian future — is nothing more than another adventure into Coldplay’s entertaining, if wildly unadventurous, pop.
“Entertaining” is the operative word here. Mylo Xyloto finds the band at its loosest and most comfortable yet, and regardless of what detractors blinded by their own indie-savvy hipness might say, Coldplay does have a number of great pop tunes in its bag of tricks.
Mylo Xyloto seems to sparkle, awash in heavenly reverb and neverending delays that gladly capture and repeat all of the group’s most uplifting melodies.
As usual with Coldplay, the record’s upbeat songs run the gamut from fair to fantastic. Meanwhile, the slower, tender songs such as “Us Against the World” and “Up in Flames” bore with cliché chord progressions that drone on endlessly in an attempt to recapture that “Chris Martin walking and staring at his feet” vibe first seen in the video for “The Scientist” in 2003 and perfected on the ubiquitous “Fix You” from 2005.
The other three quarters of Mylo Xyloto impress, with tracks such as the danceable, steadily building crescendo of single and album centerpiece “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.” The sense of childish excitement crammed into every nook and cranny of the track makes for an addictive listen, thanks largely to the production and extra composition by Brian Eno, who makes his presence known throughout the album.
Still, there isn’t much I can say to actually change anyone’s mind about Coldplay. Battle lines have been drawn and most people are afraid to openly cross them, thanks in no small part to Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen, who have made listening to Coldplay, post-The 40 Year Old Virgin, “gay.” Few people are going to argue all of Coldplay’s catalogue is great — not even close — but the band does make an honest offering to the pop community every few years.
Listen closely to Mylo Xyloto and you’ll realize it’s all about perspective. If Radiohead had released “Major Minus” instead of Coldplay, fans would likely be excited at the triumphant return of Thom Yorke and company’s mid-1990s rock sound.
This happens numerous times on the record. The epic slam of penultimate track “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart” sounds great on a nice pair of headphones, yet listeners disaffected by Martin’s voice will likely never give it a chance.
Granted, a few songs on this record, including “Princess of China,” which features abysmal guest vocals by Rihanna, don’t stand the test of time. After multiple listens the track begs to be skipped, a disruption in flow that violates the point of kicking back with a concept album. The record’s three ambient interludes don’t interest much either.
Even though Mylo Xyloto‘s concept is all but absent during a listen, the record’s distinct feel makes for an adventure worth experiencing. It does, however, fall short of Coldplay’s last offering, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends.
No worries, though — if you’re reading this, you probably knew before you picked up the paper if you were going to listen to Mylo Xyloto. It’s just perspective.
VERDICT: Coldplay’s merit as a band continues to be hotly contested with Mylo Xyloto, a happy-go-lucky record of interesting pop composition and pointless conceptual underpinnings.
