COLDPLAY DISCOGRAPHY PART 2

RETROSPECTIVE: PART 2

From the start of the 2010s and onward, Coldplay has never been the same. Seemingly changing their sound from album to album, at this point, they’re fairly removed from the Radiohead inspired alt-rock that started their career. Post-Viva La Vida Coldplay tends to be divisive. Some people will go as far as writing it all off. I don’t think it’s quite that simple. With their newest album Music of the Spheres being released recently, let’s look through the latter half of their catalogue which brought them there.

Mylo Xyloto (2011)

Mylo Xyloto was a watershed album for Coldplay. This would be the album to create the distinguisher between the “old” and “new” eras of the band. The synth influence that was creeping into their sound on X+Y has been embraced on Mylo Xyloto and the album overall is a fair bit more accessible in its sound. For me, this is one of their most underrated projects. A lot of people write it off because it’s the first “new” Coldplay album, but I think it’s better than a lot of people give it credit for. This is Coldplay at their most colourful and uplifting without losing the heartfelt lyrics or beautiful instrumentation that made them interesting. It’s a slightly different version of the band but it’s still good.

Sonically, this album goes even further into the electronica influence present on Mylo Xyloto but utilises it in a tasteful and minimalistic way. Unfortunately, I find the album to be quite samey, especially around the start. It keeps this subdued, sombre tone for most of the album, but it leads to some of the record’s best moments when it ventures out of it. Ghost Stories at its most experimental and different can produce some brilliant tracks. For the most part though, the album is decent if a little forgettable.

Ghost Stories (2014)

Ghost Stories sees Coldplay get heartfelt again. This is easily their most emotional album since Parachutes, or maybe ever. This is a concept album heavily influenced by Chris Martin’s divorce from his now ex-wife. It really doesn’t shy away from the obvious sadness of a topic like divorce.

A Head Full of Dreams (2015)

A Head Full of Dreams feels like a reaction to Ghost Stories because it’s the complete polar opposite of it. While Ghost Stories was subdued and sombre, A Head Full of Dreams is maximalist and optimistic. I don’t have a problem with a more upbeat Coldplay, as that’s what I like so much about Mylo Xyloto. My issue with this album is that this never comes off as sincere to me.

The glossy production meant to make the album sound slick and polished instead makes it feel constrained and held back. There are still a few decent songs on the album but a lot of the time, this comes off as just being a poor man’s version of popular music from 2015. As a result, this album has aged rather poorly and it’s not even a decade old. A Head Full of Dreams feels shallow and underdeveloped, and the stench of trendchasing is firmly attached to it. You might get something out of it if you’re a die-hard Mylo Xyloto fan who wants to see the band get even more poppy, but otherwise, you can skip this one.

Everyday Life (2019)

Like A Head Full of Dreams, Everyday Life feels like a reaction to what came before it, with the difference coming from how far back the two albums looked. The mixed reception of the previous three albums must have been a stark wake-up call for the band because it really feels like something’s changed here. Out of all their 2010s albums, Everyday Life comes off as the most cohesive and well thought out.

I’d call it the only one of the four to not feel lopsided, which is impressive considering it’s the longest. Everyday Life sees the band continuously get out of their comfort zone, experimenting with folk, gospel, ambient pop and a fair few other genres. It’s a very eclectic album but it’s still distinctly Coldplay. It’s the only one of their 2010s albums that I think holds a candle with their 2000s material. Coldplay of the 2010s doesn’t have quite the same fanbase or critical praise as their 2000s material and I’d call that mostly fair. Even as a fan of a reasonable amount of 2010s Coldplay, I won’t defend some of it. Still, I’ll say that there’s still a fair amount of good material they released post-Viva La Vida. Not half bad for a band that supposedly “sold out” after 2008. Overall, 2010s Coldplay might be inconsistent and not as strong as what came before it but I’d say that most of it is worth at least a listen.