Wednesday, October 26, 2011

***SAU Official Report Card*** Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto"


"Mylo Xyloto", the fifth album from the British boys Coldplay, a complicated name yet so creative. So, in actuality who are Mylo & Xyloto? According to Chris Martin, the album is "based on a love story with a happy ending", in which two protagonists: Mylo and Xyloto, who are living in an oppressive, dystopian urban environment, meet one another through a gang called "The Lost Boys", and fall in love. The latest release from Coldplay turns out to be a love story, quite the contrary from its predecessor "Viva La Vida", where it was based more on war and revolutions. Since Coldplay's latest effort has been a long time in the making,does this one disappoint?

"Don't wanna see another generation drop,I'd rather be a comma than a full stop"

No, but if Coldplay's career were a sentence "Mylo Xyloto" would be that oh so significant comma that gives you no choice but to marvel at the progress they have made, along with the creative art beyond the horizon.

To have the abrupt thought that the sound of Coldplay's previous album "Viva la Vida or Death and all his friends",which to date has sold 2.8 million copies in the U.S. and was the best selling album of 08' would keep their sound stagnant...Think again.

In my opinion this album is a "soup kitchen" that has the ability to feed every music lovers soul. "Top Chef" Chris Martin took the initiative to turn up the heat in the "Worldly kitchen of music" with his growth, and pitch perfect control everywhere you turn here. The objective to mix new wave, some form of Congolese(See every teardrop is a waterfall), and Alternative is fabulous. Although the fight to make "Mylo Xyloto" flow, came in the form of "mini interludes" throughout this package, (that of which could be seen as "easy" being that Viva had the same plot) the Pain,love and heartache of this album couldn't be seen as anything but believable.

"My arms turn wings/All those clumsy things/Send me up to the wonderful world/And then I'm up with the birds/"

The ability to take us on a journey to another land with each coming of a new Coldplay album is a wonderful asset this band possess. Songs like "Paradise",where the blast of bass during the chorus opens your eyes like the first sight of of sun, the way the toe tapping beat builds during "Every teardrop is a waterfall" and rises to the occasion when the flaming guitar hits,gives you the visual of West African "Congo" dancing. "Major Minor" gives you the rock/country feeling of humble "Barnyard" beginnings, with rock star ambitions, but knowing the thought of eyes on you at all time turns out to be the major minus. This album gives you Mental stimulation if nothing else.

Growth-B

Production- B

Lyrical Ability- A-

WWA (World Wide Appeal)- A+

SAU official Grade- B

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