Coldplay

[Newguy562]

I haven't heard much from these guys except for their radio hits(In My Place,The Scientist,Clocks,Viva La Vida)..
I think they are ok but whenever I look them up all I see is over-rated blah blah..and them being compared to Radiohead/U2
What is your opinion of coldplay? Are they great? Bad? Cool/Uncool? & Why?

[18thofMay]

They suck

[rab2591]

I love em.

Viva La Vida is one of my favorite albums. Songs like Lovers in Japan, Strawberry Swing, Cemetaries of London, 42, are incredible to my ears. I love the songs that don't make it on their albums (Moving to Mars, The Goldrush, etc).

[JohnMill]

Not a huge fan in that I don't own any of their albums but everything I've heard from them I've liked.  I think they have some talent.

[onkster]

They bug me. The lead singer guy often sounds dead to me. And that name: ick, it's like necrophilia.

That said, I do really like the song about "Roman Catholic choirs are singing"...that sounds joyous and human.

So there's always hope. Who knows, there may be a bunch of awesome deep cuts we never hear because radio programming and record promotions are so horrible these days.

[rab2591]

They bug me. The lead singer guy often sounds dead to me. And that name: ick, it's like necrophilia.

That said, I do really like the song about "Roman Catholic choirs are singing"...that sounds joyous and human.

So there's always hope. Who knows, there may be a bunch of awesome deep cuts we never hear because radio programming and record promotions are so horrible these days.

If you like that song I highly recommend their Viva La Vida album - every song on there is basically a non-radio-friendly cut that is FULL of amazing songwriting/musical-experimentation.

Also, the EP for that album, Prospekt's March, is really good too (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCFOw1ukQF0&)

Their new album, Mylo Xyloto, sounds like a jumbled mess of synthesizers and barely audible lyrics. Still some great music on there, but nothing too inspiring.

[MyGlove]

To me Coldplay is kinda like U2 in that I say I hate everything they do, but then when I listen to songs by them, I realize they're actually pretty good. I never choose to listen to either of them though. Plus Coldplay does sound like a U2 cover band, maybe with less of an arena rock feeling.

[onkster]

Thank you, Rab, I will try to give that a listen then! I appreciate it.

[JohnMill]

To me Coldplay is kinda like U2 in that I say I hate everything they do, but then when I listen to songs by them, I realize they're actually pretty good. I never choose to listen to either of them though. Plus Coldplay does sound like a U2 cover band, maybe with less of an arena rock feeling.

See I never made that connection and I can't stand U2.  Maybe if I'd listen to Coldplay some more I'd see it but I'm not sure if I'd want that to happen cause right now I actually do dig Coldplay.

[rab2591]

To me Coldplay is kinda like U2 in that I say I hate everything they do, but then when I listen to songs by them, I realize they're actually pretty good. I never choose to listen to either of them though. Plus Coldplay does sound like a U2 cover band, maybe with less of an arena rock feeling.

See I never made that connection and I can't stand U2.  Maybe if I'd listen to Coldplay some more I'd see it but I'm not sure if I'd want that to happen cause right now I actually do dig Coldplay.

The only two Coldplay songs I've found that sound similar to U2 is Major Minus and Us Against The World. The latter sounding like 'Where The Streets Have No Name', the former sounding like something from Vertigo.

Being that they're both produced by Brian Eno I can see the production similarities - especially both groups latest albums - but other than that the songwriting is completely different, imo.

[Newguy562]

so i finally checked out their music today and they all have the same mood..even the newer stuff :/..i'm already tired of it ..
the lyrics are the worst part about their music.

[Cabinessenceking]

Coldplay is a loved band because they appeal to people who generally are quite superficial in personality (very brutal of me I know, but it does bear merit)

Coldplay have a quite large selection of very well crafted songs with nice guitar hooks and sing-along choruses. Its like 'Hey Jude' in 21st century style.
Coldplay suffers from its attempts to be artsy and hip, almost desperatly trying to be indie, but just saccharine and bland. The pretentious lyrics have convinced me that Coldplay would do better without Chris Martin, given that they are all very talented musician and Will Champion (the drummer) is perhaps the best of them.
Coldplay's new album ' Mylo Xyloto' (someone else think of washing powder?) is uninspired "art rock", but really just sad sack, not even worth a listen + Rihanna and other goofs show up here and there. IMO the nadir of their career so far as some of their albums can be enjoyable.

I agree with the sentiment that they are like U2, once you listen to them you think 'oh this was pleasent I guess' but then you realise that it's not really that good, and that you just fell shortly for what causes dying obsession in their fans.

Many people love Coldplay, I dont, I dont think they are great, they are just fine. They are another arena rock band, bland, boring, predictable. Not worth a buck in purchase, but maybe worth seeing live...

[JohnMill]

Coldplay is a loved band because they appeal to people who generally are quite superficial in personality (very brutal of me I know, but it does bear merit)

No just entirely pretentious and presumptuous statement on your part.  This forum is unbelievable at times really.  

[rab2591]

Coldplay is a loved band because they appeal to people who generally are quite superficial in personality (very brutal of me I know, but it does bear merit)

Coldplay have a quite large selection of very well crafted songs with nice guitar hooks and sing-along choruses. Its like 'Hey Jude' in 21st century style.
Coldplay suffers from its attempts to be artsy and hip, almost desperatly trying to be indie, but just saccharine and bland.

You could replace "Coldplay" with 1960s "Beach Boys" and nearly all of this would still make sense. Just sayin'.
____

Anyways, as for the rest of your post, to each his own.

[cablegeddon]

I actually heard Yellow on the radio when I was in Europe. This was before they broke and I thought to myself "this is great stuff". Too bad they haven't had a song like that since.

They're fine. They just don't have the raw songwriting talent in that band. There's no Bono in the band, there's no Michael Jackson or Bob Dylan there.

[Roger Ryan]

The first and second albums are quite strong and hint at a real emotional connection. Since then, each subsequent release sounds more plastic and seems more contrived then the one that came before. They now resemble Styx attempting to put over "Kilroy Was Here" as a grand statement. I found Chris Martin's slightly off-key lead vocals to be charming early on, but now that they are slathered in auto-tune, the charm is gone.

[rab2591]

The first and second albums are quite strong and hint at a real emotional connection. Since then, each subsequent release sounds more plastic and seems more contrived then the one that came before. They now resemble Styx attempting to put over "Kilroy Was Here" as a grand statement. I found Chris Martin's slightly off-key lead vocals to be charming early on, but now that they are slathered in auto-tune, the charm is gone.

I've never gotten into Parachutes no matter how hard I try. A Rush Of Blood To The Head, Prospekt's March, and Viva La Vida are the only Coldplay albums I can listen to from start to finish and feel incredibly satisfied.

X&Y and Mylo Xyloto don't flow well at all to my ears (especially X&Y).

[Cabinessenceking]

Coldplay is a loved band because they appeal to people who generally are quite superficial in personality (very brutal of me I know, but it does bear merit)

No just entirely pretentious and presumptuous statement on your part.  This forum is unbelievable at times really.  

Sure is, but Coldplay songs are about NOTHING, they hardly have songs about a topic even. Everything is just yellow. Do you know why they chose that? Because it fit in, that's what Chris Martin said. LMAO. Good writing skills there Chris Martin.

Their music on the other hand is rather good but I would say but Chris Martin is devoid of making lyrics that can even hint towards something that is not purely pretentious and meaningless. The lyrics adress no one and nothing. Listen to them.

[Cabinessenceking]

Coldplay is a loved band because they appeal to people who generally are quite superficial in personality (very brutal of me I know, but it does bear merit)

Coldplay have a quite large selection of very well crafted songs with nice guitar hooks and sing-along choruses. Its like 'Hey Jude' in 21st century style.
Coldplay suffers from its attempts to be artsy and hip, almost desperatly trying to be indie, but just saccharine and bland.

You could replace "Coldplay" with 1960s "Beach Boys" and nearly all of this would still make sense. Just sayin'.
____

Anyways, as for the rest of your post, to each his own.

At least the Boys were singing about an ideal? a culture? a way of life and the life of youth? I'm not really part of this board for their pre PS songs anyway..

[Cabinessenceking]

I actually heard Yellow on the radio when I was in Europe. This was before they broke and I thought to myself "this is great stuff". Too bad they haven't had a song like that since.

They're fine. They just don't have the raw songwriting talent in that band. There's no Bono in the band, there's no Michael Jackson or Bob Dylan there.

Actually "Yellow" conveys no message, its got impeccable good melody and chord pattern, but the lyrics are blisters to the ear.
Chris Martin is no frontman I agree. But Parachutes and ROBTTH were very fine pop album cuts.

[Landlocked]

I actually heard Yellow on the radio when I was in Europe. This was before they broke and I thought to myself "this is great stuff". Too bad they haven't had a song like that since.

They're fine. They just don't have the raw songwriting talent in that band. There's no Bono in the band, there's no Michael Jackson or Bob Dylan there.

Actually "Yellow" conveys no message, its got impeccable good melody and chord pattern, but the lyrics are blisters to the ear.
Chris Martin is no frontman I agree. But Parachutes and ROBTTH were very fine pop album cuts.

Sounds like something Mike Love would say about the lyrics to...everything on "SMiLE." 

I think they have some great songs. Some of their earliest stuff is really great, in my opinion. Like "Shiver." I haven't heard their new album, but everything surrounding it looks totally overblown and drowned in overproduction. Rihanna (sp?) guest vocals? Not worth a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpwW4iraV3Q&ob=av2e

[Alex]

They seem to me like a band that makes pleasant catchy songs of about  the same quality level as Kokomo, but dress them up in "big" production and arrangements that make the songs seem more important than they really are. Sort of the same thing does. And as inoffensive as Coldplay`s songwriting is, I still prefer it to anything Radiohead has done since the 90s.

[rab2591]

@Cabinessenceking

"Coldplay songs are about nothing. they hardly have songs about a topic even."

What topics did Beethoven or Vivaldi bring up in their music?

Music is about emotion (good or bad)....for me Coldplay's music gives me a good emotional response...even if the song Yellow is about nothing - it sounds beautiful. Music is about making people happy - who says to get to this point the artist has the write lyrics about a specific ideal or place?

[cablegeddon]

I actually heard Yellow on the radio when I was in Europe. This was before they broke and I thought to myself "this is great stuff". Too bad they haven't had a song like that since.

They're fine. They just don't have the raw songwriting talent in that band. There's no Bono in the band, there's no Michael Jackson or Bob Dylan there.

Actually "Yellow" conveys no message, its got impeccable good melody and chord pattern, but the lyrics are blisters to the ear.
Chris Martin is no frontman I agree. But Parachutes and ROBTTH were very fine pop album cuts.

Well hey listen, if it's a love song and a radio single it doesn't have to be freaking All along the watchtower or  Bridge over troubled water. Yellow is like an anthem, it's ok and it's from their debut album. However at this point in their career I do agree that they're pretty pathetic for taking themselves so seriously while writing very meaningless stupid lyrics. When Coldplay promoted the release of their thrid album they refused to talk about the music and only wanted to talk politics.

[Cabinessenceking]

@Cabinessenceking

"Coldplay songs are about nothing. they hardly have songs about a topic even."

What topics did Beethoven or Vivaldi bring up in their music?

Music is about emotion (good or bad)....for me Coldplay's music gives me a good emotional response...even if the song Yellow is about nothing - it sounds beautiful. Music is about making people happy - who says to get to this point the artist has the write lyrics about a specific ideal or place?

Vivaldi's most recognised piece of music is 'the four seasons'...

Yellow is by all means musically a very good song. But the directionless lyrics and C.Martin's unflattering voice strips it of beauty for me. I like lots of other cuts from Parachutes though!