Coldplay's 'new' direction...

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from NME.com: The material shows a huge progression from the classic Coldplay sound, mixing their trademark anthems with ’70s electronica. David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Brian Eno are all influences, while ‘Talk’ features the riff from Kraftwerk’s ‘Computer Love’.

― Stevem On X (blueski), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:35 (8 years ago) Permalink

hmm.

― peter smith (plsmith), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:37 (8 years ago) Permalink

...but they will still have that whiney annoying chris martin vocals to ruin it.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:38 (8 years ago) Permalink

say 'Coldplay's new direction' fast. then vomit hard.

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

Puppet Show
and
Coldplay

― 57 7th (calstars), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:40 (8 years ago) Permalink

mixing their trademark anthems with ’70s electronica

It's like they WANT me to come around and beat them up as well as whatever idiot wrote this phrase.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

Chris Martin and Q-Tip share MCing duties on the Wu-Tang-influenced 'Cold Like A Killah'

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:54 (8 years ago) Permalink

Okay, now I want to beat myself up for living in a universe that allows that sentence to exist.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:57 (8 years ago) Permalink

I'm sure it will be a superb piece of...art.

― .adam (nordicskilla), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:58 (8 years ago) Permalink

After that R.E.M. track you'd think he would've learned.

― mrjosh (mrjosh), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

One track, Skag Rag, features The Libertines' Pete Doherty and samples The Entertainer

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 15:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

Both the Eno influence and the band's new political direction are most evident on NATAL Missile Treaty, a four-minute ambient piece consisting purely of a recording of the inside of pregnant Gwyneth Paltrow's womb

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:02 (8 years ago) Permalink

What will truly get the lads and birds buzzing is a new fresh slice of raggamuffin stylee from Martin and his Martinettes, "Where Da Weed Man Fi Go." This tasty morsel of pop deliciousness uses the new Atomic Wedgie riddim that is sweeping the Caribbean, and features old-fashioned cameo toasting from none other than Blythe Danner.

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:05 (8 years ago) Permalink

[I can't tell is Matt DC is kidding]

― Miles Finch, Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:06 (8 years ago) Permalink

"Yeah, I've been getting into grime recently" - Chris Martin on 'Clock Back', featuring Dizzee Rascal singing along to the chorus of 'Octopus's Garden'

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:07 (8 years ago) Permalink

I'm starting to wonder whether Coldplay are actually an elaborate put-on designed to highlight the fallacy of Radiohead.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:09 (8 years ago) Permalink

Matt DC OTM! (I wish)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:11 (8 years ago) Permalink

"We've really been fucking some shit up," said Martin. "One one track we use a drum machine. On another we use a synth instead of a piano. People are going to be surprised. I don't think we'll match this, like, ever. Even if we tried."

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:11 (8 years ago) Permalink

They will probably lose their MC fan-base with this.

― RS, Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:15 (8 years ago) Permalink

i was *just* about to post this exact thread using that same NME quote. also it says that ralf hutter had this 2 impart about their use of a sample from COMPUTER LOVE :

"it sounded really nice. it was done in a good spirit. it is giving us energy feedback (sic)like DJs from japan or detroit people from the underground scene"

will champion said the band have been driven "to the point of nervous breakdown."

well i'm excited so sod yers.

i can't recall who else on here actually really liked them since the start (The Blue Room E.P.) was it just me?

― piscesboy, Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:15 (8 years ago) Permalink

I love '70s electronica! BRAVO!

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:16 (8 years ago) Permalink

"I've been working with Gwyneth to get her caught up," Martin drawls lazily while gulping down some purple liquid he calls 'syrup.' "“She said she thought Hip Hop was only guns and alcohol, I said ‘oh hell naw, but yet it’s that too! You can’t discrimahate because you done read a book or two.' "

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:16 (8 years ago) Permalink

I really liked the Blue Room EP. I had Brothers & Sisters on 7" back in the day. The debut album totally lost me though. I like "Clocks" lots. I'll be interested to hear this.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=208

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:20 (8 years ago) Permalink

"I've been working with Gwyneth to get her caught up,"

Yoko alert. Doomed for disaster.

― stevie nixed (stevie nixed), Thursday, 13 January 2005 16:22 (8 years ago) Permalink

Q-Tip should never be allowed to guest on ANY non-hip-hip recording, ever ever ever!

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 13 January 2005 17:34 (8 years ago) Permalink

hip-hop, not hip-hip.

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 13 January 2005 17:37 (8 years ago) Permalink

the funny fake quotes in this thread are totally ruined by people thinking they're real.

― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:14 (8 years ago) Permalink

Isn't that the whole idea?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:16 (8 years ago) Permalink

see, you'd think so. but no.

― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:16 (8 years ago) Permalink

I'm starting to wonder whether Coldplay are actually an elaborate put-on designed to highlight the fallacy of Radiohead.
-- Naive Teen Idol

What is the fallacy of Radiohead?

― sleep (sleep), Friday, 14 January 2005 05:17 (8 years ago) Permalink

once again, i scratch my head in profound befuddlement over the avid hatred that coldplay inspires in certain ILMers.

and all of this (70s eno/bowie, kraftwerk, and wu-tang stylings) are only making me SALIVATE in anticipation of this thing's release.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 14 January 2005 05:31 (8 years ago) Permalink

yeah, but think about it Eisbar, this is COLDPLAY emulating berlin-era bowie, and the Wu.

I don't think I want to hear Chris Martin doing his version of Joe The Lion.

― Disco Nihilist (mjt), Friday, 14 January 2005 05:49 (8 years ago) Permalink

not to mention "shame on a nigga" or "gravel pit." but still ...

yeah, but think about it Eisbar, this is COLDPLAY emulating berlin-era bowie, and the Wu.

i KNOW! that's exactly WHY i wanna hear it ... and NOT in a snarky way.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 14 January 2005 05:52 (8 years ago) Permalink

Coldpay's new ambient-drone record sung completely in Polish, featuring guest vocals by Tiny Tim and Wierd Al.

― Star Cauliflower (Star Cauliflower), Friday, 14 January 2005 05:53 (8 years ago) Permalink

wait a second...is Tiny Tim still alive?

― Star Cauliflower (Star Cauliflower), Friday, 14 January 2005 05:53 (8 years ago) Permalink

they could always sample his ashes.

― Star Cauliflower (Star Cauliflower), Friday, 14 January 2005 05:54 (8 years ago) Permalink

I want the Matts to be Coldplay's A&R team! (Blythe Danner - nice!)

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 14 January 2005 06:00 (8 years ago) Permalink

post of the year

― Mike O. (Mike Ouderkirk), Friday, 14 January 2005 06:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

If they rip off or sample Kraftwerk I will...grrrrrrrrrrrrr....!!!
If I can recognize it's Kraftwerk, that will be the end of Coldplay and me, that will be it NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO NO NONONONONONONONONONO. Especially since that's actually my favourite Kraftwerk song ever. It's just not right. Mark my words, I will not tolerate these things. Coldplay have to do rock and roll, and I know they have the capability if one particular b-side is any indication. I want fire and rage and ROCK. I'm not falling for it until they do rock and roll.

NO KRAFTWERK FOR ANY NEW COLDPLAY DAMNIT!!!!! I CAN'T BEAR IT. OUCH.

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Friday, 14 January 2005 06:33 (8 years ago) Permalink

Chris Martin is tight with Suge and he got an unreleased acapella of Tupac covering It Was All So Simple Then with Tiny Tim doing the backing vocals on the hook.

― Disco Nihilist (mjt), Friday, 14 January 2005 06:34 (8 years ago) Permalink

I haven't actually read the article but wasn't the wu-tang thing a joke?

― deej., Friday, 14 January 2005 06:40 (8 years ago) Permalink

designed to highlight the fallacy of Radiohead.

HA HA HAHAH AHA!

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Friday, 14 January 2005 06:50 (8 years ago) Permalink

Oh man, I think that made my night. Cheers.

-former Radiohead fan

Seriously though, I do think a book should be written entitled The Fallacy of Radiohead.

― The Fallacy of Radiohead (Bimble...), Friday, 14 January 2005 06:56 (8 years ago) Permalink

My fantasy new direction for Coldplay? Exit, stage left.

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Friday, 14 January 2005 07:10 (8 years ago) Permalink

Radiohead just need to do that Dr. C-described, risky double album influenced by Can, if New Order won't step up to the plate. They covered a Can song, live, you know. It COULD happen. Someday.

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Friday, 14 January 2005 07:24 (8 years ago) Permalink

no timbaland beats?

― titchyschneider (titchyschneider), Friday, 14 January 2005 11:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

that ralf quote is real by the way. i know no-one on here reads NME anymore so youse wouldn know either way, but yeah it is.

― piscesboy, Friday, 14 January 2005 15:45 (8 years ago) Permalink

This is my favorite thread ever

― David Allen (David Allen), Friday, 14 January 2005 16:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

fuck, i was about to say that too. actually, no, my favourite thread ever was the one about deAgostini doing a fall partwork, which made me cry with laughter. but this is good.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 14 January 2005 17:00 (8 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 326 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I know some of the more conservative fans of guitar bands tend to turn their backs towards them if they don't sound like guitar bands anymore.

Geir Hongro, progressive music fan.

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 22:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

On another note: the marvelous bit about the Pet Shop Boys' cover of "Viva La Vida" is they had the brains to reconfigure the oh-oh-ohs as a soccer anthem, suitable for the distant fields of Glastonbury. They didn't hesitate to go for the large gesture. Coldplay are too timid, too conflicted to risk vulgarity.

― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, October 26, 2011 10:17 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark

Neil Tennant on 'Viva La Vida': "They've written a Pet Shop Boys song!"

I'm going to have to dig out 'Behaviour' tonight, the synth sounds and chord progressions on some of those songs are to die for...

― Turrican, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 22:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

X-Post: Well, to me, it is largely about tunes. I have no problems with electronics. Not even with beats unless they get too dominant and take the attention away from the tune completely (but ballads shouldn't have beats, it must be added)

― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 22:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

tell us more

― unorthodox economic revenge (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 22:38 (1 year ago) Permalink

Neil Tennant on 'Viva La Vida': "They've written a Pet Shop Boys song!"

It's a typical PSB trope: delusions of grandeur.

― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 22:41 (1 year ago) Permalink

xpost: LOL!

― Turrican, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 22:42 (1 year ago) Permalink

"it must be added"

― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 22:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

Okay, Geir, so how do you actually feel about the TUNES on this record? Surely even you've got to admit that in comparison to previous work this lacks their usual quota of 'anthemic choruses' (as you put it), and there is nothing on here that comes close to a 'Yellow'/'Clocks'/'Fix You'/'Viva La Vida' type of song for them!? Surely!

― Turrican, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 22:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

― teledyldonix, Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

WHOA!

― Turrican, Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:23 (1 year ago) Permalink

Still feeling the Coldplay critics will only be content if Coldplay make a "Kid A". And - face it - Coldplay will never make a "Kid A". And we - their fans - are very happy for that. Because Radiohead lost us when they made "Kid A".

It's sad, Radionead lost all their fans.

― Food! Trends! Men! Hate! (Phil D.), Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:30 (1 year ago) Permalink

He means their real fans, the ones that know talent when they hear it.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 27 October 2011 03:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

The ones singing songs in classrooms all around the world.

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 27 October 2011 05:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

Okay, Geir, so how do you actually feel about the TUNES on this record? Surely even you've got to admit that in comparison to previous work this lacks their usual quota of 'anthemic choruses' (as you put it), and there is nothing on here that comes close to a 'Yellow'/'Clocks'/'Fix You'/'Viva La Vida' type of song for them!? Surely!

Well, "Clocks" wasn't much of a song. Largely just a beat/riff.

― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Thursday, 27 October 2011 09:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

It's sad, Radionead lost all their fans.

They got other fans. Not the ones who loved "The Bends" and "OK Computer" but others who are into IDM and krautrock.

― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Thursday, 27 October 2011 09:40 (1 year ago) Permalink

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Thursday, 27 October 2011 09:41 (1 year ago) Permalink

Alfred, did you see footage of Coldplay performing VLV at Glastonbury? They're not at all afraid of the soccer anthem effect - it's rather the point. PSBs' achievement was to pump up the beat and inhabit the lyrics more convincingly.

― Science, you guys. Science. (DL), Thursday, 27 October 2011 10:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

yep, a perfect venn diagram

― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 27 October 2011 11:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

Given that his lyrics are absolute doggerel and impossible to parse, I'm not even sure that we can say they _have_ a "perspective" or "point of view"

I'd always assumed he just c/p's paragraphs from self-help books and runs them through Babelfish a few times.

― B-Boy Bualadh Bos (ecuador_with_a_c), Thursday, 27 October 2011 12:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

Not saying anything about their quality, but if you look back to the lyrics of Shiver they are very clear, with the exception of who the 'sing it loud and clear' bit is directed at. Trouble is not far off. His lyrics haven't always been quite as nonsensical, though they've been that way since the second album and in some cases earlier.

― if, Thursday, 27 October 2011 12:40 (1 year ago) Permalink

I started writing something about Coldplay last night but couldn't be arsed to finish it. Shiver was my main crux; it's the only Coldplay song Emma's got any time for at all. It's about a definite feeling, dewscribes a definite sensation (albeit a confused one) and seems, sounds, and feels, genuinely agitated and uncomfortable. I've not heard anything else by them that pulls that trick.

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 27 October 2011 12:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

Shiver is basically the only Coldplay I like as well. It is a pretty blatant Jeff Buckley rip though

― Number None, Thursday, 27 October 2011 12:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

Just heard "Just Breathe" by Pearl Jam on the radio. It's basically a Coldplay song, except there's an actual narrative and emotional investment in the lyrics and it's delivered with a degree of subtlety despite its mawkishness.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 27 October 2011 16:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

All this overfixation on emotion again.

― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Thursday, 27 October 2011 22:23 (1 year ago) Permalink

hah -- Geir is somewhat otm.

― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 October 2011 22:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

Geirbot.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 27 October 2011 23:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

Aspie robot.

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 28 October 2011 05:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

Glad you find Asperger's syndrome funny, Nick.

― Here he is with the classic "Poème Électronique." Good track (Marcello Carlin), Friday, 28 October 2011 08:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

Sorry Marcello, that was crass, offensive, and unnecessary of me.

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 28 October 2011 11:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

Thanks, Nick; appreciated.

― Here he is with the classic "Poème Électronique." Good track (Marcello Carlin), Friday, 28 October 2011 13:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

See, here's the crux of my thing with Coldplay. The lyrics are fucking awful, but I'm usually able to completely ignore those and focus on some of the actual interesting things they do sonically. Which isn't groundbreaking by any means, but about 5x more interesting than any other guitar-based band that gets regular play on mainstream radio. They usually are able to wrangle out some nifty guitar tones and some cool textures. I'm not making a case for them bein any sort of IMPORTANT band here, but I'd listen to them in a heartbeat over Nickelback, Maroon 5, or any other Top 40 guitar-based band you'd care to throw at me.

I know there's a few people that can't get beyond the incredibly dull lyrics and Martin's punchable face, but they aren't a completely uninteresting band, at least as far as I'm concerned.

― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, 28 October 2011 13:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

I dunno, I like them but I also think they're pretty uninteresting. There are a lot of deadly boring bands that are better than Nickelback and Maroon 5.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 28 October 2011 13:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

Skills are more important than emotion, and Coldplay have a lot of skills.

― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Friday, 28 October 2011 13:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

They're not that good, dude. Really not.

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 28 October 2011 13:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

Not sure that's aimed at me or Geir, but, like I said, not trying to paint them as anything more than what they are. I just personally find them more tolerable than a lot of you guys do. Just to be clear, just because I am defending them doesn't mean I'm praising them as something legit great or w/e. There is some middle ground.

― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, 28 October 2011 13:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 28 October 2011 13:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

Coldplay wishes.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 28 October 2011 13:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

My comment was totally aimed at Geir. I don't hate Coldplay; just puzzled by them. I don't think they've got anywhere near the chops he's taking about though.

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 28 October 2011 14:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 28 October 2011 14:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol

― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, 28 October 2011 14:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 14:36 (1 year ago) Permalink

10 months pass...

Broke this out again this week. It's pretty rare that something makes me literally sit up in my seat but every time I hear the chorus to "Paradise," I'm always really struck by it. Which is odd given that it's really little more than M83 meets Dennis Wilson's "River Song."

But honestly, that's about it for me. The songs are surprisingly lacking in real hooks. The production is dense as shit but lacks definition -- not helped by a mix that is harsh and loud.

Has anyone ever really determined what role Eno did end up playing in this?

― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 21 September 2012 01:53 (8 months ago) Permalink

Cashing their checks.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 21 September 2012 01:55 (8 months ago) Permalink

it seems Eno has more writing credits than production credits and wasn't physically in the studio a lot but would listen to the tracks and give notes and contribute ideas.

think this album is a pretty good-sounding lesser sequel to Viva La Vida (which was a surprisingly dope album) but the "Paradise" chorus is about the last thing i'd praise it for

― some dude, Friday, 21 September 2012 02:27 (8 months ago) Permalink

the chorus that is one word? "para para paradise"?

― akm, Friday, 21 September 2012 03:49 (8 months ago) Permalink

well originally it was two words -- "tara tara tara reid"

― some dude, Friday, 21 September 2012 03:53 (8 months ago) Permalink

I have no place for Coldplay in my life but I'll listen to every one of their new albums a couple times and say "OK it was a tall order and you guys did good work"

― whiter than... this? (Ówen P.), Friday, 21 September 2012 05:34 (8 months ago) Permalink

It's like checking in on Atlas, "how's the music industry holding up down there? pretty good? stand up job, you."

― whiter than... this? (Ówen P.), Friday, 21 September 2012 05:36 (8 months ago) Permalink

I have to say Paradise sounded great at the Paralympics closing ceremony - played twice, once with Jay-Z. They weren't crass enough to sing para-para-para-lympics but everyone was thinking it anyway.

But yeah, overall the album's a step down from Viva La Vida, which took some risks and had some gems: the title track, Yes, Lost!, Strawberry Swing. This one sounds very samey.

― Get wolves (DL), Friday, 21 September 2012 15:20 (8 months ago) Permalink

Surprised that Charlie Brown song did not get more play.

This is the album where Coldplay finally gave in to all the things detractors have been complaining about.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 21 September 2012 20:38 (8 months ago) Permalink

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