Coldplay "Mylo Xyloto" (2011)

Mylo Xyloto
release date: Oct. 24, 2011
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 2. "Hurts Like Heaven" - 3. "Paradise" - 4. "Charlie Brown" - 7. "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" - 13. "Don't Let It Break Your Heart"

5th studio album by Coldplay after the live album LeftRightLeftRightLeft (2009). Again, a whole world counted downwards to this release as the release of a new iPhöne. I.just.never got that. They are capable of making one or two fine pop songs every now and then but as original musical artists, I really do not appreciate their sound or style. It works mighty all right as background noise. No one gets alarmed or upset. In fact it's more like supermarket muzak, and how funny it is that Mr. muzak himself, Brian Eno played a part in the production seat on this one.
To me, this is when mainstream music becomes really really indifferent.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, The Guardian 3 / 5, NME 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Coldplay "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends" (2008)

Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
release date: Jun. 16, 2008
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 3. "Lost!" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Viva la vida" (3,5 / 5) - 10. "Death and All His Friends / The Escapist" (3 / 5)

4th studio album by Coldplay. At this point I had sort of lost interest in the band. Expectations to what they do and say are at hysterically high, and people worship the band like it was The Fab Four reincarnated, but what they're good at, besides performing live, is to make one or two fine sing-a-long 'pop' tracks that will sell the new album, and "Viva la vida" did that on this one. Once again, they have changed the sound slightly. There are more strings and horns here than on their previous albums. I think, the band and the album is highly overrated. Whenever I hear the band on the radio, an urge to switch channel always makes me decide if I should let them play or not, and that really can't be good. To my ears, this might as well be somebody else. The lead singer is Chris Martin but I have simply stopped paying attention.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Times 3 / 5 stars ]

Coldplay "X&Y" (2005)

X&Y
release date: Jun. 6, 2005
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Coldplay; Ken Nelson; Danton Supple
label: Parlophone - nationality. England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Square One" - 4. "Fix You" - 5. "Talk" (4 / 5) - 7. "Speed of Sound" (4 / 5) - 10. "Hardest Part"

3rd studio album by Coldplay, which in some ways even betters the 2002 album, but overall it's also a somewhat superficial release, despite some really fine tracks. To me, this is at the core of what they do so well: they repeat their well-known recipe, and add wider arrangements, but it's also an album that sounds more like Travis than any of their other albums. With this, Coldplay became one of the biggest bands around, playing concerts on filled stadiums all over the globe selling albums like hardly anyone else on the entire planet. I fully acknowledge the musical qualities of Coldplay's music, but imho, it's really only just above the mediocre as it's completely grey like a day with no colours. I rate it higher simply because it's neatly composed and arranged, and it appeals to great many people, and then it doesn't really sound distasteful - I just don't like the album all that much and I'm actually closer at handing it 3 than he added half star. This is the kind of music that both appeals to your five-year-old kid, your teenage daughter, your mom and dad, and your grannies. Kids and adults listen to it at school, at work, at the mall when shopping - it's music you cannot escape. And still, I won't recommend it. For me, this is the kind of music I avoided when as a teenager. Back then, it was music by the likes of Kim Wilde, Phil Collins, Pat Benatar... Music for the masses.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, The Guardian, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Coldplay "A Rush of Blood to the Head" (2002)

A Rush of Blood to the Head
release date: Aug. 26, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Ken Nelson, Coldplay
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Politik" - 2. "In My Place" - 4. "The Scientist" (4 / 5) - 5. "Clocks" (4 / 5) - 6. "Daylight"

2nd studio album by Coldplay. Despite all the hype and fine reviews the band received after the debut, this is a better album than the debut. In fact, overall I find this their best album ever. It's not that the style or appeal is all that different on this one, but I think it has more nerve and simply better and more original compositions. The album also surpassed the debut in sales and went as high as number #7 on a list encompassing the 20 best-selling albums ever in the UK, and the band harvested even more first prizes at the Grammy Awards and Brit Awards in 2003. The album is included on a number of best of albums of all time and like the debut also in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". Well, I can only say that I understand why so many people like Coldplay's music. It doesn't do much harm and you can play it to gran parents, uncles and aunts (they love it!), and your kids, and everyone find it just nice. For me, it's too slick, too nice. I think, I had the same feeling about Elton John in the late 70s and early 80s. Not that I didn't like his music, he made some great songs, I just never thought about buying any of it 'cause I wouldn't play it anyway. And that's how it is with these guys. They do make great songs, but boy, don't radio stations just play 'em all over, and all the time. And the songs aren't all that different. I don't really get all the fuss. It's quality music but so mainstream and harmonic that it's nearly (background / elevator) muzak.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Coldplay "Parachutes" (2000)

Parachutes [debut]
release date: Jul. 10, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Ken Nelson, Coldplay
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Don't Panic" (official video) - 2. "Shiver" - 5. "Yellow" (4 / 5) - 6. "Trouble"

Studio album debut by Coldplay. All songs are credited the band consisting of Chris Martin on vocals, acoustic guitar, and keyboards, Jonny Buckland on guitar, and backing vocals, Guy Berryman on bass, and with Will Champion on drums and percussion. The music is primarily pop / rock but there are bits of alt. rock and a distinct element of britpop on this one.
The album rocketed its way to the top of the UK albums chart list and the band won a Grammy for Best Alternative Album in 2001 as well as winning the Brit Awards also in 2001. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", and it's been registered as the twelve best-selling album ever released in Britain.
Yes, it's undoubtedly fine and I also found the album interesting, though not really great. I find it too slick, too anonymous and somewhat generic in the long run, and I hear too many familiar artists in their music: Travis, Radiohead, U2, but not when they were aspiring to be themselves. It's just something for everyone, and Coldplay are easily favourites of whole families. It's neither too noisy, too hard, too odd, or too provocative an album that would stir up anything. Not that music has to but this is like a band trying so hard to be liked by everyone.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]