"Mylo Xyloto", Coldplay's 5th LP, was supposedly influenced by New York graffiti - a theme visible from both the album artwork and the video for first single "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall". Strangely enough, it is also very much audible in the music. Unlike the symphonic "Viva La Vida" and sonically overwhelming "X&Y", "Mylo Xyloto" revels in synth-based, warm, unabashedly pop melodies. The wonderful opener "Hurts Like Heaven" (discounting the title track intro) bursts with energy, lyrics flying past in a manner not heard in any Coldplay song before. It is an intoxicating indicator of things to come on perhaps Coldplay's most immediate album to date. If "Viva La Vida" was a bit of a grower, "Mylo Xyloto" instead wastes no time setting its stall.

Unexpectedly perhaps, the star of this uptempo, smile-inducing, hell DANCEABLE album is the lavish guitar licks provided by unsung Coldplay hero Johnny Buckland. Whilst Martin is undoubtedly the face of Coldplay the rest of the band are, well, not just "the rest of the band". Faster and more complex than before Buckland is beginning to carve his own niche sound - a skill beyond measure for a musician - and the speed, dexterity and subtleness of his playing is more valuable than Martin's enthusiastic if slightly wobbly lyrics.

Drummer Will Champion also demonstrates his own abilities to perfection, alongside his own beautiful vocals on album highlight (and "Parachutes" throwback) "Us Against The World".
For any Coldplay fans afraid of the change the group are going through, they should be reassured slightly by the presence of such a song, alongside the quietly beautiful "U.F.O", "God Put A Smile"-recalling "Major Minus" and "Up In Flames", a disarmingly simplistic but nonetheless gorgeous ballad. These fans are going to struggle to stomach the collaboration with Rihanna, a polarising debating point that I hope does not overshadow the brilliance on show on this album. "Princess of China" is the closest to RnB that Coldplay have ever got, with its bass heavy synths and stomping beat, and it does take some getting used to.

If "Princess Of China" doesn't do it for you then other highlights "Charlie Brown", "Paradise" and "Every Teardrop", each song buoyant with hope, showcase a simple truth: like them or not, Coldplay are probably the best band in the world at what they do, and "Mylo Xyloto" is the band at the top of their game. A point has been deducted for some slightly dubious lyrics ("I turn the music up, I got my records on") and the unnecessary separation of "M.M.I.X" from "Every Teardrop", but these are minor quibbles on an otherwise superb album. If anything else it should finally shut up their detractors who moan that "everything sounds the same" - whilst Brian Eno's work does bare some familiarities to "Viva La Vida" in places ("Life In Technicolour" for example), the differences far outweigh the similarities. "Mylo Xyloto" is an uplifting, foot-tapping joy set to soundtrack many lives, mine included, for years to come.… Expand

This is clearly some of Coldplay's best work yet. There's a much more modern sound to Mylo Xyloto than any of the previous Coldplay albums, yet they maintain their unique sound that has been consistent since their earliest tracks. I would recommend this album to just about anyone.

The critics of MX have all been saying the same thing; that is that Coldplay have produced an album of the same old music, and did not make an effort to change their sound in a radical way. Unfortunately, they are wrong. Coldplay have experimented with electronic and pop sounds for their new album, so much so that many fans have been claiming that the change is TOO radical! It is not possible to have both. Mylo Xyloto is Coldplay on a scale they have not reached before, and although a small drop after the innovative Viva La Vida's wild success was perhaps inevitable, this music reaches out to more people and they may become all the more successful for it. Standout songs include Hurts Like Heaven, Paradise, Charlie Brown, Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, Us Against the World, Princess of China and Don't Let It Break Your Heart. A thoroughly entertaining and high quality listen.… Expand

Absolute genius. Best Tracks,
"Hurts Like Heaven"
"Paradise"
"Charlie Brown"
"Us Against the World"
"Every Teardrop is a Waterfall"
"U.F.O."
"Don't Let it Break your Heart"
All of them are great

Great album with beautiful songs! Was hoping for more full songs and less intros but they still make listening to the album exciting! I love that Coldplay is trying out new sounds in their music and continuing to produce such great songs

Another beautiful album by Coldplay. They manage to continue experimenting without straying too far from what made them great. This album really jumps right into the groove with Hurts Like Heaven and sucks you in. You are taken on a heavenly journey ending up on the beautiful last piano notes of Up With The Birds. Its extremely uplifting and will leave you a different person.

Best tracks: Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall, Major Minus, Charlie Brown, Don't Let It Break Your Heart.

10/10… Expand

Lets hope Coldplay doesn't pull a Simpsons, where it goes down hill fast. So far these last two albums aren't as good as the first three. This album is worse than viva la vida, or prospekt's march or whatever its called. They are becoming a pop group. It stinks, they are so good!

Excellent album, one can really appreciate the blood, sweat and tears which has gone into to the production of this album. Coldplay take pride in their work, they want to be the best. They have delivered a great great album!

Mylo Xyloto transcends all that I was expecting it to be. This album is an ode to music itself. It feels refreshing and gives a sense of transgression and revolution, the momentum is unbelievable. Coldplay surely place its efforts to elevate the sensations within their music and melody. Pure and beautifully crafted piece of art.

Most albums have one or two songs you love more than the rest, a favorite that elevates an album full of filler. Mylo Xyloto does not have that favorite... but I can honestly say there is not a single bad song on this album. Every song is amazing in its own right, from the ridiculously catchy Hurts Like Heaven, to the hook-laced Charlie Brown, to the acoustic masterpiece of UFO and the simplistic majesty of Up in Flames. And then there's the rest of the album, laced with great songs like Paradise, Major Minus, Princess of China, and Don't Let it Break Your Heart. There's only one real problem with Coldplay's fifth studio album; it lacks that final piece that could make it a masterpiece. Maybe it's the lack of a coherent concept that holds it back. Maybe its that, occasionally, the lyrics just come a little too short. In the end there are fantastic albums, and then there are masterpieces. Mylo Xyloto is a fantastic album. But it's not a masterpiece.… Expand

After listening to Viva La Vida, it's hard to see how Coldplay could possibly top themselves, but they just have! It is their biggest, brashest and most ambitious album yet. I've been needing to listen an optimistic album with meaningful lyrics for a long time, because all meaningful songs seem to be so negative. The standout tracks are 'Hurts Like Heaven', 'Charlie Brown', 'Major Minus' and 'Princess of China' with Rihanna. Many of the album's tracks have a lot of rock edge in them which should please the most rock-laden skeptics. This is a sensational album which I would recommend to anyone with all sorts of tastes!… Expand

Mylo Xyloto is a very good album. It combines the classic Coldplay touch with electronic, pop and rock sounds. The lyrics of the songs are mostly fine, with the exception of the last few songs of the album. The singles so far are mixed for me. "Every Tear" is disappointing, but it is saved by the uplifting tone of the song. "Princess" isn't very good, but Rihanna does give it a certain energy which makes it better. But "Paradise" is by far my favorite. The orchestrated music at the beginning, the atmosphere of the song and Chris Martin's voice all contribute to the song's epic feel. If you're a hardcore Coldplay fan, this might not be the style you're used to, but I'd recommend you to pick it up. If you've met Coldplay with Viva La Vida or X&Y, you will definitely love it, as it has a lot of similarities. If you've never even heard of Coldplay, listen to the singles and judging by those, decide to buy it or not.… Expand

Very and very good! It is very and very good! It is very and very good! It is very and very good! It is very and very good! It is very and very good! It is very and very good! It is very and very good! It is very and very good! It is very and very good!

Masterpiece. I could listen to this album on loop for hours. All the songs are good, but the best tracks I think are best are "Charlie Brown," "Hurts Like Heaven," and "Us Against the World." Mylo Xyloto offers music for old and new Coldplay fans, with tracks that showcase the band's past and present. Because of this unique quality, It is my favorite album Coldplay album to date!

Coldplay keeps on art-fying their music; Mylo Xyloto is a fine collection of tight tunes keeping true to the theme. They all relate to each other. It's hard to think of the album without any of its songs. The band could easily keep on the road set by Viva la Vida, and still they try and venture on new sounds: and sucessfully, nonetheless.

Amazing, beautiful, strange and very diverse. I consider this the Kid A of Coldplay, while I consider Rush of Blood to the Head to be the OK Computer. As you can guess, I like Kid A better, because this one is so risky. It's a beautiful piece of work and is near perfect. 10/10

Seeing as Coldplay is the one band I consistently listen to I was really looking forward to this album. Taken as a whole it's good--sometimes really good. The melodies are catchy, occasionally brilliant (Paradise, Major Minus, Princess of China, Hurts like Heaven) and the overarching theme works well; however, I had sort of hoped that there would be more experimentation. Still I love/like nearly every track with the exception of Every teardrop is a waterfall (I'm sorry it's just weak, albeit catchy) and Up in Flames.
To sum up, if you're a fan of solid, feel-good music this album's for you.… Expand

From start to finish, "Mylo Xyloto" is a acoustic/synth work of art. Chris Martin's infectious melodies fuels the band's musicianship. Standout tracks include "Hurts Like Heaven," "Charlie Brown," "Up in Flames," and one of the best singles of 2011, "Paradise."

This movie is a trippy good time kinda futuristic and very deep at times. It feels like Coldplay whereas Viva La Vida was so neat because it was experimental. But If you are a fan of Coldplay and want a mixture of there first great pop sound and Brian Eno's collaborative unique twists you should love this album! I feel this album growing on me each time I listen and I feel that some of the critics are being too harsh! This might be there most brilliant work YET!… Expand

I previously rated this album as 5/10, however after listening I have to revise my review to 9/10, coldplay often surprises pleasantly after listening to their albums repeatedly. Gotta say this album is really pretty good actually, not quite up to par with Viva, but great stuff, I totally take back my first review.

Such a great album! I fell in love with this thing, it's the best the boys have done after X&Y... Go and enjoy this little piece of music! I you feel disappointid right now, please give it time to grow on you. I'm sure it will grow on you. You've got to all the details and layers in the songs, it will amaze you for sure!

Good Album! one of the best of the year by far! definitely suggest buying it! you won't regret it! they did a fantastic job!


http://www.squidoo.com/nirvana-s-best-songs

mylo xyloto its an awesome album and does it have so meanful alternative ballads.The songs that i like the most are Charlie Brown,Hurts Like Heaven Princess of China

This is a great album! I'm proud to be a fan of Coldplay because they always move forward with their experimentation. Mylo Xyloto is a great example of new and old Coldplay styles. Songs like "U.F.O." and "Us Against The World" show the old acoustic Coldplay from 2002 and the new 2011 Coldplay. I do have a problem with "Princess of China" though. Why? Why would you bring Rihanna and not Beyonce to sing on this song? I don't like the fact that Chris only sing's a verse and then Rihanna overtakes the entire song. It's listenable but not the best song on the album. "Don't Let It Break Your Heart" is a great upbeat song for all to enjoy. Coldplay are best at writing upbeat song's with sad lyrics, like "Every Teardrop". "Major Minus" is just full blown paranoia on Martin's part, with his muffled vocals in the background, nearly overshadowed by Jonny Buckland's front seat guitar playing. "Paradise" and "Charlie Brown" are perfect examples of where Coldplay could go new with their songwriting along with "Hurts Like Heaven", their fastest song ever. This does happen to be a loosely based concept album, telling the tale of two lost souls who find each other in their horrible world and "Up With The Birds" is a perfect way to end the album with it's joyful lyrics "good things are coming our way" and it's simple piano outro sum up the album perfectly. This will be able to keep you satisfied until a possible sixth studio album is in the works! 9/10… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am a longtime Coldplay fan ever since the release of their debut album Parachutes. Some would describe Mylo Xyloto as a mixture of dance songs, intimate acoustic songs, and pop songs. One thing is for certain, the style is a departure from their previous albums. But does the style work? In my opinion, yes, Coldplay have pulled it off flawlessly. Maybe the songs are not of a melancholic feel like that of A Rush of Blood to the Head (their best critically reviewed album), but here in this album, we have optimism. Even though the emotion they are evoking is not melancholy, Coldplay can not simply be written off. This album will definitely alienate some of the old school Coldplay fans (I being an old school Coldplay was not alienated though) but it will also bring in some new Coldplay fans. Coldplay have grown musically with stand out tracks like Hurts like Heaven, Major Minus, Us Against the World, Charlie Brown, Don't Let it Break Your Heart, and Up with the Birds. That is half of the album containing standout tracks, and the rest of them are REALLY good. All Coldplay listeners need to do is embrace this new style (because it will not stick. I won't be surprised if the next album is of a completely different style) and learn to love this album because of the story it tells. It is not like that of many albums that have been released lately. Coldplay have learned that in order to have relevance in the music world, you have to grow musically and not always keep the same style. The production on the album gives it an atmospheric feel, almost an "out of this world, supernatural" type of feel. Unlike their previous album Viva la Vida, which had a more classical feel with the prominent use of strings in a lot of songs, Mylo Xyloto incorporates the use of synths and electronic instruments to a greater use and they are brought to the fore. Songs like Princess of China and Paradise will be hated from some fans for the simple reason that it does not sound like Coldplay and even bringing on Rihanna to be featured on one of the songs. But do not be afraid, for there are many songs on this album that sound like classic Coldplay, those being: Charlie Brown, U.F.O., Us Against the World, and Up with the Birds. Mylo Xyloto contains many layers in all of their songs, which have angered many fans and critics to calling it "over-produced." I feel the many layers adds color and character to the songs. Many songs on the album are not simple, they contain a lot of instrument tracks. Coldplay's first album, Parachutes, capitalized on the fact that it's songs contained simple tracks. This is not the "Parachutes Coldplay." That does not bother me though, because you are never bored with the songs and there is always something going on. All in all, Coldplay have recorded an amazing album. It is not their best, but it is definitely their second best (A Rush of Blood to the Head being first, and Mylo Xyloto tied for second with Viva la Vida). Mylo Xyloto shows character, color, and optimism and cements Coldplay still as the greatest band in the world.… Expand

I do believe if less went in and compared this to old Coldplay they would rank it better. In my opinion, too many great songs to score less than a 10.

Who gives a monkey's ? There's a new Tom Waits album out !!!! Coldplay always seem like nice guys, they write tunes that you will remember after 10 listens....they're impossible to hate

This album is Coldplay's most confident and unashamed mini masterpiece. Hopeful, uplifting, sad, interesting and ultimately consistently well crafted throughout. There is no bad song (major minus could have been replaced with moving to mars although Bucklands' riff is sublime) - it's concept fades and emboldened - rightfully- is the beautiful chemistry of a band writing superb music. Their most interesting and addictive effort yet! Hurts Like Heaven, Charlie Brown and Teardrop particular stand outs.… Expand