*Yawn*
Before the new album is released later this month (with it's terrible title - what the hell does 'Mylo Xyloto' actually mean?!), the band have released another piece of pathetically pretentious posturing.
The trouble with Coldplay is they seem to be hell bent on the idea that more is more. It's not. Over-production suffocates decent songwriting, though they left that far behind after 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head'. Paradise begins with a church organ and fluttering strings - a shallow attempt at grandure - though the booming synth bass adds a modern twist to the sound. Otherwise, they've thrown everything at this track: epic piano and guitar riffs, orchestral strings, synth effects, a sing along chorus sung by a stuttering Chris Martin. What also annoys is the unnecessary self referencing of Every Teardop... in the second chorus - it just smacks of "head up own arse" syndrome.
What's the obsession with epic grandure? It's as if adding more layers will help them reach some sort of musical nirvana, when in fact a return to the raw simplicity of their earlier work would be far more preferable. Coldplay may be in paradise but their latest work is far from sublime.
2/5
