Turning emo into a hit once more

Coldplay is back and the new album is Mylo Xyloto. The title is pronounced my-lo-zy-letoe but I still have to find out what it means. But no matter what the meaning, this is big news for fans and the music industry because every album that the British band came up with these past 10 years sold by the millions.

These were Parachute their first in 2000 with the hits Yellow and Trouble; A Rush Blood To The Head in 2002 with In My Place, Clocks and The Scientist; X & Y in 2005 with Talk and Speed of Sound; and Viva La Vida three years ago where the big single was also Viva La Vida. The CDs were all so successful all over the world and the Coldplay melodies so popular that there came a time when it was deemed uncool to like Coldplay.

Coldplay is made up of Guy Berryman on bass; Jonny Buckland, lead guitar; Will Champion, drums; and Chris Martin, vocals, guitar and keyboards. The band is big because they create music that people can relate to and enjoy listening to anywhere and everywhere. Uncool or not, who cares. You have to admit that these guys are great.

Coldplay music is known for its excesses. It milks emotions to the bone. That is why it earned the tag of emo. It is like great salad. You throw in everything and hope that the dressing will do the trick. In the band’s case, choirs, strings, percussions, synthesizers, etc. It always works in the case of Coldplay. Is Mylo Xyloto still emo? It is. How else would you refer to songs titled like Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall? or Us Against The World? Bucking all limitations, it is over the top emo, sweet, fun daring, brighter than any they have done before and even danceable. I am sure it will get a lot of flack but fans will love it and so will those who say they do not but wallow in their emotions in secret.

Mylo Xyloto opens with Mylo Xyloto, a short but effectively romantic intro to the infectious Hurts Like Heaven. Single release Paradise is a classic Coldplay single. Potential biggie Charlie Brown with a novelty feel comes next. The ballad Us Against The World is every bit as dramatic as the title. M.M.I.X. is a nice interlude and intro to the emo with a great beat, Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall. Major Minus is the album’s big rocker. This must be fantastic in arena concerts.

There are strings galore in the introspective U.F.O. Princess Of China featuring Rihanna is a surprise R&B track that segues into another, Up In Flames. Coldplay is experimenting. A Hopeful Transmission has nice Latin undertones. Don’t Let It Break Your Heart is the dramatic rock ballad and Up With The Birds makes for a soaring closer.

The arrangements, playing, vocals and mix are all first rate. Have the best player around for this one so you can enjoy all those nearly undetectable frills that these guys have added to the songs. Martin is his usual competent self. Dig his piano playing. Very emo all the way. But take note Buckland also gets a lot of solos and shines in them all in the CD.

Meanwhile here are the current hits as per Billboard in the U.S. of A. Adele remains in the Top 10. Evanescence is back on top. And I believe these were tabulated before Mylo Xyloto’s release last week or Coldplay would have been No. 1. Here goes:

The Top 10 albums are: Evanescence by Evanescence; 21 by Adele; American Capitalist by the Five Finger Death Punch; Clear As Day by Scotty McCreary; Wildflower by Lauren Alaina; Duets II by Tony Bennett; Ashes & Fire by Ryan Adams; Own The Night by Lady Antebellum; Tha Carter IV by Lil Wayne; Eleven by Martina McBride; Cole World: The Sideline Story by J. Cole; Torches by Foster The People; Watch The Throne by Jay Z and Kanye West; My Kinda Party by Jason Aldean; Fastlife by Joe Jonas; Footloose, the movie soundtrack of the remake; Still Winning by Johnny Gill; Hunter Hayes by Hunter Hayes; Now 39 by Various Artists; and Tailgates & Tanlines by Luke Bryan.