Rating: NNN
Coldplay probably don’t get enough credit for their consistency. They’re an easy target because of Chris Martin’s incessant need to always be The Uplifter and for grating lyrics that attempt to convert the personal to the universal (not to mention their questionable authenticity). But through it all, they’ve delivered a steady stream of well-written pop rock like that found on fifth album Mylo Xyloto.
It’s wrapped in a confused concept – future lovers (the album title’s characters) under siege by some kind of dystopian oppression – but several tunes will surely ignite stadium masses. Charlie Brown has an earworm opening riff. The almost-danceable Hurts Like Heaven has swirling synths and U2 guitars.
Then there’s the Rihanna-assisted Princes Of China, a surefire hit simply because 90 per cent of current top 40 has a hook by the R&B singer. But when it comes to making the charts, Coldplay certainly don’t need the help of a commissioned hook.
Top track: Hurts Like Heaven
