Coldplay’s ‘Mylo Xyloto’ is a hit

By Monica Lopez-Lara,

Coldplay’s fifth album Mylo Xyloto is 44 minutes and 9 seconds of high-energy beats and insightful lyrics. Its beautiful instrumental opening “Mylo Xyloto” blends into the album’s first full song “Hurts like Heaven,” which exemplifies the album’s theme with its fast drum beats and pop-electronic sounds.

“Paradise” embodies the band’s signature style in music and lyrics, as lead singer Chris Martin’s soulful voice begins with “When she was just a girl/ She expected the world/ But it flew away from her reach/ And the bullets catch in her teeth.”

The catchy first single off the album “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” was released on June 5 and has already caught on with radio listeners and peaked to no.14 on the Billboard Top 100 Chart. The piece was even played at the Steve Jobs’  memorial at Apple Headquarters on Oct. 19.

Pop sensation and unexpected featured artist Rihanna shares her edgy style in “Princess of China,” which although adds individuality to the track, also overshadows Coldplay’s acoustic undertones and replaces them with a “Girl Gone Bad” vibe.

The upbeat “Don’t Let it Break Your Heart” provides more hopeful, happy lyrics such as “Even in your rains and shadows/ Still we’re never gonna part/ Come on over baby/ Don’t let it break your heart.”

Although 14 tracks may seem overwhelming, “Mylo Xyloto”, “M.M.I.X.” and “A Hopeful Transmission” are all lyric-less instrumentals and serve as short, calmer intermissions between songs.

Overall, Mylo Xyloto serves as a joyful rebound from the intense and powerful tracks in “Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends” and doesn’t disappoint loyal Coldplay fans who anticipated the release of the album for months.