Coldplay's newest album breaks hearts

Coldplay’s sixth full-length album Ghost Stories came out of nowhere, kind of like Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow’s divorce, which was made public on Paltrow’s site Goop.com in March 2014.
After a passion-infused relationship spanning 10-plus years, which inspired memorable tracks such as “Fix You” (from 2005’s X and Y) and “Paradise” (2011’s Mylo Xyloto), songs buoyant and hopeful in nature, Chris Martin leads his band back into Rush of Blood to the Head-esque, moody territory.
Except it’s a major downer.
When it comes to Coldplay, melancholia often works in their favor, but Ghost Stories is all sad, no payoff.
Album highlights are few and far between.
“True Love” stands out as the most carefully written melodic arrangement. Even without listening for lyrics, the music itself is enough to make you feel something—an area where the rest of the album lets you down.
The lyrics are heartbreakingly honest, depicting what it’s like to be on the receiving end of someone falling out of love with you: “Tell me you love me, and if you don’t, then lie. Lie to me. Call it true love.”
It’s the closest thing on the album to a natural progression from the grandiose Mylo Xyloto—it has a constant synth chord progression laying out the background, then a poppy beat keeps it from plateauing.
But it’s Chris Martin’s vocals and the strings which take it to another level.
A trademark, crying guitar lick leads it into the outro, with Martin’s softly soaring vocals taking it right into “Midnight,” that single that sounds like the musical love-child of Bon Iver, James Blake, and Imogen Heap.
“Midnight” is a deceiving track in that it sounds nothing like anything else the album has to offer.
“Oceans” is another hidden gem: a stripped-down, acoustic guitar track with a bit of reverb, sounding like it was recorded live in a room, with just Martin and his faithful guitar.
Lastly, “O” ends the winning streak with soft piano and hushed vocals, another simple song that sounds like it came off Viva La Vida. 
At its best, Ghost Stories is acoustic guitar and simple piano, reminiscent of early Coldplay a la Parachutes.
The other half is uninspired, forgettable melodies with an electronic beat tacked on in an attempt to pump some life into them.
“A Sky Full of Stars” is a blatant dance tune which could appeal to a different audience, but leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Coldplay’s longtime fans, who (like me) have been eagerly waiting to see what they’d come up with after the upbeat and uplifting Mylo, which was full of life.
There’s nothing wrong with a transitional album, except this one doesn’t know where it’s going.
Hopefully Chris Martin will make it through this chapter of his life with Coldplay’s soul intact, because we haven’t given up on them.
Tunes like “Midnight” and “O” are indications that the real Coldplay—ever-growing and changing, but always full of passion—is still somewhere in there.
 
Erica Orofino
Copy Editor
 
Image source: Facebook/Coldplay