Rock – Muse Verb

May 24, 2017

Chris Cornell Dead at 52

TheMuseVerb

Music, Rock

audioslave, black hole sun, chris cornell, dead at 52, soundgarden

Chris Cornell (conceived Christopher John Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American music artist, singer/songwriter, and lyricist. He was best known as lead vocalist for the groups Soundgarden and Audioslave. He was a two-time Grammy winner (out of 14 nominations) and was likewise known for his various solo works, soundtrack commitments since 1991 and as author and frontman for Temple of the Dog, the coincidental tribute band committed to his friend, the late Andrew Wood.

Cornell, who is viewed as one of the designers and influencers of the 1990s grunge development, is notable for his broad index as a musician, for his about four-octave vocal range, and for his capable vocal belting procedure. He discharged four solo studio collections, Euphoria Morning (1999), Carry On (2007), Scream (2009), Higher Truth (2015), and the live collection Songbook (2011). Cornell got a Golden Globe Award designation for his melody “The Keeper” which showed up in the film Machine Gun Preacher and co-composed and played out the signature tune to the James Bond film Casino Royale (2006), “You Know My Name”. The last solo discharge by Chris was the philanthropy single “The Promise”, composed for the consummation credits for the film of a similar name. He was voted “Shake’s Greatest Singer” by perusers of Guitar World, positioned fourth in the rundown of “Overwhelming Metal’s All-Time Top 100 Vocalists” by Hit Parader, ninth in the rundown of “Best Lead Singers of All Time” by Rolling Stone, and twelfth in MTV’s “22 Greatest Voices in Music”.

As per Nielsen Music, over his whole list (Soundgarden, Audioslave and solo vocation), Cornell sold 14.8 million collections, 8.8 million digital songs, 300 million on-request sound streams in the U.S. furthermore, sold more than 30 million records worldwide starting at 2017.

Cornell was discovered dead from suicide in his Detroit lodging room, early morning of May 18, 2017, after a Soundgarden show the prior night.

That’s the Chris everyone will read, but Chris was far mora than that. As you will start hearing from more in-depth testimony from his band mates, touring members, managers or anyone that had the privilege of knowing Chris will tell you he had a far bigger heart. Take this video from Pete Thorn:

The impact and influence Chris had not only in rock but music itself is obvious with all the tributes of all different types of genre, one of the best covers I’ve seen is from Norah Jones:

This haunting interpratation from Cody Jinks:

or Nouela’s version of Black Hole Sun used for the movie “A Walk Amoung The Tombstones”:

How could we forget Peter Frampton’s cover (although there was a better one he’s done before just couldn’t find it v.v):

December 9, 2016

AT THE DRIVE-IN – GOVERNED BY CONTAGIONS

TheMuseVerb

Music, Progressive Rock, Rock

2017, alternative rock, At the drive in, atdi, brace yourself, dates, governed by contagions, house of blues, love, music, ORL, producer, progressive rock, rebel, Rich Costey, rock, terminal 5, the fillmore, tour

At The Drive-In announce their first upcoming album in 16 years with a brand new song! Today, they’ve announced a batch of tour dates for 2017! Find the dates below:

“Governed by Contagions.” can be downloaded at their website: http://www.atthedriveinmusic.com/

At the Drive-In Tour Dates:

03-20 Washington, D.C. – 9:30 Club
03-22 New York, NY – Terminal 5
03-25 Boston, MA – House of Blues
03-27 Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
03-29 Toronto, Ontario – Rebel

___

Follow At The Drive-In:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ATDImusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/atthedrivein
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atdimusic
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/at-the-drive-in
Google Music: https://play.google.com/music/m/Aeiz4g3qf7ixuvztqcmxuw4e6le?t=At_The_Drive-In
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/at-the-drive-in/id41990355

December 8, 2016

DECLAN MCKENNA – BRAZIL

TheMuseVerb

Music, Pop Rock, Rock

arctic monkeys, Brazil, Declan Mckenna, England, florence and the machine, Glastonbury festival, haim, Hertfordshire, James Ford, mumford and sons, music, Pop, Simian, Singer Songwriter, UK, UK Pop

Declan McKenna isn’t like most songwriters whether young or old. Instead of penning typical pop tales of underage drinking and having his heart broken over a summer romance, or like our dear friend Usher with Confessions Part 22, the 17-year-old from Hertfordshire, England prefers tackling the forbidden subjects, that even the most veteran songwriters won’t touch. Last year he released his debut single ‘Brazil’, a massive indie-pop rock crossover tune that covers the political landscape of Brazil and its corruption and manipulation of its populace at the heart of the country’s football World Cup in 2014. Now, with appearances on US chat shows like Conan O’Brian and a record deal signed and sold, it seems like he’s about to take his talents farther than South Beach.

After recording songs in his bedroom, it is reported that McKenna debut album will be produced by James Ford (of Simian fame, producing for the Arctic Monkeys, Mumford and Sons, Haim, Florence + The Machine). McKenna won the Glastonbury festival’s Emerging Talent Competition in early 2015, which not only put him on the world stage with exposure but helped him grow more as a songwriter. McKenna with a fresh voice and original, deep and meaningful lyrics is on a solid journey to becoming one of the UK’s newest superstars.

Follow Declan McKenna and listen to his other hits!:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedeclanmckenna/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeclanMckennaMusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/declanmckenna
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/deccoooo

March 9, 2016

Smallpools – LoveTap!

TheMuseVerb

Music, Pop Rock, Rock

dreaming, Fifa 14, Lovetap!, Smallpools

When I first saw Smallpools live in concert, the year was 2013 and they were opening for the then-unknown band called Twenty One Pilots. While I was mostly there for the main act, I found myself truly enjoying the fun, upbeat tunes of Smallpools, and later took the time to really listen to their music. Two years later, this once unknown opener has released their first full-length debut album, and listening to it really brought me back to the first time I heard this band live.

While pop music has a reputation for being shallow and meaningless, Smallpools ditches these misconceptions with their brand of highly innovative indie pop which is sure to catch the ear of anyone who’s heard it. However, early fans who caught their first single “Dreaming” in 2013 will notice that it remains one of the best songs on the album. Although Smallpools does an excellent job at taking the concept of generic pop music and making it unique, some of the songs released on “Lovetap!” simply fall short.

As mentioned, I first saw Smallpools in November of 2013; they were the opener, and after purchasing their single “Dreaming” online, I was excited to hear more. While Smallpools began strong with a catchy lead single, the song is far from new. In fact, “Dreaming” was released as the lead single from “Lovetap!” in May of 2013, and “Lovetap!” itself was not released until March of 2015 – nearly a two year gap. During this gap, Smallpools took time to tour and create the rest of the album in the studio, but it clearly put a dent in the momentum they had going from their catchy single and tour with Twenty One Pilots.

Interestingly enough, the vibe of “Lovetap!” is highly indicative of a live Smallpools show. Each song in and of itself sounds great, but listened in conjunction with other songs from the band simply makes each one forgettable. On their own they are catchy, innovative pop tunes, while with each other, they have little to help them stand apart. This is the ultimate downfall of an otherwise highly-enjoyable album. When an album is going through production, artists and producers typically understand the importance of variation on an album, whatever the genre may be. Some songs should be upbeat, some should be slow, and others can be driven or angry. This is up to the band themselves to decide, however Smallpools seems to have missed the memo on this basic production concept.

While it’s true that Smallpools does an excellent job of creating a unique brand of innovative and fun pop music, it’s also true that they seem to know how to create little else. The lack of moving or thoughtful music on “Lovetap!” really shows the limits of Smallpools as a band, and makes it clear they strive at making one type of music, and one type of music only – indie pop. The music featured on “Lovetap!” can be equated to music by another indie pop band known as the Mowgli’s: highly enjoyable, yet repetitive throughout the course of the album.

Although “Lovetap!” comes across as the Smallpools EP with some added bonus songs, there are specific songs on the album which really shine through on their own. Lead single “Dreaming” is by far one of the catchiest pop songs of the decade, and will be stuck in any listener’s ear for some time after it’s first been heard. It’s the perfect song to fill the role of “lead single,” and can be enjoyed by those with vastly different music tastes. In addition, the song “Dyin’ to Live” is just as infectious as “Dreaming,” and really shows the highlights of what Smallpools has to offer.

While “Lovetap!” is home to many excellent and catchy tunes, the main issue with the release is its lack of new material. Prior to the release of the “Lovetap!” full-length album, a shorter album known as the “Smallpools EP” was available to the public. This EP featured many of the singles from “Lovetap!” and seems to have all of Smallpools’ best songs brought together. It’s true that “Lovetap!” featured several never-before-heard songs from Smallpools, but most of these additions are passable at best, and are hardly worth a listen. Many of these additional tunes are clearly designed as filler so that the band could more easily release a full-length album without coming up with creative new content, and this really shows in the quality of the songs.

Prior to the release of “Lovetap!” Smallpools fans everywhere were excited to hear new content from the up-and-coming indie pop band. While fans got what they wanted once the album was finally released, it fell short of what many were expecting. With the release of “Lovetap!” Smallpools had a chance to truly cement themselves in the indie pop scene as innovators, however the lack of new, engaging content on the album may have cut their future opportunities short. While the tunes featured on “Lovetap!” are highly infectious and catchy, they have little to separate them from the same type of catchy music heard on the radio, which in the end really held back the potential of this album. This being said, do not underestimate just how great the singles from the album really are – when we say they’re catchy, that’s no lie. Songs like “Dreaming” and “Karaoke” will without a doubt get stuck in the head’s of anyone who’s heard them, and honestly deserve more recognition than they’ve received so far. That in mind, they are backed up by a less than impressive full-length album, really cutting back on the potential success of these tracks, as well as the success of the band as a whole.

_____
Follow Smallpools:
Facebook: Smallpools Official
Twitter: @Smallpools
Instagram: @Smallpools
Soundcloud: @Smallpools
Website: Official Website

February 26, 2016

The 1975 – I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It

TheMuseVerb

Alternative, Alternative Pop, Alternative Rock, Music, Punk Rock, Rock

I Like It When You Sleep for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It I Like It When You Sleep for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It, Kardashian, Love Me, Mathew Healy, music, The 1975

Possibly the longest Album Title I can recall, for an Anthem.

Fresh and Indie, just how I like it.

Held together by frontman Matt Healy’s bold-yet-earnest vocal performances, the result is as anthemic as it is intimate.

Originality6.1

Lyrics7.3

Musical skill8.7

Vocals8.6

Production8.6

The Goods

Fresh and Indie just how I like 'em

Got so many layers, you'll definitely have to repeat it like a Crystal Castles album.

The Bad

Its an Acquired Taste

For Unseasoned Indie speculators, will be something new like Vampire Weekend

7.9

Blending neon ‘80s art-funk confections with Electronica

BUY THE ALBUM

Buy on Amazon

Buy on iTunes

Buy on Google Music

Many experts in music agree that the year 2013 was an excellent year for indie pop, with a number of now famous bands finding their first success during that year. One such band is known as the 1975, who saw nothing less than massive success as a result of their debut album, “The 1975.” After the massive success of this piece, the band began recording a follow-up album during most of 2015, and as a result released their second full-length piece in early 2016, known as “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It,” a work that not only continues the legacy that was created by the band’s first album in 2013, but continues to show that the four-piece from the UK has what it takes to be chart-toppers with their brand of ambient electropop and creative lyrics.

Despite recording “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It” for nearly a year, fans were largely unaware that the 1975 were in the studio recording a new album. In fact, many fans believed that the band’s debut album would be their only, and that eventually the band would announce a breakup or hiatus. While the rumors began to spread about the future of the 1975 and their music, the band was hard at work creating a new masterpiece, and began to hint at its release in October. October saw the release of the band’s first single since 2013 with the song “Love Me,” a tune that truly caught the attention of new listeners and long-time fans alike.

Long-time fans of the 1975 have come to expect their unique brand of ambient indie-pop, and they will no doubt love its presence in “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It.” While the album is entirely different from its earlier counterpart by way of lyrics and themes, it continues the same legacy fans came to love as a result of the first album. “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It” continues with many of the same musical concepts as the band’s self-titled debut, but the meanings behind the songs are vastly different, ranging from the shallowness of today’s society, to drugs, to religion, and lastly, love.

It’s this brand of uniqueness that makes “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It” an excellent album, and what makes the 1975 such musical geniuses. With this latest release, the four-piece were able to capture the essence of their first album and what it did to please its listeners, make enough changes for the new album to appear fresh and never-before-heard, and released a new masterpiece which will attract old and new fans alike. The 1975’s brand of indie pop is far different than any other on the charts today, and the release of “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It” really cements the 1975’s reputation as some of today’s best musical innovators.

The 1975’s newest release was prefaced by the release of the track “Love Me,” a single which captured the attention of indie pop fans everywhere. The song discusses fame in today’s culture, and how little it truly means. Lead singer and songwriter Matthew Healy approaches the obsession many people have with celebrities and musicians, and tells them it’s misplaced, ultimately asking his fans not to follow him as they would someone like a Kardashian (who he mentions by name in the song). This song was risky to say the least, as most bands thrive off of the inordinate amounts of attention they receive from fans, and most would agree that any artist looking to top the charts should appeal to the attraction of their audience. The 1975 does away with this idea, and outright tells their fans that such petty obsessions are misplaced, making for a highly interesting (as well as ear-pleasing) song to kick off the band’s new era.

While the 1975 brand themselves as an indie pop artist, their latest release features many songs which could be considered otherwise. In fact, tunes such as “UGH!” and “She’s American” are notably heavy for the typically smooth indie quartet. This rolls back into their traditional indie pop sound with songs such as “The Sound,” and brings listeners back to the band’s first album with very similar tones.

The final song on “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It” is quite heart touching, and its meaning is almost unexpected from an otherwise upbeat artist. The last song on the album is titled “She Lays Down,” during which Healy gets real with his listeners and talks about the effects of his mother’s post-natal depression, during which she chooses cocaine and essentially causes trouble for herself and her son (the lead singer of the band). This somber yet relatable song is an excellent note with which to end an otherwise fantastic album, and really shows just how versatile the 1975 can be.

After listening to “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It,” it’s very clear that long-time fans of the 1975 will enjoy the albums subtle connections to their debut album, and new fans will be drawn in by its peaceful, ambient tones. The diversity of the music on the album is sure to appeal to fans of all types, making “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It” truly worth the listen, whether it be by fans of old or those simply looking to explore a new type of indie pop.
_____
Follow The 1975:
Facebook: The 1975 Official
Twitter: @the1975
Instagram: @the1975
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/the1975
Website: http://the1975.com

February 19, 2016

Simple Plan – Taking One for the Team

TheMuseVerb

Punk Rock, Rock

blink 182, maroon5, music, Pierre Bouvier, Punk Rock, simple plan, Simpleplan, taking one for the team

A New Effort, Same Story.

Could've been something different.

For new millennials born after the 90's will be something new to hold on to. But it is still amazing the French Canadian band is still kicking around.

Originality4.5

Lyrics3.6

Musical skill3.3

Vocals6.1

Production5.5

4.6

They're Still Around in their 30s but music & lyrics in the 90's

Buy Taking One for the Team

Buy on Amazon

Buy on iTunes

Buy on Google Music

Director: Mark Staubach
Cinematography: Chady Awad

Any music fan during the early 2000’s remembers the days of pop punk and “emo” music; who could forget legendary bands such as My Chemical Romance or Fall Out Boy, bands who narrated the teenage lives of many of today’s 20-something year olds. While many of these bands have broken up or diverted their style of music to one that is more radio-friendly by today’s standards, one popular pop punk band of emo’s glory days still remains – and they’re back with a full-length album.

Early 2016 has seen the release of many new albums, many of which by already established chart-toppers. While Simple Plan has been wildly famous since their first release back in 2002, they created albums consistently through the early 2010’s, during which they stopped to take some time and re-create themselves as a band. Many fans believed the band had no future, as they provided few updates with regard to their future plans, and were very much absent from the live music scene. Many fans even forgot the band existed, realizing just how long it had been since their last release. In fact, 2016 marks the 5-year mark since the band’s first full-length album, and the 2-year mark since the release of their last EP. For a band that was once legendary, this behavior is odd to say least.

Despite rumors of a considerably possible breakup, Simple Plan came through with the first single off their new album “Taking One for the Team” in fall of 2015; the single was titled “I Don’t Wanna Go to Bed,” and marked noticeable differences in style compared to previous releases by the band. Simple Plan began as a strictly pop punk entity, appealing to the inner teenager in their listeners. Their music was angsty and relatable, with songs such as “I’m Just a Kid” and “Perfect” appealing to the inner teenager in everyone. Their newest release is noticeably more pop than punk, yet the band makes this change of style highly appealing, even to fans who have enjoyed their music since the band’s inception a decade and a half ago.

While it’s clear that Pierre Bouvier and the rest of the band worked to make noticeable differences in their style, it’s also clear that “Taking One for the Team” was created with long-time fans in mind. Yes, it does have noticeably less-punk undertones, and yes the songs may be more difficult to relate to as adults than they were as teenagers, but this album truly captures what it meant to be a teenager in the early 2000’s, and makes a great effort at bringing about a new age of pop punk in music world dominated by pop and metal. Very few bands promote this brand of old-school pop punk anymore, with the annual Warped Tour often featuring heavier artists than pop punk of old. Any diehard fans of pop punk will thoroughly enjoy “Taking One for the Team,” and any younger teens who may have missed the great era of emo music will have an opportunity to experience it in a new light.

Modern-day Simple Plan can be described as Blink-182 meets Maroon 5, with “Taking One for the Team” very effectively conveying the best of both pop punk and radio pop. One downside to the album is that it is far more easily digested than other pop punk, but that has always been one considerable downside to the music of Simple Plan. While bands like My Chemical Romance looked to appeal to feelings of depression and worthlessness, Simple Plan has always addressed some of the less-intense parts of being a teen, and this shows through with “Taking One for the Team” (as it has in each of their albums). The band tried getting serious with their self-titled release in 2009, however the attempt seemingly failed as they reversed this style back to a somewhat generic brand of meaningless pop punk with their 2011 release, “Get Your Heart On!” Simplicity aside, the music featured on “Taking One for the Team” is enjoyable to listen to, although it may not have you pondering the meaning of life or questioning any life decisions. More likely, it’ll have you wishing you were back in high school, heading out for a party on a Friday night.

While “Taking One for the Team” does feature many serious undertones or even any sort of deeper meaning, it does appeal to one very powerful part of human emotion: nostalgia. While most bands of the early 2000’s have either broken up or entirely evolved into something unrecognizable, Simple Plan has kept the same factors in play with “Taking One For the Team” as they did with each of their past albums, albeit the newer songs may be less relatable. With that in mind, it’s difficult to listen to the band’s newest album without flashing back to days of old, days where the angst of pop punk filled the radio waves and hearts of teens everywhere.

Simple Plan’s newest album is not recommended for listeners who want to enjoy a spiritual experience with their music, however it’s an excellent listen for anyone looking for a trip down memory lane. It’s sure to make long-time fans smile slyly when they remember the first time they ever heard the band, and will without a doubt stir feelings of nostalgia in listeners of all ages. This upbeat, fun collection of pop punk tunes is an excellent addition to the music library of all who appreciate early 2000’s emo culture, and will ultimately remind listeners of the early days of Simple Plan and pop punk as a whole.

_____
Follow Simple Plan:
Facebook: Simple Plan Official
Twitter: @simpleplan
Instagram: @simpleplan
Soundcloud: Simple Plan’s Soundcloud
Website: http://simpleplan.com/

December 15, 2015

Coldplay – Head Full of Dreams

TheMuseVerb

Music, Pop Rock, Rock

I can’t believe what I’m about to say, but this is definitely Coldplay’s worst album. Yeah, you read that right, read it again just incase. I did not think I would be able to put those two words together in a sentence ever, but it has happened. I understand Christian said this was Coldplay’s last album and they wanted to leave the fans with one last Charleston Dancing hurrah.

Don’t get me wrong its not a bad album, just not the best one we were all expecting. It feels commercial and heavy with a nervous energy and if not at first after a couple of listens a little bit rushed. I support all artists to experiment and expand their sound especially if you start at one stage you need to grow and mature with your audience as they grow older and mature as well. The only way you do that is by playing outside of your comfort zone, possibly by taking in new influences, combining with a new genre, collaborating with different artists and flirting with different producers (all of which Coldplay did 5 out of 5). But at the end you don’t want to lose your signature sound that makes you unique and individualistic.

A Head Full of Dreams comes as the British quartet’s Seventh full length effort and brings a lot of new direction to compliment its accomplished catalogue of success and experimentation. After 15 years, a stellar 80 million records sold and worldwide touring across six continents, Coldplay’s mantra and life philosophy is fervently ever-present in A Head Full of Dreams. What is that mantra you may ask?

The first track of the album (which happens to be the title track) opens with energy, funk and love. Christian Martin screams

I sing, oh, I think I’ve landed
Where there are miracles at work
Now you’ve got me open handed
Now you got me lost for words

A Head Full of Dreams is really one of the easy favorites for most, with its positive uplifting message that life is beautiful “You can see the change you want to, Be what you want to be.” Coldplay’s Mantra is just that a reminder to live life and love it as much as possible.

Birds

The second track Birds starts off with a Indie-Pop-Rock rhythm and beat, very soft and easy on the instruments and vocals. For fans of the French rockers Phoenix they will immediately see similarities in style on this track. Don’t be surprise to see Coldplay play halftime at this year’s Superbowl, remember you heard it hear first! As the song progresses Coldplay meticulously adds instruments little by little and synth overlays after each chorus, building it up to an all out orchestral pop rock celebration anthem complete with string ensemble, ending the song with a silent shout “Cool.”

Hymn For The Weekend

The third track titled Hymn For The Weekend my personally least favorite of the whole album, nothing against the Queen Bee Beyonce but she seems a little out of place in the song (not to mention Martin). If at all this sounds eerily like a Coldplay Cover with an added Pt II to Beyonce’s Drunk In Love. But Fortunately the backstory is a little bit more interesting than that Guy Berryman said in an interview that the song was Martin’s idea that wasn’t such a great one.

Apparently Martin wanted make a Coldplay remix of Lil’ Jons/DJ Snake Turn Down for What, with a line supposedly going along the lines of “drinks on me, drinks on me.” fortunately for us the band made him come to his senses that he couldn’t get away with that, yeah we’d all have killed him for it. Hence they brought in Beyonce to ease the transition from Pop to RNB and to help soften the song’s reworked lyrics with Martin’s innocent sounding voice “So drink from me, drink from me.” Nice save Martin, but we’re on to you. Although Hymn For The Weekend is the least sounding Coldplay song ever, it is a lot better produced and executed than most of the commercial radio RNB songs released this year but that’s thanks to the super producing duo Stargate.

Everglow

Our first ballad of the album and also the first Coldplay-like song Everglow does not disappoint, with heartfelt lyrics and an equally brooding Martin singing it. One of the best songs of the album for the traditional Coldplay fans. You can hear Gwyneth Paltrow accompanying Martin on background vocals. When I first heard this song all I could think was in the background Tom Petty’s Free Fallin would fit in perfectly!

Adventure Of A Lifetime

The first single released from A Full Head of Dreams, definitely delivered on all fronts I usually am not a Singles fan but when I heard this song I was blown away. Here Coldplay had been able to bring back a little bit of the sounds explored in Mylo Xyloto, as well as a guaranteed easy sing-along, shuffle of the feet and energy Martin had promised us on this album. Although totally ecstatic to hear the rest of the album, I couldn’t help but feel that underneath the beautiful lyrics and upbeat rhythm there was a slight farewell tone to the song.

But despite it all definitely one of my favorite songs off the album, with all the trademarks of a Coldplay song written within. Martin starts off the song with:

Turn your magic on
Umi she’d say
Everything you want’s a dream away
We are legends, every day
That’s what she told me

The song continues with a funky guitar riff and bass lines not previously heard from Coldplay’s catalogue a definite welcome as a fresh new sound this year. Definitely the guitars feel almost like electrical sitars with an 80s Pop Disco progression. Very energetic and uplifting as always delivered with a strong range of Martin’s Chest and falsettos vocal range. My favorite lines from the song have to be “under this pressure under this weight,
we are diamonds taking shape.” To me what this means although in life you have to have your moments of fun and relaxation, there comes a time where you evolve and grow. You go from that diamond in the rough to a full blown 2,000 carat diamond, meaning that out of the hell and pressures that life may throw at you something beautiful is made. You.

If you were curious to know how they made the music video

Army of One

My personal favorite off the album, incorporating a strong synth and electronic based orchestra, its definitely a Coldplay classic with an experimentation twist of synths that you may be familiar with from Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. This track also comes with a secret track which is what makes this Army of One perfect! If you want to hear a one hour endless loop of it you can go to our Soundcloud and listen to it!

Amazing Day

For the fans of the Coldplay that brought them Parachutes, they will feel right at home with Amazing Day. As a reminder to fans that they’re still here to making songs for the road home. To me it feels like a post-divorce song with a hint of reference towards U2’s Beautiful Day doesn’t it? The strongest lyrics of this track are at the near end:

Can the Birds in poetry chime?
can there be breaks in the chaos sometimes?
oh thanks God, must have heard when I prayed
cause now I always want to feel this way

All in all although not the closing effort of a last album hurrah we expected, A Head Full of Dreams will not leave any Coldplay fan disappointed. In my recommendation the essential tracks or “meat and bones” of the album are: Adventure of a Lifetime, Birds, Army of One, Everglow and Amazing Day.