Coldplay returns with ‘Mylo Xyloto’

Often touted as arguably the world’s biggest soft-rock band, United Kingdom’s Coldplay has returned to the world stage with their latest album, “Mylo Xyloto.”

This album, set to be released Oct. 25 in North America, is their first attempt at a concept album. It was described by front man Chris Martin in an Aug. 12 Billboard story as “loosely a kind of romance in an oppressive environment.”  The lovers are at odds with the villains in the story, The Lost Boys, as referenced in the fourth track “Charlie Brown.”

It starts off with the 43-second instrumental title track that spills right into “Hurts Like Heaven,” a furiously upbeat song that is a little like a preview for the rest of the album with its spacey synthesizer touches and guitarist Jonny Buckland’s guitar flickering between melodic licks and harder rock strumming.

“Paradise,” the third track and second single released on Sept. 12, starts with a more baroque pop sound familiar to fans of their 2008 album “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” which carries on with an almost oriental sound throughout the song and a more hip-hop beat that would be hard not to bop to. Martin’s trademark falsetto carries the listener on a wave through each chorus and Eno’s influence is heavy here with the amount of sonic layering.

The next few tracks seem to take after 2005’s “X&Y” — touches of electronica and guitar-driven rock with bits of Martin’s piano and acoustic picking accompanied by his soft sonorous voice.

“M.M.I.X.,” another miniature instrumental track, acts as a transition from the softer tracks of “Charlie Brown” and “Us Against The World” and the faster “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall.”  The next two tracks switch back to a slower, more acoustic and ethereal style with Martin’s rich vocals taking the forefront.

However, the album picks up again with “Princess of China,” a track that features Rihanna on a duet with Martin and a more distinct electronic sound reminiscent of a sped up “Talk” from “X&Y,” albeit sounding more poppy.

A third instrumental mini-track, “A Hopeful Transmission,” comes right after and provides a contrast in sounds with the next song, “Up In Flames,” by being more sonically layered compared to the more stripped down sound of the latter track.

“Don’t Let It Break Your Heart,” the penultimate track, is heavily layered and features swirling synthesizers while Martin’s voice flows up and down with them and is infectiously catchy.

“Up With The Birds” ends the album with a further switch to a more mellow, sonically soothing sound at first that then picks up with jangly guitars reminiscent of The Edge, the guitarist of U2, and then a steadily increasing acoustic bit that  builds to a piano interlude from Martin.

The album as a whole is a great example of Brit-Pop, though some might look askance at Coldplay when compared to their darker contemporaries Radiohead.  But the fact that their album is meticulously layered to mix Martin’s soaring vocals with swooping instrumentation, especially on songs like

“Paradise,” “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart” and “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” should not be ignored.

Their album should be recognized for the seemingly effortless appeal their songs portray, ironic considering Eno’s sonic influence. That influence, allied with their ever-growing lyrical maturity and proficient instrumentation, should lend itself to another hit for the resident hit-makers of the century to plant a platinum record firmly in this decade.