A Review of Coldplay's Ghost Stories
So I've not-so-recently acquired the new Coldplay album Ghost Stories. In fact, I acquired the extended version with three extra songs included for a fairly low price (less than 99 cents a song!). Before and after I bought it, I read some reviews of it, both good and bad (though there seem to be a lot of bad).
I, for one, quite enjoy the album. While it's true there's not a specific song that really stands out like in previous Coldplay albums (Viva la Vida, Paradise to name a few), it's an altogether enjoyable album. There's not a song in there I don't like (though there are a few I like less than the others).
Many critics complain about the songs choice, about how they should have added "Atlas" to it, or not included a certain song. In all honesty, the album is about an experience. It's put together in such a way to take the listener through a set of emotions. It's built to be listened to as a whole, not each individual song by itself.
And it does a good job of taking the listener through the whole experience. I thoroughly enjoy listening to it over and over again. Critics have complained about it not being outstanding, but I disagree. I think Coldplay has done a magnificent job of creating an experience through their music. I'm a huge Coldplay fan, and I really enjoy their new album.
My favorite song? Oh, well....
*fair warning: below is an in-depth analysis of the entire album, each individual song and the transition between them. If you don't want to read it, then feel free to quit right here. Or after you find out what me favorite song on the album is. It's your choice*
choice
choice
It's Ghost Story. It was Magic, and before that, Sky Full of Stars. But I really like Ghost Story. You know, I think it's time for an in-depth analysis of the entire album, including each individual song and it's relation to the other songs.
In case you haven't figured it out yet, this album essentially take you through some of the emotions one would go through when someone you love leaves you.
I really love the opening and the closing ("O" that is, not the final song of the extended track, which is "O (Reprise)," which I like less). I really think Always in My Head was a good choice for the opening song. It's haunting and soothing with fantastic vocals. I really like the O as the closing song. It brings back themes from the beginning and really closes it up nicely.
I like Magic quite a bit. It has a nice effect to it, being simple in terms of sounds. I really like the chorus. It's great.
My only problem with Ink is the background percussion, which is just a little bit too loud for my taste. If it were just a little bit quieter, I would enjoy it a whole lot more. I really love the chorus.
Up to this point, the songs have been relatively upbeat, but True Love is where it takes a turn. It's slower and the lyrics are more melancholy. The tune also begins to change from the previous ones, showing more regret and longing for the past. The guitar near the end especially changes the mood as it plays notes that are just off. It used to bug me, but now I actually like it. It sets up the mood for Midnight.
The transition into Midnight is one of my favorite things in the whole world (second to the transition from Oceans to A Sky Full of Stars, but you can hear fangirl about that later (AND I WILL FANGIRL SO HARD YOU HAVE NO IDEA)). It's so smooth and perfect, I love it. Midnight is a major change in mood, taking the emotions one would feel at midnight after someone has left. It's haunting and soothing at the same time, and it has a very deep, forlorn sound to it. It's my second favorite song on the album.
Another's Arms is probably the song I like least out of the entire album. I still like it a lot, I just don't like it as much as every other song (except maybe All Your Friends, but we'll get to that later). I don't know why I don't like it as much. It follows the mood of Midnight rather well, I think, with longing and forlorn sounds (especially with the soprano singing those haunting notes).
Which brings us to Oceans, which is right below Midnight, and only just barely. They're almost tied, to be honest. It continues with the forlorn and longing mood of the past few songs. It does a good job of making it feel like the ocean, in my opinion. The almost raindrop sound throughout the whole song is a really great effect, and the song has a sort of a haunting feeling to it. At the close of the song. Mmm. I love it so much. The sound seems to circle around your head, and the crashing of the ocean waves. The ringing bells. Mmm. So delicious.
And then it transitions to A Sky Full of Stars. That transition though. Mmm. MMM. MMM. It is the one thing that I always look forward to when I listen to it. It sends chills down my spine, and it makes me so unbelievably happy. If I could hear one thing before I die, it is that transition.
A Sky Full of Stars is right below Oceans on my favorite list, tied with O. The mood transitions to this upbeat, positive sound. I really think it's a good mood to go into after the melancholy sound of the past few songs. A Sky Full of Stars almost seems to be remembering how the person made you fell, and how much you love them, and you're glad to have been able to feel that. You don't care what will happen, because you're going to care about them anyways. As it says, "I don't care, go on and tear me apart. I don't care if you do."
And then we come to the final song of the normal album, O. The sound is an acceptance of what's happened, a peaceful, calm realization of all that has happened. I think it's a great ending to the album, ending on this sort of feelings. It's still sad and longing, but peaceful and accepting. I also really love the piano part. "Fly on, ride through," it says, "Maybe someday I can fly with you." It closes with a resurfacing of the opening theme, the haunting choir, and it ends on a really cool bass drum note and a forlorn last few notes.
Then begins the extended album! All Your Friends is next, and it's probably right at or slightly lower (depending on the day) then Another's Arms. It's still a great sounding song, don't get me wrong, I just don't like it as much as all the other songs.
Then is my favorite song, Ghost Story. I think I like it most because it has elements from the old Coldplay sound and the new Coldplay sound. And it just sounds so empty at times, which is absolutely great for this song. It feels empty, which is such a cool feeling, one that you don't usually feel when listening to music! The dynamic changes are just muy bien. Near the end of the song, it just has this haunting part that's so empty, and it's amazing. And then the ending is just perfect for the song. I love it so much.
Finally, there's O (Reprise). I think it's a good way to close the extended part of the album, but I like O's closing twenty-five times better. It's more complete with the rest of the mood of the song, and it ties up the beginning to the end which is always a cool thing to do.
Overall, Ghost Stories gets a 9.5/10 (only because the extended album existed. If they included those 3 songs on the regular... But I guess it kinda needed to be set apart somehow). A great experience album with some very great lyrics and sounds to it.
I, for one, quite enjoy the album. While it's true there's not a specific song that really stands out like in previous Coldplay albums (Viva la Vida, Paradise to name a few), it's an altogether enjoyable album. There's not a song in there I don't like (though there are a few I like less than the others).
Many critics complain about the songs choice, about how they should have added "Atlas" to it, or not included a certain song. In all honesty, the album is about an experience. It's put together in such a way to take the listener through a set of emotions. It's built to be listened to as a whole, not each individual song by itself.
And it does a good job of taking the listener through the whole experience. I thoroughly enjoy listening to it over and over again. Critics have complained about it not being outstanding, but I disagree. I think Coldplay has done a magnificent job of creating an experience through their music. I'm a huge Coldplay fan, and I really enjoy their new album.
My favorite song? Oh, well....
*fair warning: below is an in-depth analysis of the entire album, each individual song and the transition between them. If you don't want to read it, then feel free to quit right here. Or after you find out what me favorite song on the album is. It's your choice*
choice
choice
It's Ghost Story. It was Magic, and before that, Sky Full of Stars. But I really like Ghost Story. You know, I think it's time for an in-depth analysis of the entire album, including each individual song and it's relation to the other songs.
In case you haven't figured it out yet, this album essentially take you through some of the emotions one would go through when someone you love leaves you.
I really love the opening and the closing ("O" that is, not the final song of the extended track, which is "O (Reprise)," which I like less). I really think Always in My Head was a good choice for the opening song. It's haunting and soothing with fantastic vocals. I really like the O as the closing song. It brings back themes from the beginning and really closes it up nicely.
I like Magic quite a bit. It has a nice effect to it, being simple in terms of sounds. I really like the chorus. It's great.
My only problem with Ink is the background percussion, which is just a little bit too loud for my taste. If it were just a little bit quieter, I would enjoy it a whole lot more. I really love the chorus.
Up to this point, the songs have been relatively upbeat, but True Love is where it takes a turn. It's slower and the lyrics are more melancholy. The tune also begins to change from the previous ones, showing more regret and longing for the past. The guitar near the end especially changes the mood as it plays notes that are just off. It used to bug me, but now I actually like it. It sets up the mood for Midnight.
The transition into Midnight is one of my favorite things in the whole world (second to the transition from Oceans to A Sky Full of Stars, but you can hear fangirl about that later (AND I WILL FANGIRL SO HARD YOU HAVE NO IDEA)). It's so smooth and perfect, I love it. Midnight is a major change in mood, taking the emotions one would feel at midnight after someone has left. It's haunting and soothing at the same time, and it has a very deep, forlorn sound to it. It's my second favorite song on the album.
Another's Arms is probably the song I like least out of the entire album. I still like it a lot, I just don't like it as much as every other song (except maybe All Your Friends, but we'll get to that later). I don't know why I don't like it as much. It follows the mood of Midnight rather well, I think, with longing and forlorn sounds (especially with the soprano singing those haunting notes).
Which brings us to Oceans, which is right below Midnight, and only just barely. They're almost tied, to be honest. It continues with the forlorn and longing mood of the past few songs. It does a good job of making it feel like the ocean, in my opinion. The almost raindrop sound throughout the whole song is a really great effect, and the song has a sort of a haunting feeling to it. At the close of the song. Mmm. I love it so much. The sound seems to circle around your head, and the crashing of the ocean waves. The ringing bells. Mmm. So delicious.
And then it transitions to A Sky Full of Stars. That transition though. Mmm. MMM. MMM. It is the one thing that I always look forward to when I listen to it. It sends chills down my spine, and it makes me so unbelievably happy. If I could hear one thing before I die, it is that transition.
A Sky Full of Stars is right below Oceans on my favorite list, tied with O. The mood transitions to this upbeat, positive sound. I really think it's a good mood to go into after the melancholy sound of the past few songs. A Sky Full of Stars almost seems to be remembering how the person made you fell, and how much you love them, and you're glad to have been able to feel that. You don't care what will happen, because you're going to care about them anyways. As it says, "I don't care, go on and tear me apart. I don't care if you do."
And then we come to the final song of the normal album, O. The sound is an acceptance of what's happened, a peaceful, calm realization of all that has happened. I think it's a great ending to the album, ending on this sort of feelings. It's still sad and longing, but peaceful and accepting. I also really love the piano part. "Fly on, ride through," it says, "Maybe someday I can fly with you." It closes with a resurfacing of the opening theme, the haunting choir, and it ends on a really cool bass drum note and a forlorn last few notes.
Then begins the extended album! All Your Friends is next, and it's probably right at or slightly lower (depending on the day) then Another's Arms. It's still a great sounding song, don't get me wrong, I just don't like it as much as all the other songs.
Then is my favorite song, Ghost Story. I think I like it most because it has elements from the old Coldplay sound and the new Coldplay sound. And it just sounds so empty at times, which is absolutely great for this song. It feels empty, which is such a cool feeling, one that you don't usually feel when listening to music! The dynamic changes are just muy bien. Near the end of the song, it just has this haunting part that's so empty, and it's amazing. And then the ending is just perfect for the song. I love it so much.
Finally, there's O (Reprise). I think it's a good way to close the extended part of the album, but I like O's closing twenty-five times better. It's more complete with the rest of the mood of the song, and it ties up the beginning to the end which is always a cool thing to do.
Overall, Ghost Stories gets a 9.5/10 (only because the extended album existed. If they included those 3 songs on the regular... But I guess it kinda needed to be set apart somehow). A great experience album with some very great lyrics and sounds to it.