Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams

Coldplay
A Head Full of Dreams
2015
Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams

There is quite a bit for the inner hipster in all of us to not like about Coldplay. "All their songs are the same, the music is to generic, Coldplay just sucks" are the common things you hear about hands down one of the most popular bands in the last 15 years. But 80 million records don't lie, someone out there likes Coldplay and doesn't mind shelling out a few bucks to prove it. Coldplay's sound, minus 2014's breakup record Ghost Stories, has always been bright, soaring and for lack of a better word uplifting. You can feel your spirit get a little bit brighter when listening to their music and A Head Full of Dreams is no different. This record brings a bit more of the dance element into the equation with strong back beats and toe tapping melodies. This record unlike "Sky Full of Stars" does not get as deep into the soaring tracks but instead focuses on celebration style, of course with an adult contemporary bend. The lead single "Adventure Of A Lifetime" definitely follows this mold making it just hip shaking enough while still allowing the core Coldplay audience to connect with their sound.

It's not all great though. There are a few spoken word sections that come across as so blowhardy and "Army Of One" is broken into two sections one of which is pretty fun electropop the other doesn't make much sense at all. Why this track is even just one at over six minutes long does not make much sense. The writing on the album also can some across as quite pedestrian. How many times can one person rhyme sky and high? Tove Lo is featured on the song "Fun" but in such a bit part and so out of character for her it really doesn't make sense why she is on there. A Head Full of Dreams also looses steam as it goes. The energy that Coldplay starts the album with seems to dwindle perhaps like a late 30's newly single guy out on the prowl. The record has it's highs and it's lows but in the end it is a decent record and worth a listen. Don't expect it to change you life.

6 out of 10