Coldplay may not be forceful, but within their incessant politeness they do have a distinctive personality, one that shines through whatever tricks individual producers bring to the table.
As much as Martin may emphasise it being a learning curve or “joyful realisation” about the ups and downs of love, it’s inescapably, undeniably a break-up album. Rousing, downtempo pop to soothe a troubled soul.
It’s them getting back to their roots after taking the majority of the world by storm. For the most part, gone is the orchestral, light experimentalism of Viva la Vida and the synthed-out bombast of Mylo Xyloto.
It’s a drowsy experience, and often a true bummer; for all his skilled self-deprecation, Martin sounds genuinely heartbroken. But Ghost Stories can’t help but feel like a prelude to something bigger and deeper.
On Ghost Stories, despite a near derailment, they "fly on," moving in fresh directions while keep the catharsis that gave them their audience in the first place.
This doesn't mean Ghost Stories is a bleak album. In fact, its deep sea of synth-encrusted pop glistens under a halo of angelic ambient touches and Martin's ever-rosy perspective
This isn't quite early Coldplay rebooted. It shares a simple sparseness with 'Parachutes', but the approach is radically different.
Martin does a touching though frequently ham-handed job of working through his feelings, at least on eight of these nine tracks.
You can feel the thought and polish that has gone into everything, and though Ghost Stories is almost unprecedentedly pared down and shorn of ego for a sixth album by an act of this stature, the music never has the ragged quality to put it in sync with Martin's voice.
It has brief sparks of a fresh creativity and has plenty of potential, but doesn't take steps bold enough to totally reinvent itself, making for a record littered with moments that let it sink into the forgettable parts of the band's catalogue.
While there are moments in which Coldplay take some interesting steps forward on Ghost Stories, there are a few moments when the band rests a little too heavily on easy listening or pop music clichés.
But you do get a short and sweet nine-track exorcism of demons and one crushed dude who knows how to pen some beautiful, infectious ballads.
‘Ghost Stories’ is the sound of Coldplay finally coming to terms with who they are - a universally loved, often loathed, slightly cheesy outfit.
Even though it’s not Coldplay’s strongest, Ghost Stories should be applauded for scaling back the gaudy excesses of their previous albums.
Overall, Coldplay’s decision to drop back a couple of gears does not serve them well, especially given the fact that the quality of Martin’s lyrics rarely rise above the serviceable.
For an album that aims to explore the most emotional time in Martin’s life, Ghost Stories stands as Coldplay’s most distancing effort to date.
Ghost Stories is unmistakably Coldplay's "breakup album," a subdued work that finds Martin and his band crisply moping through mid-tempo soundscapes and fuzzy electronic touches that have the visceral impact of a down comforter tumbling down a flight of stairs.
Weighing in at a scant 40 minutes, the tone of ‘Ghost Stories’ is electronic and plodding, not guitary and surging. Forget the idea of Coldplay writing for stadiums – this is the sound of a band restraining themselves and desperately holding it in.
Despite all the emotional gravitas and metaphysical significance Coldplay wishes to impart with this album, the tunes are too flat to hit home at their best and perilously teetering over the edge of plagiarism at their worst.
I can see why most people would hate this album, as "Ghost Stories" is a very quite, ambient, and lowkey album. It is because of this, I legitimately loved this album, and I honestly do consider it to be as good as some of Coldplays other projects. There are so many just magical moments on here like "Oceans" and "Midnight". Even some of the lesser tracks like "Another's Arms" is still amazing, and honestly, "A Sky Full Of Stars", while a little ... read more
I surprisingly think that this album is one of the more underrated records in Coldplay's discography. Yes, Ghost Stories does have massive problems, repetitive and has some weakish songs, however, this album has something which I think think the other Coldplay albums of this decade have lacked, personality. Ghost Stories feels like an album, it has a feeling and a concept even if it's your basic Coldplay heartache album I do think that this album has a unique aspect to its sound that for me ... read more
(Edit: 98 --> 100)
Yeah, I'm gonna do my 3rd 10 in a row, What am I a dumbass?
This is a very enchanted album. It has a lot of heart put into it for such a heartbreaking experience. After the conscious uncoupling, Chris Martin decided to make an album more subdued than the rest of Coldplays output. The best way I can describe it is ambient, it has a lot of elements that make Parachutes look like X&Y. Also has some great lyrical highlights. "Tell me you love me, if you don't then ... read more
1. Always in My Head - 6/10
2. Magic - 8/10
3. Ink - 7.5/10
4. True Love - 8.5/10 ⭐
5. Midnight - 10/10 ⭐⭐⭐
6. Another’s Arms - 7/10
7. Oceans - 7/10
8. A Sky Full of Stars - 7.5/10
9. O - 7.5/10
69/90
7.7/10 (Good 7.0-7.9)
Most underrated of their projects. "Midnight" is a gorgeous, ambient dreamscape. The Bon Iver inspiration in that track is highly evident.
This was amazing. I love the ethereal feel on this album so much and it really took me on a trip, expecially the last part. I just have one thing to say; now, A Sky Full of Stars was a good song... but why on this album? Maybe the story (maaaaaaybe) but I don't know. Other than that, great listen.
1 | Always In My Head 3:36 | 78 |
2 | Magic 4:45 | 80 |
3 | Ink 3:48 | 73 |
4 | True Love 4:05 | 74 |
5 | Midnight 4:54 | 83 |
6 | Another's Arms 3:54 | 71 |
7 | Oceans 5:21 | 73 |
8 | A Sky Full of Stars 4:28 | 72 |
9 | O 7:46 Contains hidden track "Fly On" | 84 |
#41 | / | The Telegraph |
#48 | / | Rolling Stone |