new coldplay

[gigpiglet]

now - I've never really been a big fan
but if nothing else they usually sound pretty good.
and i think they are AWESOME live (even if i don't love the songs - one of the best shows i have ever seen, every time)

but does anyone else think the vocal sound (particularly) on the new album (and especially the single) is terrible?
i really don't even understand what they are trying to do.

[Ben M]

I noticed one thing...........They don't sound like a band.
Voice sounds pretty heavily squashed and de-essed. As per usual. And they've gone "RnB" with Rihanna. Good ol' record companies.

Did Brauer mix it?

[jkhuri44]

sounds like generic pop music.

[The Tasmanian]

McMusic -with extra fries

[ChrisW]

I think ever since the first couple of albums they've been flailing around in the dark looking for a direction.
This effect has caused them to do a Kraftwerk copy (uugh) and maybe to try some weird production, although I've only seen them play one new song on Jonathon Ross.

I thought they were going to be the next U2 (stadium pop/rock), but U2 have managed to produce a classic hit from each of their albums more or less. i don't think Coldplay have done anything to match their first album, which I like despite myself.
They are each great players I think. The drummer is fantastic, very underrated. They just don't have another great song in them.

[obutcher]

Mixed by Mark Stent and Michael Brauer. No wonder the mix is similar to the latest Sade album.

[peat]

check this out:

http://www.uaudio.com/blog/artist-inter ... k-simpson/

[Ben M]

check this out:

http://www.uaudio.com/blog/artist-inter ... k-simpson/

That's hilarious. He compares what they were doing in the production to 4 track recording.

"It's almost like the old days of committing to 4-track tape, when people would bounce stuff together and that would be that."

[Chris H]

check this out:

http://www.uaudio.com/blog/artist-inter ... k-simpson/

...........what a load of crap........product placement bullshit........

[chribble]

paradise sounds good to me??

[Manning]

check this out:

http://www.uaudio.com/blog/artist-inter ... k-simpson/

That's hilarious. He compares what they were doing in the production to 4 track recording.

"It's almost like the old days of committing to 4-track tape, when people would bounce stuff together and that would be that."

He says that, but then he also goes on to say he did tons of layering, as well as sucking in random tracks from six months earlier, and redoing parts in three different studios.

As far as I can tell the band just records its jam sessions in a big room, and then they replace pretty much everything.

Quite revolutionary, I can't believe no one has ever thought of this before.

(Oh hang on...)

[Matthew Dawson]

[quote="ChrisW"]i don't think Coldplay have done anything to match their first album, which I like despite myself.
They are each great players I think. The drummer is fantastic, very underrated. They just don't have another great song in them.[/quote]

I think 'The Scientist' on 'A Rush of Blood to the Head' is a very good song. Clocks is pretty good too.

Also, to me 'Fix You' from 'X&Y' is brilliant (just because we are all sick of it because it shows up in all those TV shows etc doesn't mean it's not a brilliant song).

I agree that the albums aren't really very strong ... and there are no standout songs on Vival la Vida for me.

But ... we do mark them harshly, don't we? What most bands/songwriters would give to have produced as much good music as Coldplay have ... (please note that I am not saying all or most of their music is excellent - one very good album and a handful of very good songs is more that most artists achieve in my book).

(I haven't heard the new one yet)

[mylesgm]

we do mark them harshly, don't we? What most bands/songwriters would give to have produced as much good music as Coldplay have ...

Well considering the resources at their disposal I think we mark them pretty damn easy. The bands I work with work fulltime day jobs to pay for their musical pursuits, rehearse 2-4 times a week, gig heaps and absolutely work themselves to the bone in every area of the business they can just to do the best they can. Coldplay probably did that at some stage too (and their earlier albums kind of show that passion) but now they have anything they want on a plate (not to mention an enormous publicity machine to almost guarantee success regardless of quality) and the content is pretty bland. I think they have it pretty easy...

[The Tasmanian]

The revolution will not be televised

[The Tasmanian]

Yeah that would be right - they call it "lifestyle music"
IE: - no depth to it, wont last past a short period, wont be remembered, did not change or affect history, band try's to write what "sells", no artistic balls to be different, - forgetful and relegated to the MP3 trashbin sooner rather than later.
its something you play in the background while you consume in a shopping centre - or play while you dream of consuming... Mc Music
No wonder people think music is worthless - people have such shit taste, too lazy to search beyond what is fed to them on some garbage radio station - or even worse free to air TV.
Sad times really

[The Tasmanian]

And - I'm not anti pop music at all

[gigpiglet]

so enough coldplay hating...
did anyone else think that vocal sound is just horrible??
im not talking about the songs, or the record..
just horrible sound.
no?

[Ender]

Sad times really

I understand what you're saying Chris.. but I'd say its great times in many regards for people making music and music in general.

It's been a fair while now since radio/TV was the only way to get music to an audience, and I'd say there's a lot more music reaching a substantial (subjective adjective I know) number of ears these days that is not constrained to meeting any 'current trend', that you or I have never heard of, and could ever hear all of. I'm sure some of these could even be considered as quite successful. Big time, schmig time? Interestingly (for me at least), I've had a few people I consider young say they only listen to radio for AM talkback. I used to think of that as my grandparent's domain. That or classic hits. At least to some degree, that is an indication though of how radio has lost ground as a medium to reach this type of audience for new music.

Once more people stop using radio as the traditional (only) way of receiving music, and search these other channels (ie. all things interwebs) they might discover some great music being made out there. If anything, its much easier to find that 'unknown great band' (in your eyes.. ears?) to rave about.. before they hit the "big time" and "sell out".. and in today's world those unknowns don't need to sign up to those pressures to get their music out. My view only, but I believe this is a good thing for music.

My personal hope (actually not just music, all artistic avenues that are now moving to a digital world) is over time this will result in artists with real talent being less obsessed with trying to be famous in all traditional senses, and more time just becoming a master of their instrument/crafts and doing their own thing as their primary focus, assured they really can easily get their music out there for anyone to find whenever its ready to go, rather than doing it in reverse. Artists then won't be tied to contracts, won't be pushed to jump the shark and can either stop, or change totally change their direction to avoid going stale without worrying about the ramifications.

Of course, this is already happening, and I guess my rambling point is.. IMO there is some good stuff out there for those who want to find it.

Hmm, apologies for the Friday rant.. must be beer o'clock, surely.

[Chris H]

so enough coldplay hating...
did anyone else think that vocal sound is just horrible??
im not talking about the songs, or the record..
just horrible sound.
no?

Had a quick listen today at work, youtube clips only, but the vox did sound pretty ordinary. I couldn't accept putting a CD out with so much sibilance on the vox. Definitely sounds like the results of over compression and processing. The tone is that typical one dimensional cardboard sound. I will get a listen to the CD at the studio on Saturday through the large Tanoy's. They are revealing speakers to say the least. If it's ugly they will sound ugly.

[The Tasmanian]

Good rant Dan - so true.
Just that so many great artists still don't get through the sausage machine - that's what makes me sad.
And here we are discussing such an ordinary band that had one killer pop song...
but still worth the discussion.

[mylesgm]

Problem is the resources that are available to the indie band. If you have to work two jobs so that you can make the music you want then your focus is too widespread and often the artist cant make their best work. Of course fulltime artist means you must have revenue from the music (or be independently wealthy) and therefore you must have a large enough audience willing to pay. This is very difficult (not impossible) to achieve as an independent artist unless you have the backing of people (radio etc) who have the ear of the public.

[Manning]

Even that isn't enough - a certain Australian artist who I know quite well (who has an Aria nomination) spent an entire year touring in support of a major label release. The artist only netted $45K for that entire year. The following two years were marginally better, but the artist is still earning less than your typical junior accountant.

[jkhuri44]

^ 45K for not working in an office? sign me up.

[mylesgm]

My brother works in a call centre earning more than me but I wouldn't trade my lifestyle/work for his. If I make enough to live and pursue my creativity fulltime thats enough for me. For now...

[ChrisW]

Young musicians are listening to AM Talkback?
That's pretty scary.

[The Tasmanian]

Hopefully its the ABC

[mylesgm]

A number of musos I work with are politically aware (not necessarily activists), listen to talkback (RN, Local ABC or ABC news radio), and have intelligent ideas about our society. Why would they listen to Alan Jones or read Andrew Bolt?

[The Tasmanian]

For sure Myles
Where would we be without the ABC radio and TV to inform us of what is really going on out there in the world ?
JJJ - is way too narrow musically - tries too hard to compete with commercial stations - and is the opposite really - does not have the balls to inform us musically what is really creative out there in the world - and in Australia.
JJJ is where you will hear Coldsore on rotation - at the expense of some really good Australian artists

[ChrisW]

A number of musos I work with are politically aware (not necessarily activists), listen to talkback (RN, Local ABC or ABC news radio), and have intelligent ideas about our society. Why would they listen to Alan Jones or read Andrew Bolt?

Sorry I'm not from here.
I've mostly seen 'talkback' as a reference to 2GB, 3AW etc....

I listen to ABC radio national, 702 Sydney and ABC news radio and there isn't a lot of listener phoning in IMO.
I didn't think those stations were referred to as 'talkback'.
My mistake.

[Ender]

Hi Chris, probably my bad wording there. I'm not sure they were referring to talkback specifically.. I'm not a regular on those stations myself, so I'm probably using that term fairly loosely. I only meant to imply they weren't listening to the radio to hear music, my bad.