Coldplay, a band that has been growing for years with one hit after another has now released an album that is completely different from the previous five albums. Almost every review I’ve read says this is the one that will be forgotten. The album flows into one and nothing stands out. I disagree.
For me, Ghost Stories is warm and honest. It’s clear that it’s affected by Chris Martin’s split up with his Hollywood wife. The lyrics are mostly about lost love. You can also hear wedding bells and other sounds like they come from a distance. Could be like a memory of something that was before everything went down?
Magic was the first single with a catchy bass note and heartwarming lyrics ‘If you were to ask me, after all that we’ve been through, do you still believe in magic? / Yes I do. Of course I do’
Another single released in April, Midnight is like Bon Iver singing Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap. Quite odd but surprisingly good with a little electronic twist around 3:30. It’s obvious they wanted to try something new and this track is a good example.
The third single A Sky Full Of Stars featuring Avicii, has this piano-house sound that will get you to move but is totally the odd one out (looking at the album as a whole). Sounds a bit like a remix of a Coldplay song.
Other songs like Another’s Arms with a dramatic female voice, True Love’s lyrics ‘tell me you love me/if you don’t then lie to me’ are just breathtakingly beautiful while songs like Ocean and O just fall into one.
Ghost Stories is quiet and beautiful. It speaks right out. It makes you think but also not think at all.
This definitely goes to my ‘Mind Soothing’ playlist!
Swing By the Rock 