After announcing a few years back that their seventh album would probably be their last, Coldplay set some pretty high expectations for their “final” release, A Head Full of Dreams, which dropped Friday (Dec. 4). It’s clear after listening to the band’s latest tracks that they put a lot into this album, incorporating disco and techno elements into a new sound fans will be happy to remember them by if this really is the end.
Coldplay has been known to experiment and change their sound from album to album and A Head Full of Dreams is no exception. After the release of their sixth, and least popular album, Ghost Stories, I was hopeful but also a little skeptical to see if the band could deliver one last success reminiscent of their more beloved songs. Ghost Stories, full of downcast tracks reflective of front man Chris Martin’s feelings during his divorce from Gwyneth Paltrow, was a big disappointment to most Coldplay fans because it neglected the band’s notorious optimism about life, love, and change. A Head Full of Dreams provides a much needed energy boost to Coldplay’s sound, reaffirming the group’s positive vibe with the help of dance-y beats and catchy lyrics.
The first single “An Adventure of a Lifetime,” released in early November epitomizes Coldplay’s new sound in A Head Full of Dreams, highlighting the album’s happy lyrics and hint of disco. The second single, “Everglow,” (released Nov. 27) established the band’s comeback from their previous, gloomy record. This track in its lyrics, tone, and subliminal background vocals from Gwyneth Paltrow herself, reflects the album’s central theme; you can find happiness after sorrow. In addition to “Everglow,” several tracks feature artists including Beyoncé and Tove Lo, along with tracks including poet Coleman Barks, President Obama, and Chris Martin’s kids.
Although I am a much bigger fan of Coldplay’s earlier work, I appreciate the band’s tenacity in changing their sound throughout the years. While some view them as a sell-out to the pop industry, I still believe Coldplay’s has made some great contributions to the music world, creating songs with accessibly interesting compositions and lyrics with genuine, sentimental messages. This album expands on Coldplay’s experimentation as artists with more current sounds while still maintaining the positive, simple lyrics affiliated with their earlier records, making A Head Full of Dreams a perfect send-off for the band of seventeen years.
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to have a hard time coping if this is really the end for Coldplay. But then again, nobody said it was easy. No one ever said it would be this hard… Oh wait.