Just two months before the release of their sixth studio album, Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin’s announcement that he and his wife Gwyneth Paltrow were separating seemed to overshadow the band’s anticipated release. However, Ghost Stories, released May 19, provides a stunningly open window into Martin’s pain and heartbreak from his failed marriage. The band achieves this portrayal by blending soft ballads with a more mellower version of their synthesized sound than that seen in their previous album, Mylo Xyloto.
Although Coldplay does not revert completely to its old sound in the band’s early albums such as X & Y and Parachutes, Ghost Stories contains more soft ballads that display the emotional side of Martin’s breakup, and far fewer synthesized melodies. This comes as a relief for many fans worried that the band would further navigate into typical alternative techno-style sounds that would overshadow Martin’s pure voice.
The exception to this trend is the song “A Sky Full of Stars,” the second single released off the album, which greatly resembles the techno-style songs of Mylo Xyloto. The song was produced with Swedish DJ Avicii, and the tune reflects his influence, with synthesized beats that culminate in several instrumental breaks following the chorus that detract from Martin’s voice. Truthfully, the song sounds more like the techno beats of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” than a Coldplay song.
In contrast, the track “Oceans” is particularly reminiscent of Coldplay’s older sound, with pure acoustic guitar accompanying Martin’s voice that perfectly glides over both the high and low notes of the ballad. The song in particular expresses the solidarity and isolation Martin is feeling, as he sings that “you’ve got to find yourself alone in this world, you’ve got to find yourself alone.”
The majority of the songs on the album are soft ballads rather than the upbeat anthems that characterized Mylo Xyloto.
The last song on the album, “O,” is the slowest on the album. It deals with Martin moving on from his relationship in his masterful lyrics that compare moving on to a flock of birds, who fly on. The song particularly demonstrates Martin’s incredible range, with his unadulterated voice that is not masked by any synthesized sounds and is complemented by melancholic piano riffs.
“Another’s Arms” is the most nostalgic song on the album, as Martin reminisces about his memories with Paltrow. The song contains lyrics such as, “Late night watching TV, used to be you here beside me, used to be your arms around me” coupled with high-pitched, female-sounding synthesized ooh’s.
While the album is not the band’s best, and its earlier anthemic style is far superior to their new synthesized alternative sound, Ghost Stories will likely please fans of both the new and the old styles.
