Yeah, I love how he so easily lifts the verse melody straight off “Pump It Up”…I thought Coldplay took their cues from U2…not the other way around.

Silent Alarm – perfection
A Weekend in The City – emo-laiden, overly dramatic whinefest
Intimacy – experimental confusion

I do think Intimacy will grow on me with each listen. I’m on listen #4 and pretty sold on Ares (even if pale version of Chem Bros “Setting Sun”), Halo, Better Than Heaven and Ion Square.

WHY DO THEY CHANGE PITCH IN ONE MONTH OFF??? I mean, granted, the song is so repetitive by that point in the song I’m ready to switch it off, but boooooooooooo!

I do feel all the changes in melody that made Silent Alarm so brilliant are severly lacking on this latest effort. If changes come at all they appear as hurried, last minute thoughts tacked onto the very last moments of a song.

Again, I hope this improves with repeated listens. Although that didn’t happen with AWITC.

I agree with you chr and pffft…but when it’s a blatant rip (as in the petula example above) it’s just pretty sad.

So…the first time I heard Coldplay’s single “Viva La Vida” I IMMEDIATELY started singing different lyrics when it got to the chorus. I was like, “Ryan, this song is ripping off SOMEthing I just know it!”

I kept thinking and thinking and FINALLY I recalled the whole song…it’s TOTALLY Petula Clark’s “My Love” No seriously!

Go here and listen to the Coldplay chorus (starts around 0:16)…go on…do it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3mYc1m3lsM

And then go here and listen to Petula:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-1_d6bbM1I

Yeah Coldplay’s version slower and slightly altered, but c’mon…you can hear that melody!

I thought it was bad back when A Rush Of Blood came out and heard “Politik”…yes I love that song…but could it really have borrowed ANY more from Blur’s “Sing”???

I understand INFLUENCES happen…but they are doing quite a bit more.

I am so gonna have to go to this!