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Coldplay at Work on “Something Different” for Upcoming Album

2/27/08, 4:48 pm EST

Rolling Stone’s Evan Serpick recently visited Coldplay in their northern London recording studio where they’re hammering away at their still-untitled fourth album, due in May. The band teamed up with legendary producer Brian Eno and pointedly tried to remove all outside influences this time around. “We felt like the first three albums were a trilogy, and we finished that,” says guitarist Johnny Buckland. “So we wanted to do something different.”

“Whether or not it’s good, we certainly started to use more colors,” says frontman Chris Martin. “It’s impossible to please everybody, and it took us a while to learn that.” The tracks Serpick heard were considerably rougher than songs on Coldplay’s past albums, and tackled darker lyrical themes, as well. For more from the band and an early look at nine songs that may appear on the record, click here.

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[Photo: Getty]


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Comments

Eno to save the day | 2/27/2008, 8:41 pm EST

Hopefully this record will finally be a good one worth buying. Eno will sure fire things up, I don’t think he’ll let them put out another mediocre album.

Anonymous | 2/27/2008, 11:21 pm EST

This band can truly be great if they stay with the basic underpinning sound style they have, but put on the exclamation point by turning the Buckland’s guitar up to 11!!!

They need a rough edge. That’s why I’m impressed, but haven’t plunked down the cash yet.

juddy | 2/28/2008, 2:49 am EST

Coldplay definately need to change their tact on this album and theres no better way of doing it then going for a “rougher” sound. They planned to do this iniatially on the last album but didnt so it will be very interesting to see what comes out of the studio, especially with Enos influence.

Jakobi | 2/28/2008, 2:51 am EST

Knowing Coldplay, they’ll go away, and release an album of strange, experimental electronic influenced music; it’ll go to number 1 for a week then trail off.
Their following works will be described as ‘twitchy’ and people will yearn for the days of X&Y and Rush of Blood.
Then they’ll release a download only album.

See what I did there?

ha | 2/28/2008, 8:35 am EST

haha, sounds like they’re trying to be like Radiohead again….

makes me laugh hard!!!

liveon35mm.com | 2/28/2008, 9:10 am EST

Noooooooooooooooooo, coldplay again…no please stop him…

ha is absolutely right | 2/28/2008, 12:45 pm EST

I’ve always agreed with the huge amounts of people who consider coldplay nothing but watered-down Radiohead…this album preview makes that statement seem even more true.

If it weren’t for them completely ripping off Kraftwerk on their last album I’d be much more open.

No creavtivity-poor replication-corporate drone music.

Mike/Houston,TX. | 2/28/2008, 4:48 pm EST

Another COLDPLAY album? Finally! After R.E.M fizzled out on their last two offerings, Colplay won me over. Looking forward to the razor’s edge…

la la landon | 2/29/2008, 12:21 am EST

martin doesnt know what he’s doing, he thinks he is a genius like thom yorke or a political activist like bono, but he is neither. all he is is a weiner.

The Intl | 2/29/2008, 2:49 am EST

does anyone really care about coldplay anymore? aren’t they traveling on the road to U2-dom?

Veronica | 2/29/2008, 3:00 am EST

it seems to me, that you people do not know good music when you here it. Coldplay is one of the most talented bands since the beatles. if they really didn’t know what they were doing, they wouldn’t have such a huge fan base.

coldplay= NOT talented | 2/29/2008, 12:02 pm EST

Veronica…you are clueless.

one of the most talented bands since the beatles? Huh?

You must be talking about their biggest single, which is nothing more than Chris Martin singing DIRECTLY over a Kraftwerk song.

Or maybe ytou’re talking about how they ripped of Radiohead’s aesthetic…its simply radio friendly radiohead.

Watered down radiohead still makes for some good music, but it is WAY to derivitive to be considered even close to great music.

To be considered a talented band, one must display creativity….fan base has little to do with it. The only reason they are so big is becasue their major label (which they claim to want to leave just like Radiohead did) have been illegally paying radio stations to play these songs (look it up). The masses don’t know what they want, so they like what is forced down their throat.

Brett | 2/29/2008, 9:40 pm EST

Well Veronica, the reason they have a large fan base is they have perfected the art of making bland, generic music the appeals to a variety of people who are not interested in music as an art form or in being challenged by the music that they listen to. It’s more about being a shill than being the most talented band since the Beatles.

Luis | 3/1/2008, 11:45 am EST

FINALLY!!!good news about this album I ancious to listen it really, I think it will be the first complete album I will buy physically and not online in about 3 years..

Wild Side | 3/2/2008, 2:29 am EST

does anyone really care about coldplay anymore? aren’t they traveling on the road to U2-dom?

probably…except coldplay is still relevent – and good.

Sorry Veronica | 3/3/2008, 11:29 am EST

Coldplay is not even in the same universe as The Beatles. Corporate Marketing + Major Label = “Big Fan Base”. These fools aren’t even at the same caliber of half the bands out there today let alone The Beatles. Let’s not get carried away there sweetheart!

Head | 3/4/2008, 6:39 am EST

At the end of the day, no one has listened to anything from the album. Just wait. Listen. Then judge.

Primo | 3/5/2008, 2:37 am EST

Fuck all you Coldplay haters.

shahi | 3/18/2008, 8:59 am EST

i love coldplay and they are always succed

Coldplay? Anthem Pop | 3/25/2008, 4:14 pm EST

Coldplay is lyrically shallow and musically formulaic… people don’t care. I think that all of you that think you know what good music is should settle down. The best bands in the world rarely become famous, and your faves likely never will. I mean lets face it, early Beatles music, written by Paul was shallow…Lennon even said so himself. Coldplay is a popular band. They try to appeal to a large audience, so stop being so elitist…no one is asking your permission to like them. Instead of telling us how dumb coldplay is, tell your friends what bands are really good

COLDPLAY | 4/12/2008, 12:06 am EST

you guys suck.

Dan | 4/15/2008, 11:30 am EST

My heads aching after reading this page… its like a page of harsh food critics. Coldplay are a really good band. Being a Londoner and having followed their progress even before parachutes was released, I think they are just great. I love artists from sufjan stevens to DMB (both hard to find in the UK)… like these guys can, it takes some talent to create a buzzing emotion and hook in a song. If you don’t feel that at the end of ‘fix u’ by coldplay – I don’t know what to say!!!

Go Coldplay | 4/21/2008, 7:52 pm EST

I think Coldplay is one the most talented bands on the face of the earth. Besides, even if you think that they’re bad, they’ve still influenced modern music so much.
I love them.

Thom | 4/24/2008, 8:09 am EST

coldplay is one of the most talented, original bands of their time,
fark ne1 who knocks them…

i

Coldplay ROCKS!!! | 5/7/2008, 2:28 am EST

One simple statement:

Coldplay Rocks better then any other band!!!

My statement I finished.

Michelle | 5/14/2008, 1:00 pm EST

Clodplay is amazing.Their mellow music is always inspiring and sometimes even brings me to tears. There really mellow so think it’s about time they put more of a rougher edge to their music…I cant WAIT to hear it!
Coldplay a “watered-down radiohead” guys?!? PLEASE!

Michelle | 5/14/2008, 1:01 pm EST

Coldplay is amazing.Their mellow music is always inspiring and sometimes even brings me to tears. There really mellow so think it’s about time they put more of a rougher edge to their music…I cant WAIT to hear it!
Coldplay a “watered-down radiohead” guys?!? PLEASE!

steph | 5/18/2008, 10:40 pm EST

go colplay go cold play go sti

M | 5/23/2008, 2:03 pm EST

Can’t wait for their new album! People are haters!

titi ni chris martin | 5/27/2008, 12:24 pm EST

tang ina nyong lahat.. pagkakakantutin ko kayo..

Catherine loves Chris Martin! | 5/27/2008, 6:39 pm EST

This is something worth waiting for … Ever since the iTunes commercial came out, it’s been stuck in my head … ! =] Love Coldplay and Viva la Vida … ! =D

Catherine loves Chris Martin! | 5/27/2008, 6:42 pm EST

I think it’s awful to think that Coldplay is a bad band … They’re awesome and for those who don’t think so obviously can’t see between the lines of the greatest band EVER … !

Jenn | 5/30/2008, 6:43 am EST

Have sampled it and love it. I think this may (may) be the best coldplay album to date. there is a depth to the lyrics we haven’t seen from them before, and the music is different, while still coldplay-esque. VERY excited to hear the rest!!

eucanfly | 6/5/2008, 10:36 pm EST

coldplay’s new album is a surprising blueprint. i love how they make experimental music.

justin | 6/7/2008, 11:47 am EST

i heard violet hill and viva la vida and death and all his friends it said it was called by coldplay and i never really got into coldplay but know i love these songs and cant wait for the album

justin | 6/7/2008, 11:54 am EST

and you people that want to say that they copy radio head all the time and talk well go look up radiohead and talk to fans their but radiohead is not coldplay coldplay is coldplay hence the name coldplay not watereddown or your iq may be too low to realize this so i guess smart people have got to consider the braindead radiohead fans have a name that suites them braindead radiohead

richard | 6/7/2008, 11:59 am EST

yeah radio head is more like the beatles they can sing creep and im a loser together

Tbqhsxbs | 7/13/2009, 7:13 pm EST

TEfr3C

tenzin choetso | 9/3/2009, 8:12 am EST

coldplay is the best band i ever heard.especially viva la vida,lost,scientist n yellow. i love u coldplay. keep rocking n shaking the world. i m waiting till i die for ur new album.

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