Ever since the release of Parachutes in 2000, Coldplay and its front man, Chris Martin, have never failed to impress and captivate.  Known mostly by their characteristic piano and acoustic guitar - as well as powerful and emotional lyrics - Coldplay truly made a name for themselves with the 2003 release of the single “Clocks.” This single, and its proceeding album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, marked Coldplay as the alternative powerhouse to beat.

                Since then, Coldplay has released a steady stream of highly successful and breathtaking albums, each one notably unique from the last. In this way, the UK band has made a gradual shift from their original sound to create a whole new name for themselves, diversifying and strengthening their music along the way.

                Mylo Xyloto is the culmination of this diversification.  When the album was first released this past October, it was greeted by a mixture of reactions.  Excitement for a new Coldplay album was met by a collective eye-brow raising at its first single, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.” “Is this really Coldplay?” people wondered.  “What happened to them?”

                Those who were previously comforted by Coldplay’s melodic acoustic vibes were shocked and even somewhat appalled at hearing a new techno-pop sound accompanied by the sudden – but not overdone – use of synthesizers.  But be still, little Coldplay-loving hearts.  The old Coldplay is still there; songs like “Charlie Brown” and “U.F.O” can attest to that. 

                Even “Princess of China,” which features Rihanna and was snapped up by all the popular radio stations, hearkens to Coldplay’s long-standing love of all things Oriental.  This was also seen in 2008 with the release of Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, which included “Strawberry Swing” and “Lovers in Japan,” both of which were inspired by Asian culture and themes.

                Nonetheless, Mylo Xyloto is a far cry from Coldplay’s originally more melancholic sound, what with songs like “Hurts Like Heaven,” which fits more into a Passion Pit album than among Coldplay’s ranks.  Of course, this isn’t to say that this change is a bad thing; the smartest move for a band like Coldplay – which is rounding on 12 years in the spotlight and still massively popular – to remain as big as it is in the music world is to play the field and experiment with new sounds.  And boy is it working.

                Coldplay, no less than a veteran band in the alternative music industry, can now be stepped back from and analyzed at a distance.  Any Coldplay buff will now be able see the totality of Coldplay’s efforts. 

                In a matter of 5 studio-released albums, they have created a broad spectrum of music, colors, and emotions.  True masters of their art, Coldplay have managed to drastically alter their sound – risky, no doubt – and not only maintain a cult following, but also create consistently fantastic music, album after album.