"What the f*^% does that mean?": An Analysis of Coldplay's Album "Mylo Xyloto"

Background
Known for their edgy, out-of-the-box lyrics and music, Coldplay has been a revolutionary in the music industry. In their newest installment titled Mylo Xyoto, the band challenges identity and originality. When asked about the meaning of the title, lead singer Chris Martin remarks, “We wanted it to mean nothing else than what your imagination wanted it to…one of those words that people ask, ‘what the f*!? does that mean?’” Mylo Xyloto (MX) not only serves as the title for the album but sets the stage for the abstract nature of the album which hopes to spark the audience’s imagination.

A Mutualistic Relationship
MX is a prime example of simulation and subjectivity, spans multiple online communities and issues of interpretation, and also serves a form interactive fiction. Through these themes they ignite the imagination of their audience and provoke conversation. It is a mutualistic relationship - through their music that they are able to simultaneously impact and interact with their audience, while their audience also aids in shaping their music. The Internet/”Wired World”, provides the medium for which this interaction can take place between author (musician) and reader (listener). The web is utilized by Coldplay to not only promote audience interaction but for defining the album. Martin remarked when asked about the naming of the album, “In this age of Google, if you had a song titled ‘Bananas’, and you typed it into Google, you would get these other results about bananas, so we thought why not title the album something that only means the album so that it has its own space on the Internet.” Developing something that is new, original but also relatable and inspiring is fundamental to Coldplay’s music and penetrates MX.

Mylo Xyloto & Frankenstein
In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley portrays the creation of Victor Frankenstein to be a blank slate and sets it, the creation, apart from the rest of the world. In the same way, Coldplay has created their own kind of monster. MX is set apart from their other music, receiving both critique and praise for their venture. Martin expressed in an interview that:
 * “We sometimes forget that we have any history and are a bit naïve cause we think when we come back with a new piece of work that it will be judged as its own thing, but of course it isn’t. People compare it to your old work, or they already have an opinion about your band that is good or bad, so I think the whole idea with this one this project, Mylo Xyloto, has been to forget about any of those negative outside forces and that's why got drawn toward graffiti type painting and anything to do with freedom of expression and that's why a lot of the lyrics are about sticking together as a gang and sticking together with the people you love, in amongst a dangerous and scary world, cause that's really how it feels to be in our band.”

Just as Shelley compares creation and creator in her novel, so also is MX critiqued with Coldplay. They deal with preconceived ideas just like those imposed on the monster. The monster was dejected by the only person and world he knows not because of something he had done but by who he is. Just as he was not given a chance, many approach their work in the same way with preconceived notions about the band and the quality of music they are capable of producing - for better or worse. This is why it is imperative for Coldplay to make an impact with their audience and to use their creation as a reflection of themselves.



Thesis
I have been a Coldplay fan for years had much anticipated the arrival of this album from the first time I heard the single, "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall". Upon the release of the album I could not help but notice the wide range of emotions towards the album. Once revered for their unique sound, Coldplay had now been accused of falling too deep into the clutches of the industry's "pop sound" to sell more albums. Others saw the album as yet another masterpiece to be added to their gallery. Martin once said in an interview about the album that, "When you finish your album before and someone says it is bad you think, 'Ok, we better try again', or similarly when someone says your album is good you think, 'Ah, well, we could do one better.'" Seeing how much they had already interacted with their feedback for other albums, I wanted to analyze MX using the context of the Internet to see how it has not only impacted their music but to see how their listeners utilized it to find their own voice/identity through their music on MX, whether it be through vocalizing opinion and critique or creating their own form of remediation in response to the album. Because of the vast audience Coldplay caters to, I also plan to illustrate the diversity of their audience and how that also impacts the scope of their art. From the title of the album to the album art - Coldplay begs their audience to freely express their imagination.

Interpretive Disputes
Coldplay has pushed the bounds of artistry through most of their albums but it is always a topic of scrutiny. In forums about MX, there are a broad spectrum of opinions on the quality of the album and whether or not Coldplay maintained true to their style. One party believes that they are creative as ever, still keeping with their original sound. In an iTunes review of MX, contributor “Good Reviews” remarks:


 * “Experimenting even farther into new realms of music, yet keeping the same acoustic sound of their earlier work, the music in Mylo Xyloto is just as colorful and diverse as the cover art of the album. Diving deeper into new sounds, Coldplay is now experimenting with large synths and booming beats that you would not expect from the band, but they still seem to maintain the same beautiful sounds they have always had. You would think that after four amazing albums, Coldplay would manage to make a bad one for once, but the band still stays strong in what is their most musically diverse album yet…Whether a new or old Coldplay fan, this album is worth the buy to show support to one of the best bands in this generation. Coldplay continues to amaze as they venture to new areas of music but still keep the same sound as their first album, Parachutes…”

This support suggests that they have stayed true to their style and have not been swayed by the demands of the industry to just produce mindlessly. However, another party believes they have sold out to the industry in a vain attempt to make money over making music. In another iTunes review by contributor “KCALP”, they state:


 * “Easily Coldplay's worst album. Basically the only good songs on this are Paradise and (incredibly) Princess of china and possibly Every Teardrop is a Waterfall. The rest are just fairly average songs. What happened to great songs such as Yellow, Fix you, Clocks, God put a Smile upon your Face, Viva la Vida, In my Place, Speed of Sound, Talk? Most of the songs on this album are very bland with weak lyrics and few offer anything new. I expected something much, MUCH better from my favorite band.”

The disappointment in these remarks suggests weakness on Coldplay’s part to not only resist the forces of the industry but to be creative. Neither is right or wrong though because they are opinions and by being opinions are reflections of how the listener is able to identify with their music whether it be for better or worse. Much of their fan base has a preconceived stigma of what Coldplay should be and can identify with that image. When anything changes stylistically they either accept or reject it depending on their perspective. Reconcile or reject is the name of the game and the basis of these criticisms. They can reconcile the difference and by engaging and integrating it into their current schema or reject it because it is not part of its original essence.

Authorial Intentions


Coldplay sought to portray a love story through their album MX. Martin describes it as a love story based in a busy, chaotic city where two people trying to find their way find each other amongst the craziness. But even though they their own interpretation and intentions, they left plenty of room for interpretation for their listeners. Coldplay invites the audience to let their imagination take control and make MX what it wants to be.

One of the interpretation presented in the Harvard Political Review is that MX uses of love as an “allegory for social protest”.


 * “Coldplay has explained that this album was created against the rich backdrop of several protest traditions. The diverse sources of inspiration range from the student-led, anti-Nazi group known as the White Rose Movement, the rebellious art form of graffiti, and the criticisms of government presented in the television series The Wire. Coldplay intertwines all of these themes, particularly freedom from oppression and the power of creativity, in Mylo Xyloto. This background allows the otherwise overused concept of love and heartbreak to present itself in a totally fresh and original way, functioning as an allegory for social protest.” '''

In his article, Benjamin Lopez explains how through each song, there is a political undertone that allows this love story to become a metaphor for political action. This is no surprise since he is writing for a political review journal. His experience shapes how he interprets Coldplay’s agenda in MX. This upholds their goal for the album because Lopez is listening to and interacting with the lyrics and music of MX through his own lens and imagination. He is creating a story of his own through the album’s music.

Another story or interpretation could be a literal love story as presented in Chill_X&Y’s interpretation posted on coldplaying.com : “I see the album as being a love story between two people, named Mylo and Xyloto (although I believe it’s intended to be about a character named Mylo Xyloto, but this is just my interpretation)…” He discusses each track and analysis how his character’s stories are portrayed through the songs and how a story is painted through the music. He, like Lopez, took the story and applied his own creativity to it to make it his own. This exploration is the key to depth of text. Though both of these listeners do not directly interact with Martin or the band, they are “begging the question” and opening up rooms for discussion. These forms of media act as stepping-stones for defining the “un-definable” - a true picture of people’s frustration or wrestle with the abstract. Coldplay challenges its listeners in this way to reshape their thinking.

Remediation
The open, undefined nature of MX allows for multiple forms of remediation and is welcomed. With a basis of chaos and freedom of expression, the album lends it to an “anything-goes” attitude.

“Mylo Xyloto: Inspired by Coldplays New Album” by flyparachutes
One method of remediation of MX was found in the form of a book written around the lyrics of the album. This author made MX into something of his own. Through this piece on Fanfiction.net, the author engages the album by incorporating lyrics from various songs on the album into his own text. Through his piece, the author is able to let his imagination take control of the text and reform it to himself – a critical aspect of MX. This exemplifies not only the pliability of Coldplay’s music but also is testament to how successful they have been at achieving their goal of an open-ended concept album.

Cover of Paradise by Mike Tompkins
Freedom of expression is a prominent theme in MX, and is embodied in Mike Tompkins’s cover of “Paradise”. In his cover, he uses only his voice to recreate the song in its entirety. He goes further to illustrate the chaos created in the album by replicating himself over and over again in various frames making his own “world” of singers though it is just him – a perfect illustration of finding yourself in the midst of this world of chaos. He physically and musically reinvents one of the most popular songs on MX to exemplify what this song means to him and how he has made it his own.

Drake vs. Coldplay: "Over Paradise"
Another way identities were fused through remediations of MX are seen in the clash of Drake and Coldplay in “Over Paradise” by KO Mashups. This artist takes two songs and weaves them together into a new and completely different piece of art. It focuses on the lyrics of Drake’s song “Over” but keeps the melody of “Paradise” throughout and goes to it’s chorus intermittently. This exemplifies both the versatility of MX and how people can identify with it. It also conveys a new meaning through this piece. Drake replays his life in his song, contemplating the struggles, triumphs and outlook his has developed. The artist creatively interjects the chorus singing “Para, para, paradise…” after each verse to symbolize and convey how Drake is now in paradise. Knowing the story of Drake and his rise to fame it seems to highlight where he is now (paradise) in contrast to where he had been before.