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In interviews surrounding the record, Martin defended it, speaking eloquently (if still naively) about embracing being “uncool.” “Would the world be so aggressive if you could be who you are?” he asked Amanda Petrusich of The New Yorker. “I think a lot of the violence and conflict[in the world]comes from repression, repression, and unreleased harm.” That’s all the justification Coldplay needed to indulge in childlike wonder. But big emotions don’t have to mean simple emotions, and childlike wonder doesn’t have to mean regressing to the most mundane of emotions. Emotions are born there. The most frequently heard word on this album is “la-la,” and about half of the songs end with wordless singalongs. When Martin sings, “La la ray/That’s all I can say,” in the penultimate song “All My Love,” he practically sounds like he’s trying to get someone to go. That’s right, Chris, we know!
When Coldplay remembered their strengths, they produced their best material in years. “Jupiter” is a really lovely ode to a woman who discovers love for another woman. It’s Coldplay’s first thoughtful song in a while, a rare post-Ghost Story song, and a nice return to the intimate feel of their early work. . (“Don’t Give Up” means more to one person than it does to 80,000 people.) On “Aeterna,” the lyrics are set aside for an ambient dance shuffle; Bassist Guy Berryman takes precedence over Martin’s digitally altered falsetto. The song, which borrows a backbeat from jazz eccentric Lewis Cole’s “Weird Part of the Night,” asks why they still asked The Chainsmokers to co-write a song called “GOOD FEELiNGS.” It’s a detour with a style that makes you wonder if it’s even there.
With its unpredictable quality control, Coldplay is frustrating to defend or dismiss. For every questionable choice, there’s always a six-minute nu-jazz vamp or classic prog-pop piece waiting around the corner. Only Coldplay makes a song called “🌈,” but only Coldplay makes it one of the most beautiful and exploring songs on record. What starts out as another “Fix You” retread gradually turns blissful, as if Martin was listening to Cocteau Twins or Sigur Ros while building a parachute instead of Jeff Buckley. . So it’s all the more frustrating when a song like “We Pray” doesn’t live up to its potential. Some of the choices are brave, such as featuring Palestinian-Chilean artist Elianna and adopting the name of the Iranian protest song Balayeh. Burna Boy and Little Sims go all out with their soulful guest appearances. However, “We Pray” is once again filled with “la-la” and simple emotions, so packed that there are two versions with different verses. The production is completely flat. The Imagine Dragons song uses a harder 808.
At their best, Coldplay can do things that no other artist of their size can. There’s enough charm in Moon Music to prove why they’ve lasted so long, and why no misplaced hip-hop practice or clunky lyrics can stop their reign. Another bonus track, “The Karate Kid,” is a melancholy ballad that’s as good as anything they’ve written. The lyrics are still nonsense on paper, and it’s hard to know if the song’s “Daniel” is an original character or the actual protagonist of “The Best Kid.” But the details are not important. The song is a rare moment in which Martin leans into the pain of a loved one rather than trying to resolve them, so the inevitable lyrics about making dreams come true feel earned. Or, in late Coldplay parlance, they still remember that there’s a 🌧️ before the 🌈.
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