Out of superstition, or more likely exhaustion, nineteenth-century composers tended to stop at the ninth symphony, beyond which they swore they glimpsed the Pillars of Hercules of musical creativity. Coldplay have already announced that they will close at twelve, promising two more albums after the new arrival Moon Music; whose continued listening would lead us to reply that it is not absolutely necessary and that we are happy to be satisfied with the round figure. In fact, it sounds like the feared confirmation of the irreversible course undertaken well before Music of the Spheres (2021) by the “sixth most awarded group in history”, which will certainly have time and opportunity to climb other positions by aiming straight for the Grammys and consolidating the most joyful and motivational strand of contemporary pop. With all due respect to those who were still waiting for a return to the style of the past, I’m not saying Parachutes but at least say A Rush of Blood to the Headthe album recorded in the aftermath of September 11th from which, if we look closely, that same “poetics of resilience” that is increasingly hegemonic in the band’s lyrics (and not just theirs).
SE AND VERSI express continuity, from a musical point of view it is only the auditory surface that shows stylistic reminiscences, with the title track which at the beginning offers four minutes or so of hopes, immediately dashed by feelslikeimfallinginlove: an eight-bar refrain to summarize the harmonic, rhythmic and melodic trademarks of recent hits (Higher Power, for one thing). The act of faith of We Praydropping the poker of featuring (Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna and Tini) then eliminates any residual expectation of originality with a harmonic loop on which rap, urban pop and a choral babbling alternate similar, more than to Coldplay, to the jingles of our old commercials with the chauffeur Ambrogio. Everything is resolved on the dance floor of Eternal climax per i Good Feelings and for the rainbows that in the form of emojis title track no. 6.
Consistent with the underlying astral themes, the frontman’s vocality also pushes upwards into registers increasingly inclined to give in to falsetto, a perfect embodiment of the hyperglycemic optimism of this new galactic guide to finding oneself: the glossy pop of Moon Music it’s a sort of “everything will be fine 2.0” which frankly tastes a little too much like escapism, a look to the stars to divert the attention of the band and its audience from the current historical-cultural context. Risky attitude, because it is already a trend.
WITHOUT A DOUBT we must give Chris what is Chris’s (without forgetting the other Martin, Max, co-producer of the album), recognizing in songs like Jupiter e All My Love a still happy pen, and in iAMM a worthy heir to their “ten years” songbook. But it’s not enough to dispel that shocking pink blanket that opens towards a pop solar system of which Coldplay are now the main planet; or rather, the gas giant from which we should not expect revolutions.
