It could have been more ...

When I think of Coldplay personally I associate it with alternative music that is not oriented to the mainstream, but now still mainstream. With this album the band is taking a further step towards this market.

I have heard the album a few times now, the first time, I admit quite frankly, I was disappointed. The fact that the album more oriented like already "Viva La Vida" on average musical taste, did me already hurt something. Of the total 14 tracks but only 11 to call the real songs. Introduced in "Viva La Vida" Eingenart to have the tracks run into each other with such a gap fillers will unfortunately continue here. Therefore, the first track "Mylo Xyloto" is disappointing, because this is in fact the first of these three songs. Most of the tracks I already knew from live performances in recent months, "Hurts Like Heaven", for example, was supposed to be one of my favorite tracks. Scary fun, varied melody, beautiful guitar and of course Martin's voice made this song to the top Livetrack. A big question mark then hovered over my head when I heard the studio version. Why is Martin's voice backed by a second, which sounds like a robot? Why so electronically? Full mess it does the track, but I was a bit shocked and I can not understand it completely.
Then go from here, "Paradise". Great song, a style mix of "Viva La Vida" and "X & Y". Martin's voice is rightly in the foreground and makes this song, as it should be with Coldplay.
This is followed by another hopefuls. Charlie Brown's definitely been the most popular track in the live performances. Martin and his acoustic guitar go catchy and develop inevitably jump to catchy, great variables in the further course make this song unique. This track will again be a classic a la "Yellow" or "Clocks". After that it gets a little quiet again, in "Us Against the World" sing Martin and drummer Will Champion along a beautiful ballad that Coldplay fans should go straight to the heart. "MMIX" is a further, redundant track. A 50-second, unspectacular introduction to "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall". When the track was released as a single in June, I was only disappointed, but that song you just have to win love. I would not want to miss it on this album. Also "Major Minus" was already known. I did not like that song already there and I doubt that it will change anything else. Martin's voice is completely pushed into the background, in the chorus only "Uh uh uh". No, that's not really Coldplay. "UFO", another, quieter track of the listener prepared with a beautiful melody in the most controversial track of this album. "Princess Of China". This song was amazing live. Also this track has been completely broken produced in the studio, through the whole track itself accuses a terrible electronic synthesizer. To that we Rihanna. Finally now you realize: The band in the production only one thing in mind: money, money, money. Because this track is certainly chart toppers, alone because of the millions of teenagers who really buy anything where these whining Schrulle participates. You messed up that song, a great pity. One can only hope that a live album will be released without her voice. Another, completely failed title is then "Up in Flames". Cobbled together from the simplest sound loops. Martin repeated churning. No trace of Coldplay.
"A Hopeful Transmission" is the final stopgap. However, this is at least good, great introduction to a great track. "Do not Let It Break Your Heart" brings it all out again shortly before the end, has to offer the band. A surprisingly catchy track on the way to the stadium rockers, in which I got goose bumps immediately. One drawback: Unfortunately, Martin's voice is a bit too quiet again.
"Up With The Birds" completes the whole as very pleasant and leaves with a great finale a positive impression.

All tracks:

(Mylo Xyloto - 5/10)
Hurts Like Heaven - 7/10
Paradise - 9/10
Charlie Brown - 10/10
Us Against The World - 8/10
(MMIX - 2/10)
Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall - 8/10
Major Minus - 6/10
UFO - 8/10
Princess Of China - 5/10
Up In Flames - 4/10
(A Hopeful Transmission - 6/10)
Do not Let It Break Your Heart - 9/10
Up With The Birds - 8/10

Overall I would give the album 7/10 points, I do it times 4/5 star, turned a blind eye.

Conclusion: Perfect for the mainstream market. Even for long-time Coldplay fans, there are some beautiful songs. The best album of the band, it is not.