Mylo Xyloto(that’s My-lo Zy-le-toe for those phonetically challenged) is the fifth studio album released by British alternative rock band, Coldplay. The album had a worldwide release on Oct. 24 and has also set the record for the highest first week album sales ever on the iTunes Store worldwide — a milestone previously held in 2008 by, again, Coldplay with the release of Viva La Vida. In the United States, sales across all formats totaled 447,000 according to dailyblam.com.
A new Coldplay album always sparks interest, but what about the name? In an interview with United Kingdom newspaper The Sun, front man Chris Martin was asked about the beguiling title and said, “At the moment it seems a bit ridiculous and I accept that. Something about it feels quite fresh. The title does not have any other meaning. I think we’re a band with a lot of history now so it’s nice to come up with something that doesn’t have any history at all.”
However silly or odd the title, let us peel back the layers of the music inside which is sure to be adding to everyone’s top 10 playlist across the country.
 Mylo Xylotostarts the record in accordance with the titular album name and is a breezy melody of xylophone and synth tension and flows directly into “Hurts Like Heaven.” The backing piano, guitar riffs and rhythm guitar in the chorus of “Hurts Like Heaven” may be the most slap-happy thing heard in a while, and it totally works. It simply cannot be listened to without some form of head-bob or toe-tap to punctuate the new-wave sounding beat emanating from the speakers.
The next track is “Paradise” and is one of the more uplifting songs on the album. This one is a little heavy on the bass synth and, really, is all the better for it. As the beat drops on the verses it changes the whole mood as somber but sweet piano chords replace the electronic energy of the Moogs. It is so well orchestrated as it picks up right where it left off during the chorus with a throng of voices shouting “para-para-paradise” with mad reverb reinforcement.
The next two songs, “Charlie Brown” and “Us Against the World” have their quirks with the former sounding more like its album X&Y as well as being a terrific concert opener. The latter is more in tune with the earlier days of the mellow Parachutes. It is when the computer-gurgled transition track “M.M.I.X.” segues into “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” that the album has hit its full stride as an inspirational jam. Chris Martin’s voice does what it does best: makes the listener sing at the top of his or her lungs with the have-no-care attitude he exudes in his lyrics and composition. It is no small wonder why this track was released as a single to generate hype for the album.
Peaking at the best single would seem to make sense. It gives the listeners time to cool down and absorb the stirring auditory stimuli they just received. With such a powerful song before the next two tracks,  “Major Minus” and “U.F.O” fall short of the general rousing theme and are really just melancholy filler.
Synthesizer is king in “Princess China” which features a slightly new direction for Martin and company. It is worthy of its electropop moniker with its staccato beats and choral chants near stanzas and during the chorus. It does not hurt to have the Caribbean queen Rihanna backing your vocals for a solid compilation radio hit. It may have a slighter darker feel to it than the album radiates, but it is nothing short of pop-tastic.
We are in the home stretch of the album now and “Up in Flames” gives us one last rest before Mylo Xylotofinishes strong. Much like “Clocks” before it, this track is slower but heavily piano driven and Martin’s falsetto voice soars in the simple chorus touting that “up in flames we have slowly gone.” It is the last transition track Coldplay titles “A Hopeful Transmission” to give the blessed reassurance this album was made for entertainment as well as encouragement. The speakers are soon set on fire with “Don’t let it Break Your Heart.” It is high-energy, it is colorful and it is the last jolt given to sustain until the end. It is on par with “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” as far as mood goes and would have no problem being an excellent set-list finisher, if not a supremely galvanizing encore. Heck, this song could be played anywhere, anytime and it would not be out of place. By this measure, “Up With the Birds” would seem an anticlimactic closer but nothing could be further from the truth. It should be taken as a bow from the band — a courtesy done for us by Coldplay and its great performance. Lyricism and introspection usually go hand-in-hand, and this is the case with “Up With the Birds.” It is a fantastic finish to a great ride.
It may not be as laden with social commentary as its last album, but Coldplay was never out to make explicit political statements in the first place. The members are world-class entertainers first and foremost. With mixed reviews coming in for Mylo Xyloto, the bandwagon trend is a defunct course of action; it is more of a personal choice to listen to this collection. Still, if driving rhythms and uplifting harmonies are what you are searching for, then you could not do much better than Mylo Xyloto.