The majority of Coldplay's songs fall into one of two categories: emotive, anthemic pop-rock or pretentious twaddle. But I'm torn with this one.
It samples Peter Allen's 1976 "hit" I go to Rio, though it's certainly subtle. The other clear influence is U2 - this track is totally smothered in it, particularly the guitars. Things haven't changed much since the 'Viva La Vida' days. Structurally, it's essentially one long crescendo, extra layers of sound gradually added. But without a proper hook, the song ironically falls flat. It's just not that memorable and no amount of layered guitars and synths will change that.
On the other hand, the overall sound is euphoric and will sound ecstatic at festivals across the summer. It just doesn't quite reach the dizzying heights that Chris Martin and co. aspire to and ultimately feels self-indulgent.
As such, Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall showcases the band's strengths and weaknesses. The overall sound may be exhilerating, but it means nothing if the track is structurally flawed.
3/5
