![1. 'A Head Full Of Dreams': The album's title track has fairly unmistakeable U2 vibes - with a pulsing bass riff underneath an expansive melody, it's basically one big chorus. There's a brief respite in the form of a reverb-filled guitar riff, but then the]()
1. 'A Head Full Of Dreams': The album's title track has fairly unmistakeable U2 vibes - with a pulsing bass riff underneath an expansive melody, it's basically one big chorus. There's a brief respite in the form of a reverb-filled guitar riff, but then the "ohhh ohh ohhhh"s kick off, the choir comes in, and you find yourself throwing your arms up in the air against your will.
![2. 'Birds': From the opening drum beat, you half expect George Michael to burst in and start singing,]()
2. 'Birds': From the opening drum beat, you half expect George Michael to burst in and start singing, "Well I guess it would be nice..." Instead, we get Chris Martin sounding mildly bored by the sound of his own voice, and the result is slightly jarring. All's not lost though - at around the two minute mark, the pace picks up and Martin's falsetto hits its stride.
![3. 'Hymn For The Weekend': Opening with the sound of birdsong, followed by Beyonce's blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo (]()
3. 'Hymn For The Weekend': Opening with the sound of birdsong, followed by Beyonce's blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo ("She was in and out in five minutes," Martin told Annie Mac recently) - the song that follows is unadulterated R&B. "I, oh I, oh I, I'm feeling drunk and high."
![4. 'Everglow': With a poignant piano opening, before the rolling drumbeat kicks in alongside Chris Martin's airy vocals, the song is the sort of glowing-wristbands-in-the-air style ballad that Coldplay are so fond of. Martin's ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow, from whom he]()
4. 'Everglow': With a poignant piano opening, before the rolling drumbeat kicks in alongside Chris Martin's airy vocals, the song is the sort of glowing-wristbands-in-the-air style ballad that Coldplay are so fond of. Martin's ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow, from whom he "consciously uncoupled" last year, provides backing vocals - making lines such as, "I'm gonna miss ya, I know" more moving. Sadly though, her contribution is pretty hard to make out.
![5. 'Adventure Of A Lifetime': The spacey guitar riff, which lies somewhere between prog rock and '80 electronica, is one of the best opening riffs we've heard in a long time. The song that follows hangs much of its weight around this riff - it's its own chorus. 'Adventure...' is an eastern influenced stadium-filler, and really fulfils the prophecy of a more 'dance-oriented' Coldplay.]()
5. 'Adventure Of A Lifetime': The spacey guitar riff, which lies somewhere between prog rock and '80 electronica, is one of the best opening riffs we've heard in a long time. The song that follows hangs much of its weight around this riff - it's its own chorus. 'Adventure...' is an eastern influenced stadium-filler, and really fulfils the prophecy of a more 'dance-oriented' Coldplay.
![6. 'Fun': Tove Lo has proven herself to be one of the strongest talents of the past few years when it comes to creating a killer pop tune - and her talents have not been wasted on 'Fun'. It's a poignant, optimistic reflection on the end of a relationship:]()
6. 'Fun': Tove Lo has proven herself to be one of the strongest talents of the past few years when it comes to creating a killer pop tune - and her talents have not been wasted on 'Fun'. It's a poignant, optimistic reflection on the end of a relationship: "I know it's over, parting our ways / And it's done / But didn't we have fun?"
![7. 'Kaleidoscope': At just under two minutes, 'Kaleidoscope' comprises a spoken extract from a poem by the Persian poet Rumi, over a lofty piano instrumental:]()
7. 'Kaleidoscope': At just under two minutes, 'Kaleidoscope' comprises a spoken extract from a poem by the Persian poet Rumi, over a lofty piano instrumental: "This being human is a guest house / Every morning a new arrival / A joy, a depression, a meanness."
![8. 'Army Of One': It's catchy and anthemic in the way that even Coldplay's sneezes are, but this lyric is entirely unforgiveable:]()
8. 'Army Of One': It's catchy and anthemic in the way that even Coldplay's sneezes are, but this lyric is entirely unforgiveable: "Pyramids try, Babylon too / But the beautiful-est treasures lie in the deepest blue." Beautifulest? Really, Chris?
![Hidden track. 'X Marks The Spot': Hidden within the confines of 'Army Of One', 'X Marks The Spot' is another R&B-laced offering. In fact, with siren sound effects and lyrics like,]()
Hidden track. 'X Marks The Spot': Hidden within the confines of 'Army Of One', 'X Marks The Spot' is another R&B-laced offering. In fact, with siren sound effects and lyrics like, "I put my hands up to the sky," it's bordering on a club track.
![9. 'Amazing Day': Sprawling and cinematic, 'Amazing Day' is one of the album's highlights. Its perfectly judged pacing and unashamedly enamoured lyrics marry perfectly. It's uncynical indie-pop at its best.]()
9. 'Amazing Day': Sprawling and cinematic, 'Amazing Day' is one of the album's highlights. Its perfectly judged pacing and unashamedly enamoured lyrics marry perfectly. It's uncynical indie-pop at its best.
![10. 'Colour Spectrum': Another very short extract from Rumi's poem 'The Guest House'.]()
10. 'Colour Spectrum': Another very short extract from Rumi's poem 'The Guest House'.
![11. 'Up & Up': Chris Martin describes this one as]()
11. 'Up & Up': Chris Martin describes this one as "the song we've been waiting to write for ten years," so it's only fitting that it should close the album. Condensing their stadium-rock sound into something more focussed and minimalist, there's something achingly hopeful about its refrain, "We're gonna get it, get it together somehow." Chris Martin has hinted that this album might be the last we'll hear from Coldplay for a while (perhaps even forever), and this track is a fitting end for this chapter.