Coldplay, Orphans | Track Review 🎵

Grammy-winning alternative rock band Coldplay delivers a hit with “Orphans,” the co-lead single from their eighth studio album, Everyday Life.

Following a four-year hiatus between full-length studio albums, Coldplay returns in 2019 with Everyday Life.  Everyday Life serves as the proper follow-up to A Head Full of Dreams, released in 2015.  The eighth studio album by Chris Martin and company is a double album, comprised of ‘Sunrise’ (eight tracks) and ‘Sunset’ (eight tracks).  Initially, the Grammy-winning British alternative collective released a single from each disc – “Arabesque”, the penultimate cut from ‘Sunrise’ and “Orphans,” the second track (10^th overall) from ‘Sunset.’

Compared to co-lead single “Arabesque,” “Orphans” is shorter, running about three-minutes-and-twenty seconds.  There’s more of a commercial sensibility, but don’t call “Orphans” a pop song. Bill Rahko, Daniel Green, and Rik Simpson co-produce this groovy rock record, which incorporates elements of international and world music, giving it an eclectic vibe.  That eclectic vibe is further supported by the use of a choir during the intro and chorus, as well as nonsensical, onomatopoeic sounds courtesy of Moses Martin (Chris’ boy).  The chorus is absolutely epic:

“I want to know when I can go
Back and get drunk with my friends
I want to know when I can go
Back and be young again.”

Of course, Chris Martin kills it in the vocal department, as well as co-writing with fellow Coldplay members.  On the verses, the listener gets a clear picture regarding the Syrian Civil War, specifically the 2018 bombing.  “Rosaleem of the Damascene / … Would have been on the silver screen / But for the missile monsoon.” At the end of the first verse, he imitates the sound of the bombs for added effect.  On the second verse, he speaks of Baba, focusing on flowers, and what seems to be the devastating effects of the aforementioned bombing.

Final Thoughts

Everyday Life gets another awesome preview with co-lead single “Orphans,” no question.  The production and sound are superb, Chris Martin sounds as potent as ever, and the songwriting, particularly the theme, is exceptional.  Studio album number eight by Coldplay appears to have some stellar material.

Coldplay • Everyday Life • Warner • Release: 11.22.19

Photo Credit: Warner