Coldplay – Moon Music (Full Moon Edition) | 365 Days Of Inspiring Media

Parlophone Records / Atlantic Records

Release Date: October 4th 2024

Reviewed by: Joshua Andre

Coldplay– Moon Music (Full Moon Edition) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)

Track Listing:

MOON MUSiC (feat. Jon Hopkins)
feelslikeimfallinginlove
WE PRAY (feat. Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna – إليانا & TINI)
JUPiTER
GOOD FEELiNGS (feat. Ayra Starr)
🌈 (ALiEN HiTS/ALiEN RADiO)
iAAM
AETERNA
ALL MY LOVE
ONE WORLD
Moon Music (Elodie)
feelslikeimfallinginlive
The Karate Kid
We Pray (Be Our Guest) (feat. Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna – إليانا & TINI)
Angelsong
Jupiter (Single Version)
Man in the Moon
i Am a Mountain
All My Love (Live in Dublin)
👋 (A Wave) (feat. Jon Hopkins)

I used to believe that generally speaking; an artist usually stays in their lane throughout their whole career. Whether it is music genre of lyrical content or just the topics they dwell upon throughout their songs and throughout their albums- even the types of producers and songwriters that certain artists use… generally speaking (and this is a generalisation), I thought that a country artist stays country, and a pop artist stays pop. There would be no blurring between the lines, and listeners can have their favourite artist and can avoid others like the plague, should they wish to do so.

However as I began to be more immersed in the mainstream music industry (since 2019) and aware of how much collaboration goes on between different types of singers and songwriters and producers; I began to see the blurs between genres and lyrical topics… and while this confused me, it excited me. For KING & COUNTRY, Lauren Daigle, Lecrae, Needtobreathe and Switchfoot were stepping forth into the mainstream and shining the light of Jesus in that industry, while Chris Tomlin collaborated with a whole bunch of folks from the country music scene to create a personal album standout in 2020. BTS continues to wow the world with their musically ground-breaking pop, while other artists like Pentatonix, Justin Bieber, OneRepublic, Little Mix, Dua Lipa, Amy Shark, Alessia Cara, Selena Gomez and Alicia Keys continued to dominate the wider music industry at large- by experimenting musically and lyrically with various elements that we may have never thought possible not too long ago. Taylor Swift also surprised us with the embarking of her re-recordings of her old albums, while none of us could expect that she could record two albums of folk and Americana. Yet for me, it was in 2020 essentially when I heard Coldplay’s “Higher Power” that I realised how intertwined mainstream and Christian music actually is… and that’s a very cool thing to fully grasp and understand.

As Christians, we are called to the be the salt and light of the earth. Does this mean that whenever the gospel is being preached, that the person singing needs to be a Christian? Some would say yes, that it is heresy when we hear uplifting, worshipful songs from Hawk Nelson, Gungor, Derek Webb, Audrey Assad, Kevin Max and Jars of Clay, considering how many of these singers and lead vocalists of the aforementioned bands have deconstructed away from Christianity. Yet do the songs, written at a time when these artists believed, still hold water? For me, there’s no question. “Diamonds”, “For The Love Of You”, “Kings And Queens”, “Show You Love”, “There’s Only One (Holy One)”, “Beautiful Things”… all of these songs and more, still give glory to God, regardless of what these artists now believe. The songs still have power… but what about artists who haven’t professed to be Christian in the past? Can a body of work that a mainstream artist (and maybe presumed atheist artist) still glorify God? That was the question posed to be as I listened to “Higher Power” and Coldplay’s new album Music Of The Spheres. I reviewed that album here… and now that question extends to the next album Moon Music (Full Moon Edition).

Right now, and since about 2008, if something lands in me as a song or as a good idea and it feels authentic, we’ll do it,” he admits. “It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks. It’s very liberating, and it was probably started by Brian Eno’s philosophy when he came in to rebuild us. Since then, if I find something true and exciting, then we’ll go for it. It has led us to some really weird and amazing places.

In a way, it’s a band manifesto: These are the things that helped me every day to not be super overwhelmed or super down.

When things appear overwhelmingly positive, that’s so often because it’s what the singer needs most. My head tends to fill with so much negativity that over the years – in fact from the very beginning – music has been the place where I find a light and an explanation for some of the more challenging things in my life, or the people’s lives that I see.

‘Moon Music’ is kind of the story of waking up in the morning and feeling terrible about yourself, terrible about the world – depressed, isolated, separate, alone, and not able to be yourself.

Through the album, it’s a journey to feeling the complete opposite at the end of the day.

All throughout Moon Music, there’s this sense that Chris Martin is searching for meaning, for purpose, for something greater than himself. And as much as Music Of The Spheres is semi-inspiring and quasi-worshipful; it is Moon Music that is amped up a bit. Sure, at first, this album can sound a little new age-y. Or maybe a lot. But that’s neither here nor there in my opinion. God is moving and he has blessed Chris Martin and his friends with an incredible gift. And as they use it wholeheartedly on this album, as they search the ends of the earth for something, for the answer to all of their desires and burning questions; we get the sense that this reflective and introspective album is sure to be one of the most polarising yet needed albums of 2024 and maybe 2025 as well. Yes, some songs might be possibly blasphemous. But shudder to think- God is still moving and He is still prodding and is behind it all. Moon Music is all kinds of theologically wrong. Yet there is hope here and that’s all you can ask for and hope for.

Opening the album with a 4 minute piano interlude which is the title track followed by Chris relaying one of the most vulnerable and honest refrains I’ve heard: ‘…once upon a time, I tried to get myself together, be more like the sky and welcome every kind of weather, be more eagle-like and find the flight in every feather, once upon a time, but I’m still trying to get better, maybe I’m just crazy, I should just be a brick in the wall, sit and watch the TV, blame everyone else for it all, but I’m trying to trust in the heavens above, and I’m trying to trust in a world full of love, fire and water and constantly dream of the balance of things and the music between, if there’s anyone out there, I’m close to the end, if there’s anyone out there, I just need a friend…’; while the first ‘full’ track is “feelslikeimfallinginlove”, a surreal, explosive and resonating experience enhanced by an award-worthy music video. The melody speaks about the act of falling in love. With a potential spouse, with your life, with your friends, with the people around you, with nature. It all sounds a bit airy-fairy from a distance. But with Chris overall celebrating love at its purest form, we are reminded that falling in love with whoever we fall in love with, is a beautiful thing indeed. It is a miracle and is God moving at breakneck speed to show us more of Himself. Falling in love is messy and complicated. But it makes us feel alive. And thus, Chris inspires us to be more alive and to be open to the madness and the messiness around us. And to allow ourselves to feel the complexities of emotions- the good, the bad and the ugly. Love may not be worth it in the end because of all of the heartache and break ups. But love is orchestrated by God and when we feel love in whatever form it is in… boy is it the most beautiful thing in the world.

The rest of the album brightens our day and inspires us to be positive and optimistic about life. “We Pray”, despite the unoriginality and musical blandness of the track, is earnest in nature as Chris and a bunch of friends provide to us hope and inspiration- even though that it is vague and a blanket prayer essentially. “Jupiter”, an acoustic guitar ballad, speaks about someone who feels alienated and isolated from the world as they believe they are hated because they are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, as Chris reinforces love and beauty and camaraderie even in the darkest and most hopeless of situations. “Good Feelings” with Ayra Starr, is a pure and wholesome pop track about feeling good feelings and experience positivity and uplifting emotions. “Alien Hits / Alien Radio” is a 6 minute heavenly and ethereal piece about trusting that you’re on the right path and not worrying too much about the future (it is a laze faire piece, for sure!). While “IAAM” is a pop song that speaks about perseverance, resilience and determination, with the uplifting track encouraging us to keep running and focused on our own race and not looking to the left or the right (reminding me of Hebrews 12).

“Aeterna”, presumably inspired by a person, speaks about that raw and pure kind of love that everyone is searching for, that we all long to feel and experience; while “All My Love” is the band’s final single– it’s a soft rock piano ballad and a love letter to the fans, letting them know that they’re glad the fans have loved them since day one. The instrumental, “Coloratura”-like closer “One World” ends proceedings; and though the melody isn’t my favourite, is speaks about unifying together for love, which has always been the message of Coldplay and their heart.

On the Full Moon edition of Moon Music, there are 10 more tracks which elevate this album from an okay musical experience to a must-listen. “Moon Music”, “feelslikeimfallinginlove”, “We Pray”, “Jupiter”, “Alien Hits / Alien Radio”, “iAAM” and “All My Love” are all present here as alternate versions (live, acoustic and other renditions), which enhance the already engaging melodies; while 3 new songs (“The Karate Kid”, “Man In The Moon” and “A Wave”) showcase Coldplay at their most lyrical and musical best.

Coldplay are a band that have kept reinventing the wheel musically, lyrically and thematically throughout their career thus far. My brother Jon wrote a blog about these guys in 2021; and from that and this album Moon Music (and Music Of The Spheres), we are introduced to an artist who will be remembered long after they’ve retired. Sure, Chris has sketchy theology and beliefs. But God is still working through this album, as much as many won’t want to believe that. The Holy Spirit is moving here (although, on songs like “Alien Hits / Alien Radio” and “One World”, we need to use our discernment!), and as such, Moon Music (Full Moon Edition) is an album we need to hear. It’s not my favourite album, and it won’t make my end of list in favourites that I usually post every year. But it is challenging and inspiring nonetheless, and that’s all you can hope for, for any album, I guess. Well done guys for something out of the box. Maybe a Christmas album next?

Yes, it is 12 albums for sure, but we’re going to be a bit later than that. There’s one more thing, which is a musical. [That’s] album number 11, but that might have to come out after album 12 because of how long musicals take to animate.

Our last single is on this album, and that’s called ‘All My Love’. That’s the last ‘single’ single. We have the musical thing, then an album just called ‘Coldplay’, which is the final one. I think that will be a year late – I know it will be.”

The 12-album thing is very real, and it’s a nice feeling. It doesn’t mean we won’t tour or finish some compilation things or outtakes or whatever. It just means that the main story is told. That’s just what feels really right. Just knowing that’s happening supercharges all the work we’re doing now.

A combination of that 12-album deadline plus working with Max Martin means that we’re approaching everything with the same, if not more, hunger than right at the beginning. You don’t want to dilute the early stuff too much.

To the people that might be freaked out when you do a song with BTS, or freaked out when we dropped the acoustic guitar: don’t worry, it’ll all make sense in the end.

Finishing on ‘Moon Music’, I’m so grateful for the people around this album and the songs that have arrived. I don’t know where they come from, I never know where they come from, but I’m like, ‘Wow, we’ve finally got an album that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to put in the same room as my favourite albums.