Coldplay has had some huge hits over the last decade, but quite a few uninspired offerings, too. Ghost Stories is the group's long-awaited new album, but it seems to lack the punch that the band used to have.
For example, the track that has everyone talking, Magic, feels like a bowl of soggy cornflakes: its lacklustre lyrics don't have the crisp edge of their earlier work. Instead, the band shows off new technical skills by incorporating electronic elements while keeping the track very soft and wispy.
Ink is probably the most listenable track on the album. Despite its melodramatic lyrics - "All I know is that I love you so/ So much that it hurts" - it has an upbeat sound coloured with a tinge of R&B electronica.
They amp up this techno vibe to full-on EDM in A Sky Full of Stars, a track which is a strong contender to become the anthem for summer 2014.
Aside from these two winners, the album is missing the lyrical and musical depth that Coldplay is famous for. There's enough of the old sound to keep diehard fans happy, but overall, Ghost Stories suggests the band is losing its grip.