Coldplay set to release ‘Ghost Stories’ May 19

After slipping out a surprise tune, “Midnight,” last week, Coldplay will release its sixth studio album May 19.

“Ghost Stories,” the title of which helps explain the haunting video for “Midnight” that came out last week,  will be the group”s first album on Atlantic, following its label, Parlophone”s, switch from EMI in the U.S. to Atlantic.

The British group will undoubtedly preview music from the album, including official first single, “Magic,” during its March 11 performance at US iTunes Festival at SXSW.

While not as extreme as the heavily processed “Midnight,” “Magic” reveals a different side of Coldplay. Juxtaposed against a shimmery, mid-tempo synthetic beat, Chris Martin sings about being addicted to a person (wife Gwyneth Paltrow, perhaps?) , even though she”s broken him in half. Martin”s delivery at times seems almost Dylan-esque in the relatively slight song until he breaks into his falsetto during the bridge. It”s certainly not the over-the-top grandiose Coldplay most of us are familiar with. It's intriguing more than it is interesting.

“Ghost Stories” will be Coldplay's first album since 2011's “Mylo Xyloto.”

What do you think of “Magic?”

“Ghost Stories” track listing:

1. Always In My Head
2. Magic
3. Ink
4. True Love
5. Midnight
6. Another's Arms
7. Oceans
8. A Sky Full Of Stars
9. O

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