WHAT TIME IS IT?

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[4.62]

Iain Mew: “Strawberry Swing,” Friendly Fires, generally good.
[6]

Thomas Inskeep: Where we learn that Coldplay’s dream wasn’t to become U2, after all: it was to become Maroon 5. The production on this is a bit snazzier (credit Stargate), but the end result is essentially the same.
[3]

Alfred Soto: With its light funk bottom and noodling riff, Coldplay glares at Maroon 5 and ends up sounding like modern Duran Duran produced by (again) Nile Rodgers. The wordless chanting? I bet they’re proud of it. A few years ago they would’ve said Animal Collective were an influence. Now it’s The Weeknd.
[5]

Jonathan Bogart: Of course Coldplay would produce the kind of disco you could easily nap to. This will either be one of my favorite songs in a year or I will never think about it again.
[5]

Josh Winters: An uninspired, lazily-executed attempt at staying hip and young, like two middle-aged parents hanging out amongst a crowd of twentysomethings.
[2]

Brad Shoup: Any Coldplay song that references Coldplay’s “Magic” in the first line is all right by me.
[8]

Will Adams: Sorry, Chris Martin, but leading off a new record with trend-chasing, rewarmed neo-disco sludge in 2015 is a terrible look for anyone, but especially you. Your band working with Stargate makes about as much sense as Adele working with Max Martin, and if this is any indication of what awaits us on A Head Full of Dreams, I dread the future. Now I’m going to go follow your advice and turn my “Magic” on.
[3]

Edward Okulicz: I wonder if Chris Martin knows that palling around with Norwegians won’t magically turn his band into his idols, A-ha. It’s quite a nice groove, especially the frisky, loping bass line, which definitely codes “adventure,” but the song on top is less adventure and more feet up with a cup of tea.
[5]