Surprise! Coldplay EP is delicious.

Since hearing of the release of Prospekt's March EP, the companion to Coldplay's recent Viva La Vida et al., I had also heard that the EP was better than the album it meant to accompany. This raised my inner-music-lover's eyebrow because he hasn't been extremely fond of Coldplay's work since A Rush of Blood to the Head. Once, Coldplay gave us Parachutes, a basically recorded, guitar-piano alt-rock album that, despite over-played radio singles, was an extremely solid debut. A Rush of Blood et al. came out and it was solid, but more produced, and more "emotional" [quoted in the sense that we were intended to feel more things because of sweeping, echoing, synth-ed whooshing noises and hollow "sounds of longing" (quoted in that Chris Martin was a competent song writer on Parachutes, but has tried on more recent albums to make art with production rather than writing)]. X&Y was like buying tickets to see The Police in the 1970s only Sting has been kidnapped by the KGB, and Cold War Russia is forcing Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland to play Journey songs. Then Viva La Vida came along and was stronger, still produced heavily, but by Brian Eno this time. It feels more like the soundtrack to a movie where the lackluster acting required non-diagetic music to forward the plot. That's not a burn either because Viva La Vida could direct an indie film from start to finish.

Prospekt's March found its way into my Xmas stocking, so I was obliged to listen to it last night. It includes 4 new tracks, and redesigned versions of "Lost" (Lost+ feat. Jay-Z), "Life in Technicolor" (LiT ii) and "Lovers in Japan" (Osaka Sun Mix). Each of the reworked old songs is better than its original version. Jay-Z's turn in "Lost+" is surprisingly excellent. "LiT ii" includes lyrics added to the original melody that feel as though they belonged all along. The EP is great, truth be told. "Glass of Water," a new track specific to the EP, is the best song written by Coldplay in a long time. It feels like the classic sentiment of Parachutes and has visceral impact that resembles Bloc Party's work on "Like Eating Glass" and "Modern Love." Martin and Co. do not disappoint here. "Glass of Water" has me intent to listen to Coldplay again. Which may or may not be a good thing. The album closes with the likable guitar-piano "Now My Feet Won't Touch the Ground," which reminded me that Chris Martin thrives with thoughtful, non-overwrought mini-ballads.

Prospekt's March reminds me of why I enjoyed Coldplay to begin with, and if it is any indication of their direction creatively, they may have won me back as a fan for a long time.