Viva la Vida or Death And All His Friends

I have a confession to make: I downloaded the new Coldplay album, Viva la Vida or Death And All His Friends, two weeks before it was released in the States. I have another confession: I'm addicted to the new Coldplay album. I've since purchased it on vinyl and CD, so don't worry, I don't think the band or EMI will mind my little "preview". I haven't really stopped listening to it since. On planes, in the car, on walks through Brooklyn. Speaking as a long time fan of the band, and as a general music snob, I have to say this is their most gratifying and most accomplished work to date. Don't get me wrong, I love the simple minimalism of Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head. Like the millions of other Coldplay fans, those minimalistic sounds, sweeping melodies, and heartfelt lyrics are what started my relationship with the band in the first place. This new album leaves those concepts behind, but still manages to please.

Similar to the ill-fated attempt that X and Y made at layering and bombastic sound, Viva la Vida contains it's fair share of instrumentation. The difference between the success of the new album, and the disappointment (mostly) that was it's predecessor lies in the selection of Brian Eno as Viva's producer. Eno, known mostly for his electronic and ambient work, takes what clay the band has to offer and shapes it into a lush, textured landscape of sound. Eno's influence can clearly be heard on every track of the album. The band's experimentation with electronic beats, different drum sounds, song arrangements, and Asian melodies can surely be attributed to him. The band shines all the brighter for it.

The album opens with a rising instrumental on which layers, upon layers of instruments build into a crescendo of sound. Quite satisfying for the band's first inclusion of an instrumental. We'll hear the same themes from this song echo throughout the album. The next number sets the tone for the rest of the album. On a record plagued with indecision and dualities concerning life and death, the transition between Life in Technicolor and Cemeteries of London quickly introduces the listener to the conflict presented throughout the album. Cemeteries of London begins quite like any old-school Coldplay song; with sparse piano and quiet backing strings and e-bow. Unlike any typical Coldplay songs, however, the songs breaks into an uptempo, beat laden rocker. If there were any doubts that a new Coldplay had arrived the first two seconds of Lost! would solidify the proposal. Lost! is filled with even more layered drums, beats, and sweeping sounds. 42 starts as a Coldplay purists' song, but even it breaks halfway through into the new Coldplay sound. The rest of the album follows suit, even abandoning the typical chorus verse chorus formula with songs like Strawberry Swing and Lovers in Japan. The lead off single, Violet Hill can easily be called a classic, and is both new and inventive, but radio-friendly at the same time. The one song on the album that really doesn't stand up next to the rest is ironically the title track. Viva la Vida sounds like a pretentious thirteen-year old trying to sound like their favorite band wrote the lyrics. It just doesn't fit lyrically with the rest of the album, or maybe I'm missing something. It is fun to see them perform it live, however, but that's mainly due to the unconventional set-up they use. See video below.



I have read other reviews and even quotes of Martin himself saying that this album contains much less of his trademark falsetto singing. I didn't really find that to be true. I thought he just utilized the technique and his voice better overall throughout the album. I am also happy to hear that Martin had discovered the dusty acoustic guitar he had laid away in the back of his closet. Yes, the constant drone of the organ is still present on this record, but is mixed into the album much better than on the last effort. Overall, all of the instruments are put to better and more inventive use.

This album will be difficult to top, but let's hope the band are up to the challenge. This could usher in a new era and new sound for the Brits, and with Eno behind them, they could be the next U2 (literally, see Joshua Tree). Earlier in their career, Coldplay stated they would only make three albums because they didn't want to start "putting out rubbish." Let's thank God they didn't stop with X and Y.