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Music : Viva La Vida
Rating: 
- suki-de su
This emotive alt album really digs deep (on a few songs). It's the concept of the album that makes it the best of the summer. The use of Eugène Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People on the cover is what sold me. I love revolution, and the sounds that come with the powerful visual do not disappoint. It's militant. A total reformation from coldplay's soft metro gweneth paltrow tainted past selves. Violet Hill's steady battle entry drumbeat pounds you out of your world of mundane and into theirs of war, death, and longing. It's a perfect creation in this place and time. The context of a world on the brink of revolution is where we are at right now, and we need skillful artists like coldplay to elegantly see us through it. Beautiful
Rating: - Death and all of his Friends
After hearing Coldplay's X & Y I knew the fourth album would be very different. Viva La Vida delivers a much more elaborate, atmospheric soundscape than is heard on any previous Coldplay album. Of all the songs on the album the title track, viva la vida, most closely resembles the bands previous work, making it a logical choice for first single. The high ranged singing Chris Martin is now famous for is markedly absent on this album. The decision to use, what Chris called, his 'sing like a girl' voice less was largely influenced by new producer Brian Ino.
Viva La Vida is also notably darker or more melancholly than previous Coldplay work. There is an overlying theme of Death, the alternate title for the album being 'Death and all of his Friends'. The first half of the album seems to center on the idea of death with the songs Cemeteries of London, and 42. Ending side a is Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love, which is thematically a rather dramatic twist from the dark to the light, from Death to life.
Side B contains several more aggressive songs (aggressive by Coldplay standards at least). Songs Yes and Violet Hill both feature more distorted and at some points even noisy guitar, which hallmark the more cynnical perspectives held by these songs.
Strawberry Swing is a welcome breath of 'light'. The almost nursery rhyme beginning becomes very uplifting and seemingly intentionally refreshing in contrast to the previous dark of Violet Hill.
The album as a whole seems to focus on the duality of Life vs. Death. Are you living or dying.
Overall, I think this is Coldplay's best work to date. I strongly recommend it. There is a worthy difference from Vynil to CD. This album is rich with sounds and noises which are much more pronounced on the record.
Rating:
- A return to form (4.5 stars)
After the very successful but uneven X&Y, Coldplay returned in 2008 with Viva La Vida. In hearing their previous three albums, there appeared to be more mood swings with each release. So in hindsight, it makes sense that they brought Brian Eno on board to help them fulfill their musical goals. His sonic landscapes added a new dimension to David Bowie's darker albums and to U2's best work and his partnership with Coldplay blossoms on Viva La Vida. It's worth noting that Coldplay, more than ever, sounds like a full band here as there's little emphasis on Chris Martin's piano hooks that had given them their hit singles. It also helps that the songs are much better this time around, not quite as good as those on A Rush of Blood to the Head but close. The title track is a beautiful tune with a great chorus and the strings provide great ambience. The hit single "Violet Hill" is another strong track, resembling Pink Floyd's later work both in bombast and Martin's vocals, which sound eerily like David Gilmour's. The similarities to U2 are still evident here, particularly during the first part of "Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love" but not to the point of sounding like a ripoff. "Lost" is another strong track, complemented well by both its organ line and John Buckland's guitar work. The standout track here, and one that won't be a hit single because it's too complex, is "42", which bounces between moods throughout its four minutes. Other great tracks include the depression into joy that is "Yes", the pretty "Strawberry Swing", and the haunting "Cemeteries of London." All told, Viva La Vida is a return to form for Coldplay and is worth picking up.
Rating: - New to Coldplay, great CD
Unlike most reviewers here I came to this CD completely unaware of who Coldplay is or what they've done in the past. That said, I consider this probably the best music I've purchased so far this year. By the time track 10 arrived with its swelling chorus ("I don't want to have to battle from beginning to end / I don't want to have to cycle, recycle revenge") I was ready to run out and buy every other Coldplay CD in their catalog. I did get "Parachutes", and it failed repeat what I love about "Viva la Vida" -- the sharp lyrics matched to melodies that shift tempo perfectly in keeping with the emotions being expressed. I found "Parachutes" rather boring by comparison. Others will no doubt disagree, and that's fine. I'll keep listening to this one and enjoying every minute of it.
Rating: - slightly different yet undeniably coldplay
on first listen, It sounded like another band who may or may not take their cue from coldplay and I wasn't swept into it immediately they way I did their previous efforts since I've grown so used to their sound. But on second and third spins you realized this is definitely them expanding their sound and it is a very good addition to their cannon. Viva La Coldplay.
- suki-de suThis emotive alt album really digs deep (on a few songs). It's the concept of the album that makes it the best of the summer. The use of Eugène Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People on the cover is what sold me. I love revolution, and the sounds that come with the powerful visual do not disappoint. It's militant. A total reformation from coldplay's soft metro gweneth paltrow tainted past selves. Violet Hill's steady battle entry drumbeat pounds you out of your world of mundane and into theirs of war, death, and longing. It's a perfect creation in this place and time. The context of a world on the brink of revolution is where we are at right now, and we need skillful artists like coldplay to elegantly see us through it. Beautiful
Rating:
- Death and all of his FriendsAfter hearing Coldplay's X & Y I knew the fourth album would be very different. Viva La Vida delivers a much more elaborate, atmospheric soundscape than is heard on any previous Coldplay album. Of all the songs on the album the title track, viva la vida, most closely resembles the bands previous work, making it a logical choice for first single. The high ranged singing Chris Martin is now famous for is markedly absent on this album. The decision to use, what Chris called, his 'sing like a girl' voice less was largely influenced by new producer Brian Ino.
Viva La Vida is also notably darker or more melancholly than previous Coldplay work. There is an overlying theme of Death, the alternate title for the album being 'Death and all of his Friends'. The first half of the album seems to center on the idea of death with the songs Cemeteries of London, and 42. Ending side a is Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love, which is thematically a rather dramatic twist from the dark to the light, from Death to life.
Side B contains several more aggressive songs (aggressive by Coldplay standards at least). Songs Yes and Violet Hill both feature more distorted and at some points even noisy guitar, which hallmark the more cynnical perspectives held by these songs.
Strawberry Swing is a welcome breath of 'light'. The almost nursery rhyme beginning becomes very uplifting and seemingly intentionally refreshing in contrast to the previous dark of Violet Hill.
The album as a whole seems to focus on the duality of Life vs. Death. Are you living or dying.
Overall, I think this is Coldplay's best work to date. I strongly recommend it. There is a worthy difference from Vynil to CD. This album is rich with sounds and noises which are much more pronounced on the record.
Rating:
- A return to form (4.5 stars) After the very successful but uneven X&Y, Coldplay returned in 2008 with Viva La Vida. In hearing their previous three albums, there appeared to be more mood swings with each release. So in hindsight, it makes sense that they brought Brian Eno on board to help them fulfill their musical goals. His sonic landscapes added a new dimension to David Bowie's darker albums and to U2's best work and his partnership with Coldplay blossoms on Viva La Vida. It's worth noting that Coldplay, more than ever, sounds like a full band here as there's little emphasis on Chris Martin's piano hooks that had given them their hit singles. It also helps that the songs are much better this time around, not quite as good as those on A Rush of Blood to the Head but close. The title track is a beautiful tune with a great chorus and the strings provide great ambience. The hit single "Violet Hill" is another strong track, resembling Pink Floyd's later work both in bombast and Martin's vocals, which sound eerily like David Gilmour's. The similarities to U2 are still evident here, particularly during the first part of "Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love" but not to the point of sounding like a ripoff. "Lost" is another strong track, complemented well by both its organ line and John Buckland's guitar work. The standout track here, and one that won't be a hit single because it's too complex, is "42", which bounces between moods throughout its four minutes. Other great tracks include the depression into joy that is "Yes", the pretty "Strawberry Swing", and the haunting "Cemeteries of London." All told, Viva La Vida is a return to form for Coldplay and is worth picking up.
Rating:
- New to Coldplay, great CDUnlike most reviewers here I came to this CD completely unaware of who Coldplay is or what they've done in the past. That said, I consider this probably the best music I've purchased so far this year. By the time track 10 arrived with its swelling chorus ("I don't want to have to battle from beginning to end / I don't want to have to cycle, recycle revenge") I was ready to run out and buy every other Coldplay CD in their catalog. I did get "Parachutes", and it failed repeat what I love about "Viva la Vida" -- the sharp lyrics matched to melodies that shift tempo perfectly in keeping with the emotions being expressed. I found "Parachutes" rather boring by comparison. Others will no doubt disagree, and that's fine. I'll keep listening to this one and enjoying every minute of it.
Rating:
- slightly different yet undeniably coldplayon first listen, It sounded like another band who may or may not take their cue from coldplay and I wasn't swept into it immediately they way I did their previous efforts since I've grown so used to their sound. But on second and third spins you realized this is definitely them expanding their sound and it is a very good addition to their cannon. Viva La Coldplay.
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