Coldplay is Living La Vida (Loca)
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Surely it wasn't so long ago that Coldplay's front-man Chris Martin told us that "Coldplay would be going away for a very long time". But it seems he was only teasing, as they are back with their fourth studio album with the catchy title Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.
Coldplay consist of Chris Martin and some other blokes. I always imagined that Chris Martin forced the rest of his band to agree to remain nameless, never talk to the press, never have a girlfriend higher up the celebrity list than Gwyneth Paltrow, and never name their kids after fruit.
Now, it's very easy to find people who find Chris Martin insufferable and can't abide Coldplay, but on the other hand, they have countless millions of adoring fans. In fact, this new album has been selling by the bucket-load, and according to the BBC has become one of the fastest-selling records in history. Chris Martin has stated that the album heralds a new direction for the band, taking them away from the sound and feel of their first three albums. And the album's producer is no less than the much revered Brian Eno, a legendary god-like genius with a musical brain the size of a planet.
Track 1, "Life in Technicolor", is a slightly unusual instrumental opener to the album. It starts life as mellow-electronica then transforms into acoustic-rock. It could easily be the theme tune for one of those Sunday-morning shows on BBC 1, but just when we expect to hear John Craven say "Welcome to Country File", we are on to track 2, "The Cemeteries of London". This is harmless light-rock song that fails to generate the ghostly atmospherics that the subject matter probably deserves. Every bit as scary as a Haunted House in Disneyland.
Then, "Lost!" opens with a hefty Phil-Collins-Genesis sound-alike organ/drumbeat arrangement. Sounds like this one will be popular as a stadium rock sing-along. Then on to the quiet vocal-led intro to "42" with the piano-line from John Lennon's Imagine. The sombre mood doesn't last long as things go upbeat - almost as if a different song has suddenly started - before returning to the intro as an outro (if you see what I mean).
Track 5 is actually two tracks in one. "Lovers in Japan" is a U2-style stadium rocker - Sir Bono and the boys would be proud of this one. Then "Reign of Love" is separate song sharing the track 5 slot - a dreary, piano-led ballad.
This is followed by "Yes", with Chris Martin singing in his deepest ever voice accompanied by Devil-Came-To-Georgia violins. And then before you know it, it's the 2-tracks-in-1 thing again. "Chinese Sleep Chant" starts with a pleasant enough guitar riff and is joined by high-pitch distant vocals that are mostly incomprehensible.
Then track 7 (or is it track 9?) - Viva La Vida - the second single from the album. The opening punchy string riff has News-At-Ten style drama. I'm waiting for the latest headlines from Trevor McDonald but instead it's Chris Martin singing about how he "used to rule the world".
"Violet Hill" follows, which was the album's first single. It has a Supertramp "Take A Look At My Girlfriend" stompy feel to it and is a triumph of a song - by far the strongest song on the album. It builds superbly and the transition to the atmospheric final verse is excellent, but the song ends way too soon and surely deserves another loop round.
African-inspired guitars and rhythms lead us into "Strawberry Swing", but this track is quite a bland let-down after "Violet Hill".
Then the final track - another 2-in-1 job. Firstly, "Death and All His Friends". Another stadium rocker - with a piano/vocal intro leading to an upbeat swirling heavy section with a sing-along chorus (if you can sing "I don't want a cycle of recycled revenge" that is). The actual final track, "The Escapist", is the ambient-electronica from the start of the album, but this time with vocals, which lasts for a while before drifting on harmlessly into the distance…
So, overall, another huge commercial success for Coldplay and (mostly) warmly received by the critics. I would say it's not really much of a departure musically for the band. Possibly, for non-Coldplay fans, there isn't anything that is really irritating here (unlike previous Coldplay releases). I think Violet Hill is by far the stand-out track - the rest being a mix of lightweight stadium rock along with some largely forgettable no-depth tracks - unlikely to win over any new Coldplay lovers.
But, hey, it's not like they really need any new fans, is it?
Now, it's very easy to find people who find Chris Martin insufferable and can't abide Coldplay, but on the other hand, they have countless millions of adoring fans. In fact, this new album has been selling by the bucket-load, and according to the BBC has become one of the fastest-selling records in history. Chris Martin has stated that the album heralds a new direction for the band, taking them away from the sound and feel of their first three albums. And the album's producer is no less than the much revered Brian Eno, a legendary god-like genius with a musical brain the size of a planet.
Track 1, "Life in Technicolor", is a slightly unusual instrumental opener to the album. It starts life as mellow-electronica then transforms into acoustic-rock. It could easily be the theme tune for one of those Sunday-morning shows on BBC 1, but just when we expect to hear John Craven say "Welcome to Country File", we are on to track 2, "The Cemeteries of London". This is harmless light-rock song that fails to generate the ghostly atmospherics that the subject matter probably deserves. Every bit as scary as a Haunted House in Disneyland.
Then, "Lost!" opens with a hefty Phil-Collins-Genesis sound-alike organ/drumbeat arrangement. Sounds like this one will be popular as a stadium rock sing-along. Then on to the quiet vocal-led intro to "42" with the piano-line from John Lennon's Imagine. The sombre mood doesn't last long as things go upbeat - almost as if a different song has suddenly started - before returning to the intro as an outro (if you see what I mean).
Track 5 is actually two tracks in one. "Lovers in Japan" is a U2-style stadium rocker - Sir Bono and the boys would be proud of this one. Then "Reign of Love" is separate song sharing the track 5 slot - a dreary, piano-led ballad.
This is followed by "Yes", with Chris Martin singing in his deepest ever voice accompanied by Devil-Came-To-Georgia violins. And then before you know it, it's the 2-tracks-in-1 thing again. "Chinese Sleep Chant" starts with a pleasant enough guitar riff and is joined by high-pitch distant vocals that are mostly incomprehensible.
Then track 7 (or is it track 9?) - Viva La Vida - the second single from the album. The opening punchy string riff has News-At-Ten style drama. I'm waiting for the latest headlines from Trevor McDonald but instead it's Chris Martin singing about how he "used to rule the world".
"Violet Hill" follows, which was the album's first single. It has a Supertramp "Take A Look At My Girlfriend" stompy feel to it and is a triumph of a song - by far the strongest song on the album. It builds superbly and the transition to the atmospheric final verse is excellent, but the song ends way too soon and surely deserves another loop round.
African-inspired guitars and rhythms lead us into "Strawberry Swing", but this track is quite a bland let-down after "Violet Hill".
Then the final track - another 2-in-1 job. Firstly, "Death and All His Friends". Another stadium rocker - with a piano/vocal intro leading to an upbeat swirling heavy section with a sing-along chorus (if you can sing "I don't want a cycle of recycled revenge" that is). The actual final track, "The Escapist", is the ambient-electronica from the start of the album, but this time with vocals, which lasts for a while before drifting on harmlessly into the distance…
So, overall, another huge commercial success for Coldplay and (mostly) warmly received by the critics. I would say it's not really much of a departure musically for the band. Possibly, for non-Coldplay fans, there isn't anything that is really irritating here (unlike previous Coldplay releases). I think Violet Hill is by far the stand-out track - the rest being a mix of lightweight stadium rock along with some largely forgettable no-depth tracks - unlikely to win over any new Coldplay lovers.
But, hey, it's not like they really need any new fans, is it?
Here Is The Writer : Lucho Payne
Lucho Payne works at UBS as an IT Consultant, and has spent the last eight years working in banking and investment management in The City. He regularly attends gigs and concerts, and his favourite venues are the Astoria, Borderline and the 100 Club. He occasionally plays guitar at various venues around town as one half of the acoustic duo "Fagan and Payne".
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