Today is the day many of us have been waiting for, quite patiently I might add, for a few months. Well the wait is over, the new album Viva la Vida (amazon) (itunes) is out, and the verdict is in. Granted it might take a few months of comparative listening, but after my first four or five trips through this album I am prepared to say this is the best Coldplay album to date. The bottom line is that everything you wanted is contained in this album. If you liked the old piano based Coldplay sound there are songs here for you. If you wanted Coldplay to drift off in a new direction with their music there are other songs here for you. And if all this sounds like Coldplay was simply pandering to the petty whims of their fan base let me assure you they were not.
On Viva la Vida the four boys fronted by Chris Martin have turned out an album that is unflinchingly their own piece of work. From the brooding organ backing on Lost! to the intricate and somehow oriental sounding opening of Lovers in Japan {which may be the most anthemic of their latest batch of songs} to the subtle build-to-a-climax display of Death And All His Friends; each and every song on this album is solid and diverse from start to finish.
mp3 : Coldplay - Death And All His Friends
mp3 : Coldplay - Death And All His Friends (MMMatthias Remix)
Simply put this album is brilliant and easily stands atop the heap so far in 2008. Better than Weezer, Death Cab, and probably even my favorites Cloud Cult. The question isn’t whether or not this album will make the best of 2008 lists come December, but is there any band left that could knock them from first place?
As a final note I highly recommend the remix by MMMathias. He’s turned in some stellar work lately {check back at the end of the month for two tracks by him in my BOTR series} and this remix is on par with his best work.
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Thanks for the prompt review Billy. I’m heading out the door right now to go and buy it. Prepare for the usual suspects tearing this album and Coldplay apart.
Respect!
while i do suspect a small backlash by some critics i really feel as if this album will be well received by diehard fans and new listeners alike.
agreed…on all accounts. i’m still absorbing the album - and it may take the rest of my life to do so.
This album is amazing. Really digging it. Downloaded it last night and listened to it with Jenn… probably going to listen to it the whole way to Stols’ wedding. I wasn’t expecting much, cause though I really like Coldplay, I feel like most of their albums are just the same music with slight variations. Almost all of their singles till now seem to sound so similar that I have oft made the mistake of thinking one song was playing only to find out a few lines in that I was wrong. These songs sound like they’ve finally left that all to familiar chord progression (or whatever it is that makes their songs sound the same) behind. The funny thing is, though I complain about that, I really have liked every album… but much like the Strokes needed to break out (First Impressions of Earth), I think Coldplay did as well (though, Coldplay is much more successful, well-liked, and popular than the Strokes when they started tweaking their sound).
well said droll, well said.
Bought their album last month and loved every bit of it! Their new sound is so bold and smooth. I was so glad to hear that I had finally came out.
.. got a free poster with my CD as well, VERY happy ’bout that
Thanks for the fantastic post!