Coldplay - Viva la Vida
June 6th, 2008 | 6:30 pm est |
When Coldplay sampled Kraftwerk on their third album X&Y, it was a signifier for the British band, telegraphing their classicist good taste while signaling how they favor the eternally hip to the truly adventurous; it was stylish window-dressing for soft arena rock. Hiring Brian Eno to produce the bulk of their fourth album Viva la Vida is another matter entirely. Eno pushes the band, not necessarily to experiment but rather to focus and refine, to not leave their comfort zone but find some tremulous discomfort within it. In his hands, this most staid of bands to shake things up, albeit politely, but such good manners are inherent in Coldplay’s DNA; they remain courteous even when they experiment. With his big-budget production, Eno has a knack for amplifying an artist’s personality, as he allows bands to be just as risky as they want to be — which is quite a lot in the case of U2 or James and even Paul Simon, but not quite so much with Coldplay. And yet this gentle encouragement — he’s almost a kindly uncle giving his nephews permission to rummage through his study — pays great dividends for Coldplay, as it winds up changing the specifics without altering the core. They wind up with the same self-styled grandiosity, they’ve just found a more interesting way to get to the same point.
Gone are Chris Martin’s piano recitals, gone are the washes of meticulously majestic guitar, replaced by orchestrations of sound, sometimes literally consisting of strings but usually a tapestry of synthesizers, percussion, organs, electronics, and guitars that avoid playing riffs. Gone too are simpering schoolboy ballads like “Fix You” and, along with them, the soaring melodies designed to fill arenas. In fact, there are no insistent hooks to be found anywhere on Viva la Vida and there are no clear singles in this collection of insinuatingly ingratiating songs. This reliance on elliptical melodies isn’t off-putting — alienation is alien to Coldplay — and this is where Eno’s guidance pays off, as he helps sculpt Viva la Vida to work as a musical whole, where there are long stretches of instrumentals and where only “Strawberry Swing” — with its light, gently infectious melody and insistent rhythmic pulse — break from the album’s appealingly meditative murk. Whatever iciness there is to the sound of Viva la Vida is warmed by Martin’s voice, but the music is by design an heir to the earnest British art-rock of ’80s Peter Gabriel and U2; arty enough to convey sober intelligence without seeming snobby, the kind of album that deserves to take its title from Frida Kahlo and album art from Eugene Delacroix.
That Delacroix painting depicts the French revolution, so it does fit that Martin tones down his relentless self-obsession — the songs aren’t heavy on lyrics and some are shockingly written in character — which is a development as welcome as the expanded sonic palette. Martin’s refined writing topics may be outpaced by the band’s guided adventure but they’re both indicative that the band is desperate to not just strive for the title of great band — a title they seem to believe that they’re to the manor born — but to actually burrow into the explorative work of creating music. And so the greatest thing Coldplay may have learned from Eno is his work ethic, as they demonstrate a focused concentration throughout this tight album — it’s only 47 minutes yet covers more ground than X&Y and arguably A Rush of Blood to the Head — that turns Viva la Vida into something quietly satisfying.
Eno’s done a marvellous job but the songs just aren’t there.
How come there’s no review of the new Fall LP (released in April ) and there’s one of the new Coldplay (June)? Matter of taste?
Cork - It’s a matter of how many people actually care. More care about Coldplay.
I actually think the new Coldplay album is their best since Parachutes *which at 4 stars on AMG is underrated in itself).
I agree with B’dum. The production is fabulous. Alas, Coldplay (as usual) has to really on Martin’s lyrics to provide the touch that makes a band like this unique. Apart from a few lines here and there, Martin writes to his own status quo, which is nothing to write home about. Even so, I’ll always have a soft spot for them because of Yellow.
This is the first Coldplay album that will take more than listen to digest. Very rewarding! It sounds very different from past works but still undeniably classic Coldplay.
Great album! Different,more quite, and a’m agrre with Ethan - this is the next best thing since 1st album. Viva la vida is a wonderful song,i hope with nice video will be huge hit
Take a random song by Dead Cab for Cutie or The National and you can beat the entire Coldplay new album.
Brian Eno didn’t make neither coldplay’s Joshua Tree nor Achtung baby, simply because the songs are missing.
Since the release of X&Y, I’ve noticed much Coldplay bashing by many. Just not fair. It doesn’t matter how good this album is, it simply seems they’re the new band to throw under the bus. Pretty ignorant by those. Essentially, any band can be critisized and dissected. Watch out Martin & Co.,it’s time for you to take an unjust hammering.
Once you listen to it a few times i think the songs really shine through!
Its not a typical coldplay record, for being bold i give them that!
I think its an incredible album, just give it more than one listen!
Another in agreement with Ethan. This is an amazing album. The songs cover much more ground than X&Y, although I did love that album also.
With the first listen, you need to know that this is definately not more of the same. Eno has really given Coldplay the ability to listen to themselves (okay, maybe mostly Martin) and find that there is much more to give.
Oh, sad times are those we are living.
Music became a generic product last decade.
there are some rare and brave exceptions, but you can say that all the mainstreams releases are more-of-the-same-junk-sold-as-state-of-art-from-genious-that-if-you-don’t-like-is-because-your-dont-understand.
there is nothing creative in this album, starting for the cover/title.
bands such as CP are not making any new,is just music to buy and forget… as the coment above says, lets wait for some nice videos, so the song will become a huge hit…huge hit? come on?!!? of course the expensive video it’s been done with all the most expensive director/actor/most recent effects and of course it will play zillions of times in all the radios of world.
because it doesn’t matter the quality of the music.
take the example of james Blunt…
Take a random song by Dead Cab for Cutie or The National and you can beat the entire Coldplay new album.
Dead Cab for Cutie is totally my favorite. People are not judging this album here on the music, they are judging it on their preconceived notions of coldplay wankery, of which there is little to be found on viva la vida. This is good stuff. The drums in a lot of the songs are amazing and unique. The interplay between the acoustic guitar and the whole rhythm section in cemeteries of london, or the chord progression in 42 and then the interlude with trumpets or synth or guitar or something (it’s hard to tell, which is part of what make it cool) are all unique and something that no one is doing in music these days. People want to sound like experts by bashing bands that are out today and looking back on the good old days of U2, and it is annoying. You are not an expert.
I think viva la vida is an excellent and marvellous record. Coldplay is the best band in the world at the moment and they are trying to get better themselves. Good and different songs in viva la vida that you listen lot of times and you like very much. Huge production by markus and one of my favourite records. Chris Martin has a nice voice.
Haven’t heard the full album yet, but really like what I’ve heard thus far, including Viva La Vida. Have you been paying attention to the covers of that song on Youtube? Some of them are quite good. My favorite right now has to be Amy Kuney’s piano version. Agree?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xN9eT8Ln9r8
Look, just because viva la vida isn’t like all the other records that coldplay released, doesn’t mean it’s not phenomenal. I believe to be just as good as A Rush…. just different. Maybe even better than that. It’s really good, but listen to it one more time. I don’t think the reviewers of this album did and look what happened: Rolling stone: *** All music Guide: **** . I believe it deserves 4 and a half at least, and especially because i haven’t seen one new band, aside from radiohead, (although not undeserving, i love radiohead) get 5 stars. Cmon people! Coldplay is great.
The good music is the music you like to listen!