Viva La Vida

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.com

Coldplay Photos

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Amazon.com
To say there has been a lot of anticipation for Coldplay’s fourth album, Viva La Vida, is an understatement. Having enlisted legendary leftfield producer Brian Eno, borrowed their album title from a painting by renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and made tantalising remarks about sonic reinvention, the world has been curious (to say the least) to hear what the ‘new’ Coldplay might sound like. Viva La Vida definitely makes some departures from the band’s usual formula, which happens to be one of the most commercially successful rock-pop blueprints of recent years. The plangent chords, emotive melodies, stadium-rock rhythms and universal lyrical concerns remain, but Martin and co. have gone out on several limbs here, incorporating instrumental tracks ("Life In Technicolour"), using subtle North African and Latin elements ("Yes", "Strawberry Swing"), and overhauling previously strict verse-chorus-verse structures in favour of slightly more avant arrangements. The old Coldplay still shine through (see tracks like "Violet Hill" and the title song) but even their classic sound feels more muscular and confident. The band’s new flourishes, cosmetic and self-conscious as they may be, are enough to make Viva La Vida a welcome break from the old routine --Danny McKenna

People en Español
Cuando Coldplay anunció con bombo y platillo que su cuarto disco, bajo el ambicioso título de Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, vendría acompañado de la producción de Brian Eno, dos escenarios se convertían en posibilidad: o se trataba de su peor álbum o la obra maestra de su carrera. Afortunadamente, la producción de Eno no lleva a la banda británica a imitar a U2 por ningún momento, y en cambio, el grupo liderado por Chris Martin presenta el mejor disco en su trayectoria, ofreciendo un sonido distinto, en el que por fin se alejan del pianito hartante de sus primeros tres álbumes y suenan como lo que siempre prometieron ser: una de las mejores bandas del mundo. "Life In Technicolor," "Viva la Vida," y sobre todo el tema "Lost!," representan a Coldplay en su momento cumbre. --Ernesto Sánchez (People en Español )

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-08-21 rating:
Coldplays 4th and best album
I have never been an avid Coldplay fan, but this album cannot be denied the laurels which it deserves. In an era of music defined by generic punk-pop and ultra-repetitive hip-hop, this album is a breath of much-needed fresh air. Chris Martin and Co. teamed up with Brian Eno to give Coldplay's music a newer sense of urgency and purpose, and the results will surely be admired by the musical community for years to come. Songs such as "Viva La Vida" display an ethereal beauty that not only pleases the listener, but actually draws them into the music. Tales of deposed royalty and clever political commentary help make for an even more interesting listen. Flag-waiving, anthemic music at its best.

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review by: David G. date: 2008-08-20 rating:
Real disappointment
It's really sad to see a great band like coldplay release a botched album like that. Don't get me wrong, it has its moments, but overall, this album lacks coherence and is really... well... not good at all. Coldplay rose and is now down the wrong path: parachutes was really good, a rush of blood to the head was simply a-m-a-z-i-n-g, but then x&y took them back to 'just good', and then this new album. I hate to say this, because I really, really think coldplay is an amazing band... I tried hard, but this new album simply doesn't work for me. After years of critics towards the band about the fact that 'coldplay will always sound like coldplay', they obviously tried to change that, but instead of trying to make their own style evolve, they simply shoved as many random ideas as they could in this album, with songs that simply don't fit together. Don't get me wrong, I realize it's a challenge, but look at radiohead for instance, every single album has almost no connection with the others, and yet they all are coherent in their own way. Also, coldplay introduces the BOGO (buy one get one) concept, with a bunch of songs that actually are two songs in one. While it works amazingly for bands like queen, because again these 'multiple personalities' songs are disjointed yet coherently built, coldplay didn't understand the recipe: they took songs that don't match each other, and stuck them together anyway (happens multiple times on the album, e.g. tracks 5, 6 and 10). Only a handful of bands managed to pull this one off (queen, system of a down, radiohead...), coldplay will not be one of them. And don't get me started on how dull the lyrics can be... Anyway, they deserve at least one star, for viva la vida (the song) which is amazing, but sadly it's only one song buried deep in the album, stuck between 9 others that are so-so - at best. Disappointing - at least that's my opinion, you don't have to agree with me.

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review by: Jimmy Green date: 2008-08-20 rating:
runner up to X & Y
X&Y was what hooked me to coldplay's music, Their first two albums have slowly grown on me but none the less have grown on me. Just when I thought they couldn't sound any better they ring out the wild bells of "Viva la Vida" like they are in this for the long run. What other band can rock out on the cathedral organ and the string quartet like these? Then throw in some distorted guitar, fine tune it with some acoustic guitars, and put you in a trance with Martin's voice? Yes, Chris Martin is no vocal performance master. He has flaws in his voice. But he can take those flaws turn them around and use them make the song actualy sound better. That is what you call a songwriter in case you didn't know. If I want a perfect voice I'd listen to Josh Groban if I want a perfect song I'll listen to Coldplay (or Jack Johnson).

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review by: date: 2008-08-19 rating:
"A Rush of Blood to The Head" & "X&Y" much better than this.
I keep on listening it and still I don't like. I rated 3 stars because I only found 3 good songs: track 1, 4, and 6 and maybe the last track; but no matter what I just said. In the deep of my heart I know that Coldplay is a great band.


review by: date: 2008-08-19 rating:
Some good tracks, not terribly impressed...

I was hoping to see some better tracks on this CD and was only fairly impressed with the songs I haven't heard before.

My rating *** out of *****.

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