twenty-three

Over the course of the last day, I've gotten a lot of Facebook comments/questions that read like this: "Hey Seth, how's the new Coldplay album"? I've also had a few face to facers: "You listened yet, what do you think?" And finally, my favorite, a voice mail message: "I'm calling to talk about the new album, what else? Call me back."

It seems that I've made it pretty well known that I'm pretty excited about Coldplay's newest release, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends. You might have been riding in a car with me and been abruptly cut off in conversation as I screamed, "turn it off, it's the new Coldplay single, I don't want to hear it." Or maybe you just know me well enough to understand that I breathe in new music and when my favorite band puts something out, I get really, really excited. I mark time throughout the year based on when the next new album is coming out. Tuesdays are my favorite day of the week (because that's when new music comes out….oh, and because that's when the INN is!).

So, here's the review. I've listened to the album about 5 or 6 times now. I had waited, not listening to any of the tracks, until I could hear it all in its entirety. And I'm real happy about that. Now that I have the CD and the vinyl, I've been able to sit back and take it in. Enough about my idiosyncrasies, here's what I think about it:

Bleeding out a sense of renewed creativity, the band has opened themselves up to wider ranging styles, all within the traditional Coldplay sound. This album has been described as something new entirely, apart from the first three albums which according to the band can be viewed as a trilogy. Recorded "in a bakery, a nunnery, a magic shop, a church", the album stretches into new territory. Reportedly influenced by their extended stays in Latin American during their touring for X&Y, you can hear the willingness to leave the old ways formulas and try something new. The departure and new advances start right away with the semi-instrumental "Life in Technicolor". You can hear a bit of the old anthematic Coldplay here, but something a bit more rhythmic, more organic, and very fresh.

Dealing with the topic of death throughout the album, Chris Martin's lyrics attempt to tell a variety of stories of time running out, ghosts among us, fighting the battle until the end, not giving in. There's also a considerable amount of life after death allusions, attempts to describe where he thinks he'll end up. As he hears Jerusalem bells ringing, Roman Cavalry choirs singing on the title track, Martin's pretty sure "Saint Peter won't call my name". The melancholy, slightly pessimistic feel of Coldplay plows on.

However, with the darker lyrical and thematic content, love continues to shine through as a strong anthem for the band. Songs like "Lovers In Japan/Reign of Love" and "Strawberry Swing" illustrate that the good things de la Vida are still enough to pull us through. And along with love, the cry of the revolution calls for a good fight against death, against that which pulls us down. "Violet Hill" is a great first single, strong, powerful, full of some good 'ol revolutionary angst.

Coldplay gets a lot of flack for being too proud, too much like other big bands like U2 or Radiohead, too sleepy, too produced, too flimsy. And of course, I can see some of that. Sure, there's a lot of material on this album that you can clearly trace to their influences. Just like with a song like "Kingdom Come", though, from the X&Y album, Coldplay takes an influence who should be imitated only with the utmost care and caution (in this case Johnny Cash) and pays homage in style and sound, in a way that illustrates respect, honor, and the desire to follow in the footsteps of greatness while also trying to build their own new roads. I'm no professional musician, but I do know that how I play music, how I sing, is influenced heavily by the people I listen to and love. I think if it's done carefully and done well, songs and albums that reflect the deeper, historic musical influences on our lives are incredibly worthwhile.

Here's the lowdown: I think Viva La Vida is a great album. It's not groundbreaking like Parachutes, but it is a welcome followup to X&Y and a wonderful step forward for a band that leads the pack of popular music at this time. It was worth the wait, worth the anticipation, and, like a good bottle of wine, will hopefully continue to open up with each listen. It's not overly complex, but the direction it takes the band is exciting and I'm hopeful for the new era of Coldplay, their nueva Vida.

Favorite Tracks: "Yes", "Lost!", and "Violet Hill"

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