After well over 30 million albums sold worldwide, England's "very heavy, soft rock" band Coldplay rests upon a mountain of critical acclaim and commercial success, including a Grammy Award for 2002's hit song Clocks. With such praise, there have been numerous negative comparisons downplaying the band's success and writing the group off as a softer copy of fellow British rocker band Radiohead or megaband U2.
Coldplay's fourth studio release, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, is produced by industry veteran Brian Eno, best known for his work on U2's The Joshua Tree and with the band Talking Heads. It's an organic experience of layered instruments and ethereal sounds that showcases a tight unit of musicians not only evolving into their own niche but also transcending the stigma stamped by critics in the past. The foursome have captured many unique feelings that differ from their previous works but still hold true to the melancholic, expressive style Coldplay is best know for.
The title Viva La Vida comes from a 1954 Frida Kahlo oil painting, and translates as Long Live Life. The album is an orchestral experience of 11 memorable songs that provoke the ear in many directions, but still retains a sense of intimacy.
The band travels across many worldly paths and musical styles, starting with the gentle introductory hymn Life In Technicolor. Each song is its own personality with many facets—quiet intros envelop the listener before quickly changing gears and transforming into an epic event where one thing is certain: Coldplay consists of four musicians who clearly enjoy writing and playing music together, and they skillfully create music that is fun and fulfilling to listen to.
The song 42 introduces singer Chris Martin's classic vocal ambience as he confesses, "Those who are dead are not dead/ they're just living in my head/ And since I fell for that spell/ I am living there as well," before finally spiraling into an optimistic guitar-driven, head-nodding outro.
Lovers in Japan/ Reign of Love is two songs in one, starting with bright, bouncing keys atop confident percussion and finally settling on a stratum of beautiful pianistic echoes laced with Chris Martin's baritone voice.
Coldplay's musicians are longtime activists supporting Amnesty International and Oxfam's Make Trade Fair Campaign. In the single Violet Hill, which is an anti-war protest, Martin comments on the grave situation of the world, with the line: "When the future's architectured by a carnival of idiots on show/ you better lie low." The song builds around churning acoustic guitars and a searing lead electric guitar, with the repeating phrase "If you love me, won't you let me know."
Of Coldplay's four releases, 2005's X&Y was considered by many fans and critics to have not met the standards of their previous works. Viva La Vida is a much stronger follow-up, igniting a new momentum and creative direction through 50 minutes of thoughtful production and interconnected melodies.
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