Coldplay Music:

		List Price: $23.98		Label: Capitol Salesrank: 5389 Released: June 17, 2008
		Our Price: $17.91
		Used Price: $17.50
		Media: Vinyl

Viva la Vida [Vinyl] Track Listing:
1. Life in Technicolor
2. Cemeteries of London
3. Lost!
4. 42
5. Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love
6. Yes
7. Viva la Vida
8. Violet Hill
9. Strawberry Swing
10. Death and All His Friends

Editorial Review:

Coldplay Photos

Description of Viva la Vida [Vinyl]:
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

Viva la Vida [Vinyl] Reviews:
mostly a cosmetic evolution
2009-12-25 - When listening to the albums of Coldplay, I always get the feeling that they seem to aim for a profound and poetic meaning that the band never quite achieves. This remains true for Viva la Vida. Even though their new album is more structured and coherent than the previous ones, the uplifting spirit and positivism of the songs hasn't changed.
Not that there is anything wrong with this, I even consider it the band's strongest trait, but the songs could benefit from better lyric writing and more original themes. Some of the lyrics are just plain corny, such as 'you thought you might be a ghost, you didn't get to heaven but you made it close' or 'if you love me, won't you let me go'. Chris Martin's high pitched voice doesn't really help. It's a pity that the band doesn't experiment more in this area, since the instruments and structure of Viva la Vida is greatly improved and more original compared to X&Y.
However, it's hard not to smile when hearing 'strawberry swing', 'viva la vida' or 'lovers in Japan'. They are just that dreamy and uplifting. I hope that the band experiments further for their next album, while keeping their warm essence in tact. So that the next album will not only benefit from an interesting inspiration, nice coverwork or great costumes, but also from original music.

Wake me up when it's over...
2009-12-15 - Anytime you start an album with an instrumental track, you really need to deliver. If you are insanely talented, it might work; otherwise, it comes across as self-indulgent. All the tracks seem to mosey along and there is really nothing there to grab one's attention or make Coldplay stand out from all the other U2, radiohead, DMB, wannabes out there. I guess I need to approach any Brian Eno produced records with caution in the future. At least I only paid $7.98 total for it (one of the Black Friday lightning deals) so I only feel ripped off by Coldplay and not by Coldplay and Amazon.

Coldplay Impresses Again
2009-12-01 - I have been a fan of Coldplay since I first heard the song "Clocks." I was immediately attracted to the unique style that this English band offers. In today's technologically advanced society, it is not difficult to maintain success worldwide. The difficulty is found, instead, in attaining the fame. Coldplay has been able to not only gain worldwide fame, but also maintain it for many years. With all of the styles and genres that today's music has to offer, Coldplay continues to impress listeners around the world with a consistent sound. "Viva La Vida" packages that unique sound while adding new, creative twists to the music that many know and love.
I received "Viva La Vida" as a gift the day that it was released in the United States. I have been very pleased with it. I own all of Coldplay's albums and will not hesitate in saying that this is my favorite thus far. I was fortunate to go to Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" Nashville concert in June. This was the first time I had seen the band perform live. It was a wonderful experience. Coldplay's album not only depicts an honest sound, but they are also able to entertain during a concert better than any other band that I have seen. My husband is not a Coldplay fan, but he tells everyone that their concert is the best he has been to.
I appreciate Coldplay for all of these reasons and many more. Their lyrics are simple, their sound is unique, and their message is real. I expect they will continue to succeed in years to come.

-Ericka Blackwell

Surprise of the Year (2009 i.e.)
2009-11-29 - I heard Coldplay the first time a decade or so ago when a local radio station played Yello, suggesting the band could be big. I immediately rushed out to buy the album, Parachutes, and was mildly disappointed. Although the album in itself is fine, Yello is a definite high mark on it. I was, therefore, a bit surprised when Coldplay had become big a few months later.

A couple of years elapsed and In My Room was released as the lead off single to their follow up album. Again, great track and the first half of the album was great. As an album as a whole I still felt something was missing in making it worthwhile, like some sort of Radiohead/US lite version (which they were actually commonly accused of being).

When I heard the Speed of Sound of their X&Y album I decided to give Coldplay a rest. It is a decent song but devoid of any progression in sound.

When Viva was released it was hyped as being a different Coldplay with Brian Eno steering them to new territories. Violet Hill, the lead off single, gave, however, few signs of any improvement. Although the title track and Lovers in Japan became hits and more importantly, songs that I did like, my interest based on past experience in listening to the album was limited.

A friend of mine owned the album and urged me to borrow it, stating it really was much better than Coldplay's previous records. Since his musical taste aligns often to mine, I decided to give it a decent try. From the very first notes until the ending, I was stunned during the first listen. It is as if the group have transformed into a different entity. Eno's influence is all over the record, with the aural landscape blending with simple melodies. There is barely a weak track on the record, except maybe the previously mentioned Violet Hill. Samples of great tracks can be found on YouTube of Strawberry Swing (fantastic video) and Lovers in Japan; both actually expressing the experimentation abundant on the album.

The main gripe is maybe the non inclusion of Life in Technicolor, which starts the album but while the version is superb, only instrumental, it would have been better also getting the long version with lyrics. That version is available on the mini album released a few months later, Prospect March, but apart from that one track little value is in that record.

Having listened constantly to this record this year (2009), I decided buying X&Y when I saw it on sale. It is, however, like their previous ones, OK (Fix You is great) but not anything to get excited about. Viva la Vida is the one Coldplay album to get, save the rest for their compilation some time later.


Long Live Coldplay
2009-10-22 - Coldplay's fourth studio album, "Vida la Vida or Death and All His Friends", was released on June 11th, 2008 and was an immediate success both with the critics as well as with the public. The album went to #1 in numerous countries, and eventually won the Grammy award for the Best Rock Album. Though a relatively short album for these days, only 47 minutes, it is nonetheless large in message and scope. Some have criticized it because it lacks an edge, which often great albums have, but in spite of that, or perhaps because of it, it is noteworthy. In any case, it is true to what the group has always been.

It opens with "Life in Technicolor" a very pleasant instrumental introduction to the album which sets the tone for the whole album. There is a longer version of the song that has lyrics titled "Life in Technicolor II" which appears on the 2008 EP "Prospekt's March". "Cemeteries of London" is a beautiful song, with intriguing lyrics. "Lost!" follows along the same lines as a slow melodic piece. "42" starts off along the same lines, but then transitions into a higher-energy piece. "Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love" continues to play to the strength of the band, with a strong melody and interesting lyrics, the first half having a good driving rhythm, and then transitioning into a very slow a melodic second half.

"Yes" opens up the second half of the album and is another example of how the band can produce similar pieces, and yet make them sound completely different. There is a hidden piece at the end of "Yes" called "Chinese Sleep Chant". The title track "Viva la Vida" is next, and is a piece destined to be around for a long time as a classic. "Violet Hill" is next, the first anti-war piece from the group. "Strawberry Swing" is next, a nicely crafted piece which leads well into the closing piece. "Death and All His Friends" is a nice simple closing to the album, though it doesn't actually close the album as there is a hidden instrumental piece called "The Escapist" which forms a nice bookend with the opening "Life in Technicolor".

Coldplay is Chris Martin (lead vocals, keyboards, guitar), Johnny Buckland (lead guitar), Guy Berryman (bass guitar), and Will Champion (drums, backing vocals, other instruments). "Viva La Vida" is a very melodic and thoughtful album, which is well-crafted musically and lyrically. From their start, Coldplay was a highly thought of musical group and this is their best album to date, and that wasn't an easy goal to achieve.