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Hothead Review — Coldplay Viva La Vida
By Charles Martin | June 18, 2008
The HH took a few runs with the new Coldplay and here’s my review. A few notes first:
[editor's note 6/26/08] the album has been out for a week or more now and i really am liking it from all aspects large and small. but what i noticed from the vid clips you see above from the daily show is something i think makes us like chris martin a lot. and that is chris really seems at odds with being a vocalist. (as opposed to Bono who seems always in control and confident) it’s almost like he is the guy singing at church but isnt confident in himself. but then it’s chris and of course he’s amazing at it and you get an endearing quality that i think reigns for CP. the boys next door jamming in the garage appeal lasts even after these many albums. he might be faking it but i doubt it. that’s successful marketing that we’d all like to harness.
I’m the most critical, retentive fan of CP. There isn’t a song in my play list that hasn’t been played a few hundred times or more. This is my band. Johnny, Will, Chris and Guy have raised the bar.
I’ve not read any liner notes, seen any interviews about lyrics and their meaning. I don’t have any clue what place the band was in when these words and melodies came about. This is a naked look at a band I love.
This is a jam album. There’s more music here than usual. That’s a good thing. I disagree with other reviews that this album will put you to sleep. A good CP album will serve the listener for at least three years, and then for eons more as you age. It’s the onion of making albums and CP is genius at it.
Martin’s famous and willful piano is my favorite instrument. But, I was glad to see the other boys get more airtime. I don’t consider any inter-band politics when I listen to these types of albums. I only consider the music. So, I don’t really care if Martin wrote it all or each and every member fought to have a song chosen. I look at CP as one entity. I enjoy the whole onion.
Life In Technicolor — Brian Eno’s watermark. Nothing more to say.
Cemeteries of London — The story in this song is something that winds beneath the music of CP. This is a first song where we hear a new level of chorus and a pleasant thread of great guitar to lift that chorus. The chorus evokes the Spanish influence that CP has mentioned in pre-release stips. It didn’t come out mariachis and that’s a good thing. Leave it to CP to bring out a very modern luxury version of that Latin influence. This song swings back and forth and gives you a foot in the sand. The final piano says something to Chris Martin fans like me.
Lost! — (there are two losts on this album) I don’t know what to make of the clap chorus and I think live it will prove innocuous but for now, this song is one that I’d suspect I’ll like in phase II of my CP listening. After the hits are off-air and I delve into the onion more. One thing I thought should happen on that Japanese drum in the background (I’m calling it that without knowing if it’s actually Japanese but reminds me of such) is for it to be a schosh higher on the plane and probably above center. Again, live this might be really cool. The guitar thread sews nicely in verse 3 of this one.
42 — No. 42 is one of my favorite Dave Matthews songs. Nothing to do with this but it caught my eye. Weary, Martin vocals say what they always say — I’ve got a message for you and it’s gonna sound like I’ve been worried about this message for 20 years. He hits the same stance and rhythm that we hear a lot on other pieces in other albums. It has a nice 2nd part where some new instruments and/or guitar rifs come out. Again, this is a jam album. I remember when others said X&Y was heavy on music compared to the light-hearted Yellow/Clocks home of A Rush of Blood and such. There’s a pretty harpsichord riff that I like at the 3d bit. It picks up nicely and if you run to this song, you get that burst of energy you need. Make sure you place that appropriately in your run regimen.
Lovers in Japan — This song will be the 3d hit track I think. It’s so great and contains that harpsichord piece that is so nice. This is a fresh glass of cold orange juice and a burst of happiness in a good part of the album. CP knows that if you are a sleepy listener that you might need a kick in the a*s. Nice positioning even in this shuffle/no song order world. It reminds me of “Things I don’t Understand”. The song runs wild and brings fields of poppy or French sunflowers to mind. I can see the blokes making nice headway with this on stage and I’ll be happy to have breathed it.
YES — Nic Harcourt played this the other day pre-release and I wonder if it’s on the5 hit plan as well. I like Lovers better but I can see why they might push this one. You have a great baritonish Martin leading right after a lanky guitar greets you. There could be more substance to this. Again, this might be a phase II listen for me. The whiny and nice string is great. It’s the element that Martin promised us for the new album and CP delivered. It does kinda remind me of some of the Luc Ponte stuff which, if you are a esoteric fan, is aces.
Viva La Vida — This song came as a 1.5 single from Violet Hill. Violet Hill is more of a CP driven song that says “here’s the new stuff we are doing”. VLV is the better song I think but it will be wearing our ears thin this summer if you are stuck on mainstream radio in your traffic hell. Luckily the HH has Sirius so I can hear more selections. VLV has a great opening. I think of another awesome sports song when this song opens up with light and airy strings. (will there be strings at the show or will we get it electronically?)
But seriously… this song’s lyrics are so profound in today’s world of your plumber becoming famous for pulling that world record turd out of Ms. Jones’s pipe. (did i just say that?) It’s a song of reference that says fame is short lived and that possibly the pious will not be as successful as they imagine they will at life’s end. This song probably has roots in battles of old and may not refer to fame as we know it in the 21st C but it gets me thinking about today and then flashes of a time of “The Missionary”. The melody goes back and forth with an awesome swing of above-middle notes and finishes with a nice fade out of possibly a dying young lass that’s been be-headed by the new king. I love this song and get a lot of energy from it.
Violet Hill — A moody rendition with lots of classic CP notes. The guitar grinds in and out and through the whole piece with the great Martin high-voice pitching through the roof at opportune times. This brings about Boston for me or some cold place. It was a dark and cold December but I think he probably is referring to Europe, not Beantown. I’m not sure why this was chosen as a first-track but the classic part has something to do with it. The stop play with just piano late in the song is great and ends it very well. We’ve heard this before and have liked it.
Strawberry Swing — This song reminds me of Martin and his kid. There’s something sweet about it even if (as mentioned… I haven’t read the liner notes prior to this so if this song is about death I apologize) This is a good summer song for all that may not know or like CP. The driving under beat keeps the progression moving and you bump along on the magic carpet of the lyrics. The ensuing guitar rhythm and chorus with Martin leading keeps it refreshed. That Lipton ad where the guy falls in the pool comes to mind. (crazy mind eh?)
Death and All His Friends — A nice piano solo opens this song. Not the longest song but close, there are lyrics here that I want to study more. Today, it feels like a good, slower song that has heavy meaning and pronounced purpose. The piano pounds a bit harder which is great. It’s clarity rings through. I like songs like this from CP. Mid way we get a new vibe began by a strong guitar and beat line that catches you immediately. The band then flies high with a vibrant melody. They take off a bit and it’s refreshing. There is another multi-person chorus that tries to refer back to the religious undertones. Don’t know if it does but that almost ends the song nicely regardless. Technicolor comes back to play again at the tail of this track and says “Hi, I’m Eno and I’m here… no worries.” Martin sings over it this time and the blend is cool.
Lost? — This is that song you’ll get when Martin comes over for an acoustic set. It’s great and I dunno if it is a 2nd piece of Lost! or just a further rendition of same. Is this a breakup song? Is this the ending to a relationship other than love? It’s definitely lonely in this song but CP does that brilliantly. As mentioned a single piano can bring me to happiness so I’m biased. This track also resonates self-effacing notions of all being equal no matter our rank on the planet. Newness and place doesn’t matter. Honesty does.
Lovers in Japan — Accoustic Version — The great song gets better. This is a single waiting to get unwrapped. A nice clear-faced guitar brings the melody to you immediately. Is that a Ukelele? Probably not but it’s brighter than many CP guitar sections. That orange juice is now dashed with a bit of vodka and I like it. I’m on the sofa at Martin’s house in London now and we are settling in for a nice night of good riffs of different songs. This track evokes promise, hope, and introspection. You want to listen to the lyrics and learn them immediately. Maybe this is the song that can mirror your life’s place today. I have a few mini-films that I want to place this under and with the great melody that keeps a pace, it will get a lot of running time – literally.
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