Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
(EMI)
http://www.coldplay.com/

The cover of Coldplay’s latest album is Delacroix’s Romantic depiction of liberty through revolution. It may be said that the band have experienced just this. The latest delivery from the act known for its adherence to piano-heavy stadium-drowning melodies is indeed the result of changes of revolutionary proportions. The existentialist theme is still there and Chris Martin’s voice is unmistakeable, but the presence of foreign instruments and electric guitar-driven songs has rendered the band free from their staple sound. Martin said Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends (hard to fit all that on a cover) resulted from a desire to move from black and white to colour. The accuracy of this is debatable - even though this is the case in terms of the music, lyrically there is a constant battle between polar emotions. It is as if each song adheres to either the Vida or Death part of the title.

The album starts on the optimistic side with the guitar-driven instrumental Life in Technicolor. A short piece of great music that is maybe a bit too triumphant to start off with, it nonetheless immediately hints at the difference between this album and the band’s previous ones. It is definitely on the Vida side. Cemeteries Of London has the optimistic/pessimistic theme within it as Spanish-style clapping accompanies haunting words of wandering through nocturnal London. The band’s reputation for brilliant live performances should be upheld whenever they play Lost, which, with its church organ and hymn-like chorus, begs for a massive sing along.

The characteristic existentialism is there in 42, the album’s most philosophical track. It starts out with only a piano and Martin’s voice pondering on matters of death. The music picks up, however, just as he sings “I know there must be something more.” And there is, in the form of a full blown melody that affirms the song’s optimistic lyrics.

Lovers In Japan / Reign Of Love is an interesting case. The band said they wanted this album to be short so that fans would appreciate every song. They said they had many completed tracks to choose from and went through pains to narrow it down. Apparently they cheated, however, because this track is really two in one. Lovers is the cheeriest/poppiest tune in all the album with more of the traditional Coldplay piano., obviously falling under the Vida idea. A brief silent pause then precedes the lullaby lines of Reign, which balances out the track with a more sombre take on love (Death tune then). Yes is the biggest contradiction of them all. African and Arabian string and tablas conceal the dark lyrics of the song that bears the most obvious world music influences. But then this suddenly gives way to a very random electric guitar spiral. It’s a bit too mainstream to go with what was happening before, and the obvious result of very (too?) earnest experimentation.

Viva La Vida (the song) is a true test of Martin’s songwriting ability. Heavy on strings, it examines past glories and is very nostalgic, but its title is a celebration of life. Is it about gratitude, hidden optimism or eternal hope? No need to get too cerebral about it, as the song promises to be an epic live performance either way. The same goes for first single Violet Hill. The band clearly wanted to have the first song to be released to show the new direction they have taken, as the track is heavy on electric guitar and percussion (you could almost say it’s rock, but I won’t). The blissful parade of Strawberry Swing affirms life yet again before Death And All His Friends closes off the album with a hair-raising group-sung chorus about resilience and, yes, the love for life.

The band must be credited for daring to stray away from the style that has propelled them to worldwide stardom. The music is first-class and shows that these guys embrace instruments other than the piano. A growth process is evident and it will be interesting to see if the band sticks to it come their next project. For the time being, it can be said that the album ultimately celebrates change, and given Coldplay’s repertoire, this in itself is cause for celebration.

Christina Cromeyer Dieke