TOO Contrasting?

[Napoleon]

The other 3 Coldplay albums have followed a general formula throughout, usuing similar instruments, but Viva La Vida is clearly a more sparatic collection of tracks. Personally, I find this album sounds more as a compilation as opposed to a full album. Not to say that the collection of songs aren't great, I just don't find the album flows like the others.

[RunForTheHills]

I agree, and I think I realised this only after a day of listening.

 

I find that the tracks flow well up until the end of Lovers In Japan, then Reign of Love interrupts the flow a little bit. Yes and CSC seem the unlikely pair, but I think they contrast each other well. But as good as Viva La Vida is, it doesn't seem to "fit" after CSC... you couldn't have 2 more different sounding Coldplay songs next to each other. It is tracks 7, 8 & 9 that just sound as if they all came from completely different albums. DAAHF fits quite nicely after Strawberry, though.

 

But overall I would say it is their most diverse album to date... its just that most of the second half of the album is a bit... all over the place. But the songs are still good, so I guess its not too much of a problem.

 

I am a fan of albums that maintain a natural flow, though.

[bohs man]

I think the album sounds better when you swap Violet Hill and Viva La Vida around, it's still not perfect though because the double barrell middle songs upset the rhythm of the album. Try changing them round and see what you think!

[RunForTheHills]

I would also like to add, that the fact that this album doesn't necessarily have a signature sound like the other three, also has something to do with it not flowing too well. What I mean is, all the songs Parachutes had a decisively mellow and atmospheric sound, while AROBTTH maintained that (perfect) blend of piano and electric guitar even on the more experimental tracks, and X&Y consistently used bigger guitars and synthesizers throughout. Which is why they seem to flow better... because there seems to be a common theme going on (in terms of sound). With VOLVOD, it seems to lack that defining sound that anchores their previous records - There's a hint of Parachutes in songs like Life In Technicolor and Reign of Love, AROBTTH in 42, Yes, CSC and DAAHF, and a bit of X&Y in songs like Cemetaries and Lovers. The other songs, indeed as well as all of the tracks on the new album, also feature a more experimental side of the band not seen or at least hinted at until now. So its like one big mix of an album, full of some of the old, the new, and the different.

 

But you can't really 'pin down' what a typical song off VLVODAAHF sounds like, which I think is the main thing. Because they're all so different. Where songs like Trouble, Clocks and Speed Of Sound arguably 'describe' what their respectives albums sound like, I find it hard to choose a song most representitave of VLVOD.

[ailene90]

I voted no....but this is coming from a person who is herself very sparatic. I like that the album is mixture of different emotions.

[footyfan10]

Musically this album does contrast frequently, but I think the theme's have never been more clear and ever present.

 

I have no problem with the changes though. I feel like I'm on a musical rollercoaster, and I mean that in a good way.

 

The album is one ride in my opinion, its just not straightforward.

[ricardo]

I think that's the little problem in the album. But it is as well another advantage, you know Chris said the others 3 were a "trilogy". And somehow he is right.

[Fixed]

I like the fact that there isn't a definitive sound on the album. I like to be surprised every now and again lol.

[Pseudonym]

I like how it flows together. Every time I listen to even 1 song, Im listening to the whole album. Its like a movie of sounds.:cool:

[Tnspieler1012]

If you think about it, AROBTTH was a bit sparatic too. I mean... politik and in my place. Daylight and green eyes. GPASUYF and the scientist. By comparison, this album isn't too sparatic. The album really starts at cemeteries of london. and tracks 2-5 have a nice flow. reign of love is the "parachutes" of the album, and while 'yes' is probably the greatest oddball in the album, it's about what high speed was to parachutes. VLV and Violet hill flow nicely, strawberry swing is the "swallowed in the sea" and DAAHF's is central to the rest of the album.

[deaths_friend]

i had the feeling from the start that this album will be a massive mix of sounds and thats what it turned out to be. the fact that the album is very contrasting isnt necessarily a drawback i think, rather i think that this might be a bit of a template of future albums. if they are able to master this brand of music then it may work very well for them. i would agree that each of their first 3 albums had a distinct sound.

para: relaxed laid back (for most part at least)

rush of blood: anthemic up tempo feel most melody driven album

X&Y: lame attempt at stadium rock

[lndnsky]

Voted Yes...

 

I think its like that, but I do love it being that contrasting...

[pops]

The other 3 Coldplay albums have followed a general formula throughout, usuing similar instruments, but Viva La Vida is clearly a more sparatic collection of tracks. Personally, I find this album sounds more as a compilation as opposed to a full album. Not to say that the collection of songs aren't great, I just don't find the album flows like the others.

 

 

hilarious. maybe you should listen again.

[RedGirl76]

Viva la vida... vive la difference!!!

[Sofy]

i´m gonna have to disagree with you...

i think this album has a really balanced sound, and i do think it has a theme, and that you can totally realise if a song comes from it.

Parachutes also had this distinction, its sound flows and keeps the same atmosphere, even though songs were pretty different (just as an example, Trouble and High Speed). But i think it was their most premeditate album, they even said it, they wanted to show like a script of their sound, and of what was going to come, and to do so they must have left out songs like "Ode to Deodorant", which is quite different.

I think A rush varies more, but that´s what it was, A rush of blood to the head; i see it as emotions breaking free, all over the place. But, somehow, it manages to accidentally flow, and that´s why it´s such a great masterpiece. Anger is followed by tenderness, even in the same song (like in Amsterdam). You can´t say A whisper relates to The Scientist, but somehow, when you play the album, it completes it.

X&Y, well, this album didn´t convince me much...i think it flowed, and had a theme, but that was kind of the main point of it, and, in contrast, it lacks in good separated songs (just my opinion!!). And i think Low could easily be part of Viva la Vida. I hate comparitions between songs of different albums, like saying Speed of Sound is the Clocks from X&Y, but on this one it is true, i think all they did was repeating their sound, only bigger and louder.

And now we get to VLV. I often find it hard to pick just one song. As i said, in "a rush" it flowed, but depending on the mood, I could pick a song and say "this one matches myself today", but with this one i can´t. I feel like it´s just one whole song. And that´s why i feel the title represents it so much. There´s no meaning to life, if there´s no death, and there wouldn´t exist death, if there was no life. If you listen carefully, it seems to be telling you a story of a person, which bites its own tail and starts again, like a full circle, as everything in nature, and everything in history. And it goes from being a ghost, to finding love and being happy under tha sun, to being temptated and becoming kind of a dictator, to realising what´s important, "and, in the end, we lie awake, and we dream of making our escape".

 

Just my opinion, though ;)

[englishrose]

I do agree with you on the way that the previous albums flow more, but I think that what might seem a bit sporadic was intentional. The only thing I'd complain about is the placement of 'Reign of Love'--listening to it with Lovers in Japan as a track by itself, the two actually work very well together, but with the album...it's a bit like a speeding car that very suddenly slams on the brakes, but only for a moment, and revs back up before you can catch your breath. Then again, maybe that's the point, but I think they'd have done well to put a slower song after ROL.