February 2, 200917 yr Coldplay's Viva La Vida Risk Pays Off With Grammy Nods Stepping way out of their comfort zone earned them big sales and an Album of the Year nomination. <embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:videolist:mtv.com:1589017" width="512" height="319" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashVars="configParams=type%3Dnetwork%26id%3D1589017%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideolist%3Amtv.com%3A1589017%26startUri=mgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A239661" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed> Coldplay's Album of the Year Grammy-nominated Viva la Vida, or Death and All His Friends is fairly remarkable. And not just because it was the most commercially successful rock album released in 2008 (it sold more than 2.2 million copies here in the U.S.), or because it topped the charts in something like 17 countries worldwide. Though, in today's doom-and-gloom industry, those stats are rather noteworthy. No, what makes Viva such a remarkable accomplishment is that it's probably the most successful reinvention of a colossally huge rock band this decade. Green Day had nowhere to go but up before they rebooted things with American Idiot, so the risk wasn't there. Coldplay had everything to lose with their fourth album, but they went ahead with it anyway. After the relatively underwhelming response to 2005's X&Y — which only sold more than 8 million copies worldwide, to give you an idea of the scope within which Coldplay operate — they made a very conscious decision to put themselves under the musical knife. Putting their faith in producer Brian Eno (who, truth be told, played synths on X&Y), they embarked on a journey that took them to churches in Argentina and Spain, stripped their sonic largesse down to simple acoustics and explored territories previously unmined. That meant using everything from tiny tack pianos — which they built themselves — to frontman Chris Martin's newfound lower register. "One of the main things we tried to focus on with this record is changing vocal identities, because Chris has a very recognizable voice," drummer Will Champion told MTV News in June. "Just the idea that you can totally change the sound of a song and the sound of a band just by treating the vocals a different way ... that [idea] really interested us." "I think everything we're trying to do at the moment is about not starting again so much as breaking down what we've built up before, and trying to build something different and hopefully better, or worse in a good way," Martin added. "The longer you go on as a band, the harder it is to surprise yourself. So, there are moments on this record that are surprises, even to us. And those are our favorite moments, to be honest." It was gutsy to take away everything that had made Coldplay, well, Coldplay. Coupled with the band's newfound fascination with the French Revolution (demonstrated by the Eugène Delacroix painting on the cover of Viva and the band's rag-tag military costumes), it seemed like an experiment destined to fail. Yet, as a credit to the band's growth as musicians, and to Eno's sure-handed skills, Viva la Vida was anything but. It packs just as big a punch sonically as it did commercially. From the quiet, icy burbles of opener "Life in Technicolor" or "Chinese Sleep Chant" to the effervescent wallop of hit singles "Viva la Vida" and "Violet Hill," Viva is an album that captures the massive and the minimal, a bi-polar swirl of a listen that reveals everything and nothing at the same time. This is Coldplay at top volume, working on all cylinders. It's the album they were born to make. (That said, it's still no A Rush of Blood to the Head.) And that's a sentiment shared not just by the fans, but by many a fickle rock critic. Viva found its way onto most best-of-2008 lists, and it heads into this Sunday's Grammy Awards as a frontrunner. All-in-all, Coldplay earned seven nominations, more than anyone else not named Lil Wayne. One would think they'll probably take home their fair share of Golden Gramophones, and while they'll no doubt be grateful, there's probably going to be another emotion coursing through their veins: relief. After all, they took the risk. Now it's time to reap the rewards. Will Lil Wayne grab all the gramophones? Is Katy Perry going to tell her girl rivals to kiss off? Can Coldplay march off with a win? MTV News is all over the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, so stay tuned for interviews, analysis and more before, during and after the big night, Sunday, February 8. http://www.mtv.com
February 2, 200917 yr Will Lil Wayne grab all the gramophones? No. Is Katy Perry going to tell her girl rivals to kiss off? No way :sick: Can Coldplay march off with a win? YES. :D
February 2, 200917 yr Stepping way out of their comfort zone earned them big sales and an Album of the Year nomination. Couldn't have said it better myself! I have a feeling this is going to be the "Coldplay Year" at the Grammys, and very much deserved!;)
February 2, 200917 yr Lets hope they can get a flight out. :P Heathrow is at a standstill. Then again they do have a private jet.
February 2, 200917 yr who's in for a grammy listening/watching party? i will be here with bells (Will's) on!!! oh it will be so late for europe, boo
February 2, 200917 yr Is long, so can't be bothered copying it all out and then spacing it so here's a Grammy article written by two very original Coldplay haters :dozey: All Coldplay? Fearless Grammy picks 2009 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28980625/
February 2, 200917 yr Couldn't have said it better myself! I have a feeling this is going to be the "Coldplay Year" at the Grammys, and very much deserved!;) Yeah!! This is their year!!!:D:D:D :dance: no one can take that away from them!
February 2, 200917 yr Its funny^^ They hate Coldplaybut they are rooting for them. Just shows how good Coldplay ae. And some people just dont want to admit it!:rolleyes:
February 3, 200917 yr Well, I don't like watching Award shows ... especially not in the middle of the night, but I'll certainly keep my fingers crossed. I'm probably too optimistic, but I think they're going to get 3 awards.
February 3, 200917 yr This is exciting!!! :dance: This is probably the first time i'll watch the entire grammy's broadcast :D Well, assuming that other than the coldplay treats, it won't be a total bore :P
February 4, 200917 yr I mentioned this forever ago in this thread, but i feel like its time to bring it back up. who thinks we'll be seeing the boys new outfits at the grammys?? chris said they'd have new ones right after christmas. what do you think they'll look like?
February 4, 200917 yr I mentioned this forever ago in this thread, but i feel like its time to bring it back up. who thinks we'll be seeing the boys new outfits at the grammys?? chris said they'd have new ones right after christmas. what do you think they'll look like? They will look HAWT!! That's the only thing I'm sure of :smug:
February 4, 200917 yr didnt chris mention new outfits coming very soon in one of his acoustic session interviews? he might have even mentioned the grammys.. grr. i cant remember.
February 4, 200917 yr They will look HAWT!! That's the only thing I'm sure of :smug: SO TRUE!! didnt chris mention new outfits coming very soon in one of his acoustic session interviews? he might have even mentioned the grammys.. grr. i cant remember. i don't remember that. i remember seeing this somewhere, maybe rollingstone?, in december. it also says something about it in the rolling stone "on the road with coldplay" article but i remember reading it in a chris interview too
February 4, 200917 yr Chris mentioned on the Steve Lamacq interview about thirty minutes in that they would be wearing new jackets at the Brit awards just to one-up The Killers new jackets :)
February 4, 200917 yr hmm new jackets it will be kinda weird if they do wear new ones since i am so used to seeing them in the viva ones...
February 4, 200917 yr Definitely time for some new threads. I'll be disappointed if they come out in the same outfits. How have they kept them clean on tour, anyway!?
February 4, 200917 yr Definitely time for some new threads. I'll be disappointed if they come out in the same outfits. How have they kept them clean on tour, anyway!? they are dry cleaned after every show...
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