Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends - An Honest Review

[AHeadFullOfaRainyDay]

Coldplay has turned in another great effort with its 4th album, the apply-titled "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," named after the hit song of the same name. However, they have been experimenting with a new and sound this time.

 

As for most of the tracks on Viva, they have new and colorful music videos. These songs have been kept in our hearts for all these years and will never be forgotten.

 

1. Life in Technicolor: With a mysterious, yet highly digital intro, the instrumental "Life In Technicolor" opens the album on a high note with sweeping Middle-Eastern santoor loop, and bouncy, steady beats that gradually pick up in volume, texture and excitement. This track gets your foot tapping and your head nodding.

 

2. Cemeteries of London: Gloomy pad synthesizers flood the atmosphere and mysterious notes creep from a piano before the beats enter and the song erupts into a minor-key war rock anthem. You'll definitely find yourself singing "la la la la eh" in no time.

 

3. Lost!: Accented by just the right amount of electric guitar, hand claps and a droning, funereal pipe organ this intriguing track not only rocks and invigorates but finds talented musicians trying something new and succeeding.

 

4. 42: After a 90 second mellow piano riff and dark lyrics, the song zooms into a succession of sweeps, fast melody swings and attractive electric guitars. Definitely worth a listen.

 

5. "Lovers in Japan / Reign of Love: "Lovers in Japan" sports a happy tune, with a racing tack piano and guitar synths, while "Reign of Love" is very relaxing. The vocals are gentle, cradled supported by a softly played piano, all enveloped by warm synthesizer pads.

 

6. Yes/Chinese Sleep Chant "Yes" is sung by Chris in a much lower register. Interesting presentation. Dangerous sounding, minor-key tune. Arabic-flavoured strings add zest to the arrangement of the song. "Chinese Sleep Chant" is a hypnotizing track full of guitars and pounding drums, while a faded yet ethereal chorus tells the listener to enjoy sleep.

 

7.Viva La Vida: Definitely the most popular song and defining track on this album. This song demonstrates both originality and creativity, and yet retains every element needed for a great Coldplay song. Chorus is catchy as ever. The bell and strings stick in your head for a long, long time. "Roman cavalry choirs", "Jerusalem" and "St Peter" will pop up in your head a lot. The band then erupts into "Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ". the song lifts itself into the stratosphere, sweeping you along with it.

 

8. Violet Hill: A dark piano-laced, distorted electric guitar sprinkled rock song with a mean guitar solo.

 

9. Strawberry Swing: Starts like with a country style steel guitar tune. The beats then enter like tribal drums. Catchy melody, immaculate instrumentation.

 

10. Death and All His Friends/The Escapist: "Death and All His Friends" is a piano-based song that starts with a gentle lullaby-ish piano which builds up into a soaring rock crescendo. "The Escapist" bids you good-bye to the album with a reprise of "Life in Technicolor" with some gentle vocals.

 

Overall, It's a great album and addition to any Coldplayer's library.

 

I would definitely recommend this.

 

Feel free to reply with comments or concerns!

[Gideon_Mx]

In my opinion their best album, it's the only album that has songs which I love the most.

Songs like, Life In Technicolor/Life In Technicolor ii/Cemeteries Of London/Violet Hill/Death And All His Friends, are just the best for me. And those others are also greater than great.

[guy42]

Once again, great review.

Coldplay has turned in another great effort with its 4th album, the apply-titled "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," named after the hit song of the same name. However, they have been experimenting with a new and sound this time.

 

As for most of the tracks on Viva, they have new and colorful music videos. These songs have been kept in our hearts for all these years and will never be forgotten.

These first 2 paragraphs make me feel like I'm living in 2008 :vanish:

[flockofbirds222]

now I want to go back to 2008 even more, my favorite album by far, I love the kind of experimental and more rocky sound. I wish so bad I had already been a fan at that time[emoji24]

[Norys]

This album is a masterpiece, I love it and will always love it.

I am with Gideon, I think VLVODAAHF is their best album ever. Hope some day my boys will give us something as unique as this LP is.

Btw, I do not know why it did not win the Grammy for AOTY.

[coldplayisawesome]

@AHeadFullOfaRainyDay i agree with what has been said before. i like how your reviews feel as if they were written just after the songs were released and not almost ten years later :wacko:

 

VLVODAAHF is certainly one of my favorite albums, but my main issue with it is that it is too... earthy... needs more songs about space :glasses2: (those are my space glasses, since there doesn't seem to be an alien smiley on here :surprised:)

:idea2: actually now that i think about it my definite two favorites are X&Y and MX, both of which have plenty of space-y songs on the album or as b-sides. and even AHFOD, which i'm certain will remain in my top 3 as well, at least has X-Marks the Spot where Chris mentions rocket ships :P

[guy42]

@AHeadFullOfaRainyDay i agree with what has been said before. i like how your reviews feel as if they were written just after the songs were released and not almost ten years later :wacko:

 

VLVODAAHF is certainly one of my favorite albums, but my main issue with it is that it is too... earthy... needs more songs about space :glasses2: (those are my space glasses, since there doesn't seem to be an alien smiley on here :surprised:)

:idea2: actually now that i think about it my definite two favorites are X&Y and MX, both of which have plenty of space-y songs on the album or as b-sides. and even AHFOD, which i'm certain will remain in my top 3 as well, at least has X-Marks the Spot where Chris mentions rocket ships :P

OMG spacey songs YESS! I am with you on that one :glasses2:

~~You and me are drifting into outer space~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

[Guest diogo_sg]

Great review once again. And I looooooove this album [emoji7]

[Mikey_Loves_Coldplay]

Lovely review [emoji108] [emoji169] [emoji173] [emoji169] [emoji106]

[LeftrightleftArchi]

This album is one of my favorite albums of all time! The experimental Baraque Pop, Dream Pop, Hard Rock and Art Rock influences are one of the many reasons why I love this album so much. A Rush Of Blood To The Head may be their best and most well crafted Alternative Piano-Rock album to date, but this album is definitely my favorite. There are so many concepts and themes put into this album, its hard to miss it. When will we get this Coldplay back? When will Coldplay go back to pushing their boundaries in the studio? When will Chris Martin start to question things again within their lyrics? Although I somewhat appreciate the Pop influences in AHFOD, it's far from being a masterpiece.

 

 

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