More mixed reviews of Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends have hit the headlines today. Here's a Coldplaying recap on the latest ones:
Both the Guardian and Independent (UK newspapers) have given the new album 3/5. You can read and discuss them both here. The outspoken Guardian reviewer, Alexis Petridis summed up his thoughts by saying "There are moments during Viva la Vida where you feel impelled to take Coldplay aside and explain to them that there's more to reinventing your sound than calling Brian Eno, coming up with some enigmatic song titles and telling people you've reinvented your sound: you are actually supposed to change your music as well."
The Times review is here which is as neutral as you can get (and includes a previously unseen picture). They said "According to Eno, what it all amounts to is the sound of a band “living at the edge of their possibilities”. Such precisely worded praise could just as easily apply to the logic-defying leaps of inspiration found on a Radiohead album as it does a band of rather talented musicians desperately trying to stay interesting.
The Time Magazine review is here. They report "Where Martin shines--and when Viva la Vida peaks--is when the subject turns to desire. He's got a soul singer's ability to communicate the totality of love with a few oohs and aahs, and he saves Lovers in Japan from his own clichés ("Lovers keep on the road you're on/ Runners until the race is run") just by opening up his throat and letting loose.
Earlier this year a Rolling Stone Online article featured an interview with Chris Martin, who said: “It’s impossible to please everybody, and it took us a whole to learn that. It’s just the freedom to say, ‘Everyone might not like this. We’re into it at the moment, so let’s just get it done’.”
[thanks Difficult_Kind, the_escapist & mimixxx]
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