lostsides

This is great news. I can't afford to see them at the O2 at the moment.

Death and All His Friends/The Escapist

Err...I can't remember. It might've been after the Escapist.

That bit can't've been because I sent in a comment and he read my name and location out on air.

Wasn't he referring to Guy Hands but then backtracked to say he was referring to Guy B?

Throughout the rest of the song he's asking for things (time, space, real (not fake), strength, reserve, control, heart, soul, etc.) but what he wants over everything else is love...aaah, what a nice song.

I voted for Politik although LiT is the best opener for VLVODAAHF.

Agreed!

I voted for Will but Jonny's guitar solo on Chinese Sleep Chant is his best ever. I think X&Y was Guy's best record.

After much deliberation and debate I have come to the following conclusion...the guitar solo in Chinese Sleep Chant is Jonny's best ever. I don't usually play air guitar but when that solo comes round I can't help myself.

I disagree with you. I really like the fact that this record has a lot of Coldplay's shortest songs and how there are loads of amazing shorter bits, it makes me listen to them more.

All this EMI stuff doesn't do them any favours. It makes it look like they're making music to make money and please their bosses.

Another piss-poor article. Correct me if I'm wrong but I always thought fame was what Chris was uncomfortable with not success. That "fed to the lions" quote was referring to critics not the public wasn't it? "He is the band’s principal songwriter" - maybe lyrically but I remember reading an article saying that they've changed the way they write music on this record and that GWJ have been much more influential (especially Will by the sounds of things). Can't write choruses? I'm sure we could all list loads of CP songs with memorable choruses. If you're going to criticise the lyrics of Lovers in Japan at least get them right. "Fantasy enemies"? Loads of people are very vocal about their dislike of Coldplay! What is this guy talking about? Sorry for the rant. What a load of bollocks.

They aren't going to be there much are they? When the US tour starts they're pretty much on the road 'til Christmas. Jeez, Christmas seems like a long way off.

Someone from EMI must.

I think this record will get a reprise. Most reviewers have only heard the album once in a room with a load of other music journos. Hell, if Pitchfork are changing their minds about Coldplay then CJWG must be doing something right.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/06/06/bmcoldplay106.xml Apologies if this has been posted before. It's pretty interesting.

The Boxer? Neon Bible? Kid A? Yawn. Those albums are grey compared to Viva la Vida.... Actually, proper Coldplay fans are their fiercest critics. Well, maybe not fiercest but we know what we're talking about.

It doesn't have any. Or are you joking?

That thing about Coldplay "struggling to stay interesting" really baffles me. It's so cynical. I mean, how do you work that out just by listening to music? How does a band sound like they're trying to write good music? What makes Radiohead's music sound like they aren't trying to sound interesting? Surely wanting to sound interesting is natural? Now I can completely see why a critic would slag off X&Y, but this is a markedly different record but they don't seem to have picked that up. Why? Probably because they don't want to and the reviews were written before they'd even listened to the record. One thing I'd say about these reviews is: don't get someone who already dislikes Coldplay to review a Coldplay record! It doesn't make any sense!

Maybe they recorded it in a Spanish church? DAAHF/TE is the first final track on a CP album that I've loved. The Escapist's lyric is amazing. The whole album is such a varied, surprising journey and The Escapist just caps it all off. Truly great.

Listened to it (Viva la Vida...) all last night from start to finish. Bloody amazing. Definitely their best!

I don't miss the old Coldplay at all.

There's so much on this record that I can't pick a favourite. Although "In the end we lie awake and we dream of making our escape" could be Chris Martin's best lyric.

What's the bit rate of the new songs?