Album Review on Coldplay's new album "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends"

Here is my album review, track by track, of the new Coldplay album.

Track 1- Life in Technicolor- I know this first track is just instrumental, but this track got me pumped when I first heard it last night. I felt like it was setting the atmosphere, in a way, for the rest of the CD. If you have ever been to a concert you probably understand what I'm talking about. Usually before a band takes the stage they might have music or a beat of some sort that you can hear faintly in the background the band takes the stage and joins in with the music as it grows louder and louder until the band exsplosively or gracefully plunges into the first verse of the song. Long explanation I know, but I feel it was neccessary.

Track 2- Cemetaries of London- Already you can tell that Coldplay is using a type of different sound when this song begins. Love the "la la la la la yey" part and the clap noise in the background. Interesting lyrics, CD sounds good so far.

Track 3- Lost!-Wow, this is a different sound. Is that a hip hop beat I hear? That it is. The start of this song doesn't sound like a Coldplay song at all. Love the lyrics on this one though. I call a Jay-Z remix in the near future.

Track 4- 42- This whole song seems very experimental, which I feel is something you wouldn't have heard or seen in the previous albums. This song starts out slow and soft than half way through the whole tempo and sound of the song changes and sounds like something you would hear from Radiohead and than changes into something you might hear from Tegan and Sara, yeah that Tegan and Sara...this is definitly a Brian Eno produced album.

Track 5- Lovers in Japan- The intro just plain makes me happy. Has a U2 type sound but also a very unique sound to it as well. Like alot of songs on this cd the song has a piano, but it doesnt sound like your normal Coldplay piano. The song stops half way in and switches tempo and sound. The piano on this part is just so peaceful.

Track 6- Yes- I love the sound effects they have in the back ground.Chris's voice is sooo low. I mean this really doesn't sound like a Coldplay song. I love the Asian sounding strings in this one mixed with a southern rock sound. Once again this song stops half way through, changes sound and tempo...and your left with a great exit out of this song that sounds more like Yo La Tango then Coldplay, as my good friend John put it.

Track 7-Viva La Vida- If you didn't already know, this song is about Napolean. I love the lyrics as they are presented from what would be Napolean's perspective, looking back on his life. This song is awesome, end of story.

Track 8- Violet Hill- This song also seems to have some political, historical significance. Very rocky sounding.

Track 9- Strawberry Swing- This song has a very folkie sound to it. This might be an early canidate for my favorite song on the album. This is another one of those "make you wanna dance" songs.

Track 10- Death and All His Friends- This one reminds me of the Arcade Fire a little. Southern Rock sound to it once it gets goin, then regresses into atmospheric sounding stuff. Song ends with the same intro music we heard at the begining of the album, but this time we have vocals. Love the ending of this song, makes me want to listen to the album again, go to sleep, or go do something bold.

Track 11- Lost?- This is another version of track 6. Just as good if not better.

Overall Impression: I actually didn't really know what to expect from this album. We have all heard the "this is going to be Colplay's rockier cd" before as we did before with "X&Y" and before this album. After hearing the early releases I had hope that this was really going to be a different Coldplay. After listening through the album for the first time I actually was blown away how seriously the band took the idea of experimenting with new sounds and I though in doing so they walked away with an extremely good album. You hear some of the influences the band has been talking about have influenceing their new album the past year or so such as the Arcade Fire in this new album. I think this album will change the way people look at Coldplay and will strengthen the bands chances of being a "world renown band" for years to come. I warn you, this is not the Coldplay you are accustomed to, but give it a try and I believe at least over time you come to really enjoy this album.