Blogcritics Comments on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Comment by Ross on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Fri, 4 Jul 2008 02:17:50 EDT

Glen, I wasn't just commenting on your review and I did read it all. I had read many reviews before I got to yours. I think your review was fair and interesting but your 'faint praise' is nearly as bad no praise at all. I think the album is so good I want to encourage people to listen to it, not put them off. Personally I don't think their latest effort sounds at all like U2...though I confess their earlier albums did and X & Y was ordinary. In the end it doesn't matter to me who they may sound like, as long I get pleasure from listening to it and its not an obvious take off.

Comment by Glen Boyd on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 21:39:36 EDT

Ross, I did in fact listen to the Coldplay CD (many, many times in fact), although I'm not so sure you read my entire review. If you did, you'd see that in fact I liked this CD quite a bit. While the U2/Eno comparisons should be obvious to anyone listening, I still am quite happy to otherwise see Martin and company branching out, and otherwise breaking out of the mold that made them stars. But then, you'd know that if you read the review... -Glen

Comment by Dr Dreadful on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 11:40:19 EDT

I agree that this album is Coldplay's best work so far. There isn't a track I don't love, and there are very few records one can say that about. The music is complex without being gratingly experimental. One needs to fire up a few brain cells in order to appreciate it, which is a good sign that it won't be getting stale any time soon. (Always a problem for me with songs I initially love and then get bored with after a few listens.) As Glen noted, the band took a risk going outside their comfort zone, and it's paid off. Looking forward to seeing them live in San Jose in a couple of weeks.

Comment by Ross on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 05:11:58 EDT

When did reviewers stop listening to the music? It makres you wonder when you read what people say about Coldplay's Viva La Vida. There are so many comments on titles, geeky Chris Martin and derivatives I found myself thinking I was reading a financial report. I thought this was about "popular music"? If so surely the important thing is whether you enjoyed the experience of listening to the music and whether it created an emotional response. Thats why I listen to music...what about the rest of the general public? Incidentally This is the best music and lyrics Coldplay have written!

Comment by Glen Boyd on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:36:12 EDT

Well, according to me I suppose. -Glen

Comment by El Bicho on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:31:47 EDT

According to whom, Glen? :P

Comment by Tom Johnson on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:20:45 EDT

Aside from "The Scientist" (and, really, more due to Aimee Mann's cover of it on her deluxe version of Lost In Space,) I haven't really taken to much of anything Coldplay did in the past. I have to admit that I'm quite taken with this album and I would never have expected it. I blame it on Eno. And James is surely the inspiration for the "Lovers in Japan" portion of that two-part track - every bit of that is pure James, the shuffling beat, the romping piano, and Martin's phrasing is exactly like Tim Booth's. All it needs is some trumpet. That's my issue with this band - I'm not convinced I'm listening to Coldplay, I'm still feel like I'm listening "Coldplay Takes On The Classics." But they do it really well, and this time they've actually made a really, really interesting album that I can actually play again and again and not get bored of. But is that Coldplay at work or Eno? I suspect it's Eno, unfortunately, but only time will tell - if they opt to not work with Eno in the future. U2 has proven they can turn out great stuff without Eno, James has proven they can turn out great stuff without Eno. Let's see Coldplay prove it. I'm actually rooting for them.

Comment by Jordan Richardson on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:01:36 EDT

So excited to get this. My first Coldplay experience was actually seeing them at the Commodore Ballroom here in Vancouver as they were promoting Parachutes. Small...TINY...show with maybe a thousand people packed on to the Ballroom's legendary bouncy floor and Martin was going mad as though he was playing for tens of thousands. Bloody amazing show and I've been a fan ever since. Seemingly a few seconds later they were playing packed arena shows.

Comment by Eric Whelchel on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:53:15 EDT

When someone who has turned me on to many great bands over the years gave me Coldplay's first album and told me I'd love it, I thought he was nuts after giving it a few listens. I haven't recovered from that moment yet.

Comment by Mark Saleski on Music Review: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (or Death And All His Friends)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:25:11 EDT

On the other hand, how on earth could you deny a song like "Clocks"? it's really easy. i start with a cringe and then just go from there. ok, not quite truthful. i do like "Clocks"...it's just everything else they do that i can't stand.