Although it's been one of the most popular rock bands of the past decade, Clocks" more for its piano intro than its lyrical content. So along comes the band's fourth album, Coldplay has received a cold shoulder from critics who claim the members don't stretch themselves either lyrically or thematically. And it's true—even die-hard fans would remember the single " Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends , and, boy, how times have changed. Out goes the backlash and in comes the U2 comparisons and the critical acclaim.
Down to its cover, Eugène Delacroix 's singer Chris Martin 's lower register. Brian Eno (U2, Talking Heads) deserves some of the credit for being one of the few producers capable of translating Martin 's desire for change into a critical and chart success.Liberty Leading the People, Viva la Vida is Coldplay's big step forward, employing some exotic instrumentation and, for the first time on record, making extensive use of
In June, Martin a "passive-aggressive blowhard" on Viva la Vida hit No. 1 while selling more than 700,000 copies, only the second rock album since Coldplay's 2005 release X&Y to push that many copies in its first week. Even The New York Times , which called X&Y —a drubbing that inspired him to up the ante on Viva la Vida , has come around, saying the new record "rumbles like nothing else the band has done."
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Copyright 2008 Las Vegas Magazine
