ryan.smith.blog

Using my prophetic powers, I will reach forward to June 19th and listen to the new Coldplay record. Or maybe someone just found a copy online and gave it to me. Either way, here we go...

First of all, let me say (and I'm a bit hesitant to be making claims like this before I listen to it all the way through another ten times), but I think this is probably their best record. Recorded in churches in Latin America and Spain and produced by Brian Eno (U2, David Bowie), there's a sense of freedom to these songs, as if Martin no longer feels encumbered by the pressure to write hits. And unlike the postmodern sensibility of the last record ("You're in control, is there anywhere you want to go?"), "Viva la Vida..." feels rooted in the past (albeit with a modern musical twist). We meet fallen emperors, ghosts of old London, bloody revolutionaries, and even God himself. There's not only a sense of history here, but also a curiosity about the metaphysical. Where X&Y was concerned with the possibilities of stretching the boundaries of human conquest through science and progress, "Viva la Vida.." is all about conquest through revolution (or perhaps even salvation).

The title comes from a Frida Kahlo painting and is interpreted, "Long Live Life" (the cover image is cropped from Eugene Delacroix's famous painting of the French Revolution). In reference to the title, Martin says, "Frida went through a lot of shit, then she started a big painting in her house that said 'Viva la Vida'. I just loved the boldness of it." Well, it certainly helps make sense of the odd characters and events inhabiting the world of Coldplay's latest creation. In terms of the songs themselves, Martin says, "I don't feel any pressure to do something that people might expect. I feel completely free. You have to stop caring about what you're known for. So even if it's shit, at least it's brave."

Pre-order the record on iTunes today. Off to my eleventh listen...