In Continuum.

"This is Coldplay?", my friend asked when she heard the first song on the album, Life in Technicolor. Surely, anybody expecting the piano banging and guitar ripping guitar version of Coldplay is not going to find it in this album. The band has evolved over the past three years ever since the release of their last album, X&Y. The first album by the British rock band felt more like an indie project, or an EP from Radiohead somehow. They were quieter, more controlled, and it sounded like something you'd expect to hear in a small bar somehow. It was good, or very good, but A Rush of Blood to the Head completely blew the top of the roof out. That album was made essentially for the stadium crowd, with every track screaming of an anthem somehow. That album was the one that propelled the band to international stardom, which was also why X&Y suffered from the sophomore slump inevitably, with the weight of expectations on the band's shoulders. I still like the third album, but it is no Parachutes or A Rush of Blood to the Head. The stadium anthems are still there, the tracks are still memorable, but it also received a lot of criticisms from the critics from all around. It is not helped that Chris Martin's strained voice annoyed some people to no end too. 

Viva la Vida, however, is going to be the album to shut them up. The band recruited super producer Brian Eno this time around, and it is evident how much influence he has on this album. Every note and every ambient sound is a signature from Brian Eno, and it is amazing how the age is not stopping him from creating some of the most mind blowing music. Admittedly, I am not familiar with his works over the years, but hearing what he has done to Coldplay is certainly very encouraging for me to check him out. Anyway, this album sounds completely different from their previous albums, though you can still hear a trace of the band somewhere. I suppose that is what every band should strive for anyway, to be different in every album but still remaining the unique at the same time. It sounds difficult, but it's not like bands out there haven't achieved such a feat. Radiohead pretty much sounds different on every single album, though it's not going to be difficult for one to listen to a song and go: that's Radiohead. This album is something like that, but with a twist of Eno and that unpredictability in conventional rock albums these days. 

The album begins with Life in Technicolor, which has more electronica roots more than anything else. That's the song that my friend was blown away by, because Coldplay doesn't sound like that at all - they've really changed. Cemeteries in London has an interesting tribal twist to it as Chris Martin mentioned in an interview, with some of the chants in the choruses resembling that of some tribal call somehow. And it also seems like the band has extensively used the sound of clapping in the background like Radiohead did with 15 Steps, which isn't a bad thing of course. It gives the songs a very unique background beat, adding on to the unpredictability of the album as a whole. The song 42 begins somewhat like The Scientist somehow, with just Chris Martin's vocals accompanied by his piano. But the song really picks up, and the band launches into this jamming that has never happened on any of their previous albums before. They then escalate from this point on into the climax of the song, and they brings that progressiveness into the next song - Lovers in Japan. This is Viva la Vida's Clocks, this is going to be the song to bring the house down. I am in love with the progressive piano work and the drums, so kudos to Will Champion for pulling it off. 

Yes has a very interesting mix of oriental instruments, though I cannot put my finger on what they are. I love how it sounded rather arabic, or maybe even indian somehow. With that layer over the rock instruments, the marriage was just perfect. This is also the song that see Chris Martin in the lowest possible voice register he has ever gone, and it's just a different and mind blowing song by itself. The next song reminds me of My Bloody Valentine somehow, or perhaps even M83 with the muted vocals and the progressive distorted guitar. You cannot hear his vocals clearly in this song, which gave it a somewhat shoeglaze feel - a departure from the style that they have grew way too comfortable with. Viva la Vida has a strong string section in the background that lends to the song a very grand and epic feel, a sweeping song that screams of life and its possibilities. Violet Hill, to me, is really an under-rated song. I love the political undertones and the Politik-like arrangement of the song. The album ends with a sweet and delicate song called Death and All His Friends, a less morbid song than the title suggests and a perfect song to round off the album. 

All and all, this album is as perfect as albums get. There are no fillers, no letdowns, every song stands alone as being perfectly independent of the other. If there is an album to slap the critics in the face, this'd be it. We don't hear Chris Martin's high falsettos anymore, and replacing that is a more stable and mature voice on his part. Brian Eno's hypnotism - you read that right - really helped the band to stir in the right direction. He must have found some hidden talent in a locked up closet at the back of their heads. How else do you explain the brilliance of this album anyway? This album has been on repeat ever since yesterday morning for a perfect reason, and it's still playing as I am typing this review. All I hope for now is for the tour to reach Singapore again like the last time it happened two years ago, something which would be really awesome. There are so many songs in this album that I'd like to hear live, and I do hope that Coldplay remembers their Asian fans here. A solid album with a love at first listen. It doesn't get any better than this, really. 

Tracklist:

1. Life in Technicolor (2:31)

2. Cemeteries Of London (3:21)

3. Lost! (3:55)

4. 42 (3:57)

5. Lovers In Japan/Reign Of Love (6:51)

6. Yes!/Chinese Sleep Chant (7:07)

7. Viva la Vida (4:04)

8. Violet Hill (3:50)

9. Strawberry Swing (4:10)

10. Death And All His Friends/The Escapist (6:19)

11. Lost! (Acoustic) (3:40)

12. Lovers In Japan (Acoustic) (3:44)