Music : Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends (Gatefold Digipack)

Rating: - like a good red wine
like so many i did not like this when i first listened, but i love the band so left it for a week and tried again. been doing this for the past month and now really rate this album. don't expect some of their hypnotically greats of previous albums but do expect great music that will easily stand the test of time.

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Rating: - Good
Didn't think much of the tunes when I first heard them, which is always a good sign. After a few listenings it's suddenly just come alive. Ecellent!

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Rating: - stunning
coldplay couldn't get bigger so they just got better instead. this is an amazing album, it seemed impossible for coldplay to write an album better than X and Y but the least you can say is it's as good as.

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Rating: - Self-consciousness numptyishness spoils fundamentally good LP or how good can music made by a man who knits his own jumpers be?
Brian Eno realigns Coldplay here in much the same way as he did U2 on "The Unforgettable Fire". Whilst his work with Bongo and the boys has long since gone stale, Coldplay's decision to employ him has "sound designer" works wonders for both band and producer and makes for an interesting LP - though one that does not hit the same heights as his best work with U2. Why doesn't it do this? As some have commented I think it comes down to the band's and in particular the lead singer's self-consciousness. There's just something that's not quite right. Anyone who saw the documentary about the making of the Band Aid single a few years back will perhaps know what I'm talking about. And anyone who's seen the video for the single "Viva la Vida" certainly knows what I'm talking about - possibly the worst visual performance of a song by anyone ever and I include all of Sir Cliff Richard's videos in that assessment. If you have seen the offending video it will probably have put you off buying this album and who could blame you?

If it hadn't been for Messrs McCulloch and Eno, Coldplay would been forgotten about after their ultra-dull wimpy studenty debut - lucky for them that hasn't happened. They are talented musicians who should impress anyone who gut-feels music (is there any other way?) All they need to do now is hire an image consultant and just maybe then they might make the classic LP that has thus far alluded them.

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Rating: - Brrrrrr
Coldplay kinda slowly crept up on us with Yellow (I think giving their CD away free with a Sunday Newspaper set them off) and the drizly video for Yellow, meant we could say 'yeah I been there'...but sorry the fake blokeishness, the strange , idot, beatle-esque clothing, the use of tiny tatty guitars, and 18th centurt military drums , have made me turn my face away from these guys......their not communicating with me anymore...cos i dont get them.....