L'album piu importante del 2008 per uno dei gruppi piu importanti degli ultimi 10 anni. Questo lavoro presenta un sensibile cambio di stile rispetto agli album precedenti dei Coldplay. L'album si presenta con molti richiami alla psichedelia perchè molto "colorato" dalle sofisticatezze elettroniche e dagli archi che si fanno parecchia strada in "Viva la Vida". Questa caratteristica dell'album è stata sicuramente portata da Brian Eno, cooproduttore dell'album, che già aveva aiutato a rivoluzionare lo stile agli U2. L'album apre con "Life In Technicolor", perfetta intro a quello che sarà l'album migliore della band londinese. Poi prosegue sui ritmi spagnoleggianti di "Cementeries Of London". Ritmi sempre scanditi dall'elettronica di sottofondo. Poi prosegue con "Lost!" ballata rock con un ritmo alla "We Will Rock You" con un organo che fa da sottofondo alla bellissima voce di Chris Martin. Poi c'è "42", che ricorda all'inizio il John Lennon di "Immagine" per poi esplodere ed aumentare di intensità tra le varie chitarre. Poi è il turno di "Lovers In Japan" che con "Strawberry Swing", che sono le tracce piu psichedeliche dell'album (peccato che "Lovers In Japan" continui noiosamente dopo una pausa x altri 3 minuti...). Poi ci sono i gioielli di questo album: il primo è "Viva La Vida", un esplosione di archi che si intrecciano dall'inizio alla fine tra la voce di Chris Martin e le campane che si sentono in lontananza nel ritornello. Il secondo è "Violet Hill", il pezzo piu rock dell'album dove i Coldplay trovano qualche piccola fuga blues e qualche schitarrata in piu rispetto alle altre tracce (il pezzo parte in sordina quasi come se volesse partire da una fitta nebbia). poi c'è "Strawberry Swing", molto particolare e psichedelica dai ritmi molto pacati. L'album chiude con "Death And All His Friends" pezzo che parte con il solo piano e la voce sussurante di Chris Martin, poi il piano viene acompagnato dalla chitarra e poco dopo il pezzo esplode con qualche scossone e poi impenna tra chitarre e cori, per poi dileguarsi nella traccia fantasma che ricalca l'inizio dell'album.

Insomma i Coldplay sono arrivati al loro album piu ricco, maturo e ricercato della loro carriera, che, a parte qualche lungaggine di troppo, risulta molto piacevole e scorrevole. I Coldplay però devono dire grazie anche a Brian Eno che ha operato molto bene.

è la mia prima recensione, non siate troppo cattivi!!! 

Elenco tracce testi e video

01   Life in Technicolor (02:31)

Instrumental

02   Cemeteries of London (03:20)

At night they would go walking ‘till the breaking of the day,
The morning is for sleeping…
Through the dark streets they go searching to see God in their own way,
Save the nighttime for your weeping…
Your weeping…

Singing la lalalalala la lé…
And the night over London, hey…

So we rode down to the river where the toiling ghosts spring,
For their curses to be broken…
We’d go underneath the arches where the witches are in the saying,
There are ghost towns in the ocean…
The ocean…
Singing la lalalalala la lé…
And the night over London, ey…

God is in the houses and God is in my head… and all the cemeteries in London…
I see God come in my garden, but I don’t know what he said,
For my heart it wasn’t open….
Not open…

Singing la lalalalala la lé…
And the night over London, ey…

Singing la lalalalala la lé…
There’s no light over London today…

03   Lost! (03:54)

04   42 (03:57)

Those who are dead are not dead
They're just living in my head
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well, oh

Time is so short
And I'm sure
There must be something more

Those who are dead are not dead
They're just living in my head, oh
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well

Time is so short
And I'm sure
There must be something more

You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close

You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you, oh, oh

Those who are dead are not dead
They're just living in my head

05   Lovers in Japan / Reign of Love (06:50)

06   Yes / Chinese Sleep Chant (07:06)

When it started, we had high hopes
Now my back's on the line, my back's on the ropes
When it started, we were alright
But night makes a fool of us in the daylight

There we were dying of frustration
Singing, "Lord lead me not into temptation"
But it's not easy when she turns you on
Sin, stay gone

If you'd only, if you'd only say yes
Whether you will's anybody's guess
God, only God knows I'm trying my best
But I'm just so tired of this loneliness

So, up they picked me by the big toe
I was held from the rooftop, then they let go
Dizzily screaming, "Let the windows down"
As I crawl to the ground

If you'd only, if you'd only say yes
Whether you will's anybody's guess
God, only God knows she won't let me rest
But I'm just so tired of this loneliness
I've become so tired of this loneliness

07   Viva la Vida (04:04)

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

08   Violet Hill (03:49)

Was a long and dark December
From the rooftops I remember
There was snow
White snow

Clearly I remember
From the windows they were watching
While we froze
Down below

When the future's architectures
By a carnival of idiots on show
You'd better lie low

If you love me
Won't you let me know?

Was a long and dark December
When the banks became cathedrals
And the fog
Became God

Priests clutched onto bibles
Hollowed out to fit their rifles
And the cross was held aloft

Bury me in armor
When I'm dead and hit the ground
A love back home unfolds

If you love me
Won't you let me know?

I don't want to be a soldier
Who the captain of some sinking ship
Would stow, far below

So if you love me
Why did you let me go?

I took my love down to Violet Hill
There we sat in snow
All that time she was silent still

So if you love me
Won't you let me know?

If you love me,
Won't you let me know?

09   Strawberry Swing (04:09)

They were sitting
They were sitting
In the strawberry swing
Every moment was so precious

They were sitting
They were talking
In the strawberry swing
Everybody was for fighting
Wouldn't wanna waste a thing

Cold, cold water
Bring me round
Now my feet
Won't touch the ground
Cold, cold water
What ya say?
It's such
It's such a perfect day
It's such a perfect day

I remember
We were walking up
To strawberry swing
I can't wait 'til the morning
Wouldn't wanna change a thing

People leaving all the time
Inside
A perfectly straight line
Don't you wanna curve away
It's such
It's such a perfect day
It's such a perfect day

Now the sky could be blue
I don't mind
Without you
It's a waste of time

Could be blue
I don't mind
Without you
It's a waste of time

Could be blue
Could be grey
Without you
I'm just miles away

Could be blue
I don't mind
Without you
It's a waste of time

10   Death and All His Friends / The Escapist (06:18)

All winter
We got carried
Or way over on the rooftops just get merry
All summer we just hurry
So come over just be patient and don't worry
So come over just be patient and don't worry

So come over just be patient and don't worry
So come over just be patient and don't worry

So come over just be patient and don't worry

And don't worry…

Try
Try
Try

No I don't want to battle from the year to end
I don't want to cycle and recycle revenge
I don't want to follow death and all of his friends...

11   Lost? (03:39)

12   Lovers in Japan (acoustic version) (03:43)

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Altre recensioni

Di  Chopinsky

 I Coldplay sono cambiati, gente, ma non tradiscono la loro natura e continuano a perpetrare la loro poetica con la solita, disarmante onestà.

 'Viva la vida or Death and all his friends' non è il 'Kid-A' dei Coldplay, ma va benissimo così.


Di  GrantNicholas

 Non siamo neppure davanti ad un album scarso, sembrerebbe il classico disco di transizione da una dimensione all’altra.

 Martin abbandona l'impostazione iper zuccherosa tipica dei precedenti lavori per un utilizzo più particolare della sua voce.


Di  Doherty

 Una galoppata di 2min abbondanti che rasenta la perfezione strumentale.

 Questo album aprirà un secondo capitolo nella fin qui strabiliante carriera di questa band amata da tutti.


Di  nss_gabriele

 "Che sia un bene oppure no, abbiamo di sicuro cominciato a usare più colori."

 "Un album fresco, luminoso, dinamico, dal respiro universale, che coniuga melodia e ricchezza sonora."


Di  davoz

 Il trattamento elettronico di Eno si rivela palesemente invalidante e incongruo rispetto alla cifra stilistica del quartetto londinese.

 La vocalità trasognata e malinconica del leader cantante è quasi sempre soffocata dalla densità armonica e dalla pesantezza delle basi.