These songs were impossible to bump from our top 100. They all have staying power and should be checked out if you haven't already done so. We are now at the top 60. If you missed the previous lists or want to see where the list goes, head to the links below:
Part 1: MUF's Top 100 Songs of 2008 (81-100)
Part 2: MUF's Top 100 Songs of 2008 (61-80)
Part 4: MUF's Top 100 Songs of 2008 (21-40)
Part 5: MUF's Top 100 Songs of 2008 (1-20)
60. Ladytron - Runaway (buy)
Why: For a track name that pops up multiple times a year, "Runaway" by Ladytron provided what it needed to stand out courtesy of an escalating bass line and the European technotronics which helped make it an international success.
59. Priscilla Ahn - Dream (buy)
Why: Her music is much more than vocals. Her lyrics tell her story while a slow-plucked guitar and lazy violin alleviate any pressure from your current situation. "Dream" epitomizes A Good Day as it doesn't get much better than this.
58. Keane - Better Than This (buy)
Why: Probably the most bizarre keyboard Keane has managed to use yet opens up thier best song from Perfect Symmetry. As it turns out their album was nothing but perfect, but this song was hopeful as is its message.
57. Common Loon - Palestine Everywhere (buy)
Why: One of the more mysterious groups we've bumped into and certainly one of the most obscure. Not much was known of Common Loon when we heard their song "Palestine Everywhere", but they nailed it for what it was.
56. Greg Laswell - That It Moves (buy)
Why: A fan favorite at Laswell's shows and a nice classic message about human chemistry and the simple attractions that draw us together.
55. The Killers - Spaceman (buy)
Why: The more albums The Killers come out with, it seems the further we get pushed away. Its a shame their music has turned into something which few really enjoy each new album and everyone likes their poptastic song "Spaceman".
54. Low Vs Diamond - This Is Your Life (buy)
Why: Always striving for the 'big moment', "This Is Your Life" comes across as their most emotional, yet driving song on the album. To us anyway.
53. Tokyo Police Club - Graves (buy)
Why: Everything about these guys is high octane, sunny days and happy hour at the bar. It all comes across that way with songs such as this, which always seems to preface a good mood while listing to this song.
52. The Helio Sequence - Hallelujah (buy)
Why: How Brandon Summers squeezes in every ounce of wordage between his jovial 'hallelujah' refrain, along with the quick pace of the song marks not only one of the most upbeat songs on the album, but perhaps the year.
51. Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer (buy)
Why: Simple guitar plucking, some good ol' fashioned story-telling and a that classic Blitzen Trapper ensemble made this song a must for our list.
50. Ladytron - Ghosts (buy)
Why: Ladytron's finest work from Velocifero and one of the biggest reasons the French band made such a splash this year.
49. Pictures and Sound - Everything Leaves A Mark (buy)
Why: Its true, everything certainly does leave a mark - Luke Reynolds headed out his newly formed band in 08' and made a stunning effort, including this album opener amidst a pleasing album effort from the energetic frontman.
48. French Kicks - New Man (buy)
Why: More classic French Kicks, great breakdowns and refrains. Everything about this song is chock full of emotion and great chemistry by one of our favorite bands from 2008.
47. Tigers Can Bite You - Second Nature (buy)
Why: As bad as the group name may be, there are two songs on this album they nailed. This one being one of our favorite quasi-instrumental tracks from this past year.
46. South - Better Things (buy)
Why: South have been around the block a time or two, and realizing when they've perfecting their sound will most likely happen while listening to this song. This is one of their best song efforts to date.
45. Snow Patrol - Engines (buy)
Why: Part of Snow Patrol that creates such a draw is songs like this: A similar, simple droning beat is looped and looped planning all of the melodies all at once for the beautiful breakdown in the refrains. While the verses speak of the song title, the small parts in the song make this a big one.
44. Elbow - Friend of Ours (buy)
Why: Only certain groups can make you feel like you're watching a movie while listening to a song as beautiful as this one. As much as this may feel like the next key moment in the latest movie's score, Elbow has outdone themselves with their string sectionn, vocals and really the whole chemistry of the band is oozing when this song hits home.
43. MGMT - Electric Feel (buy)
Why: As much as dance music may not fit your regiment of music-listening, "Electric Feel"'s alto singing matches the ridiculous video we saw earlier this year. MGMT does everything right in this song, and although this may have been their best done song on their album, it was not their most popular.
42. Cut Copy - Out There On The Ice (buy)
Why: When it comes to electronica, building and droping the beat is essential, as is adding the slightest, yet necessary changes to keep the listener's interests piqued. The bassline makes this song one of their best from In Ghost Colours.
41. Coldplay - Viva La Vida (buy)
Why: If you haven't heard this song this year, then you weren't on Earth. Although you could probably say the same thing about Kanye or Britney, this song promises staying power for memorable lyrics, it's jumpy attitude and Coldplayness.
Top 20 Artists To Look Forward To In 2009 (Part 2)
6 comments Posted by musicunderfire at 12/27/2008
Our conclusion to the artists you can't miss in 2009 continues. If you missed our first 10, head here. Once again, enjoy.
Mute Math
For the boys from New Orleans, the road ahead is well lit. Two years after their self-titled debut album hit stores and flocks of new fans clung to "Typical", Mute Math have once again been drawn to the spotlight with their song "Spotlight", which features on the the Twilight soundtrack.
Paul Meany on the keytar and wobbly Rhodes piano certainly sparked our interest when we saw them live in early '06, but the strong supporting cast of Darren King (drums) Greg Hill (guitar) and Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas (bass) places Mute Math on a must-mention and must-see act for '09.
Bell X1
Bell X1 blew the socks off of thousands when they released Flock in 2005 inside their homeland of Ireland. Then they released Flock in 2006 and 2007 in Europe and the U.S. to the renewed joy of many others.
Just last week we mentioned their upcoming album Blue Lights on the Runway which is slated for release on March 3. Four years of writing and perfecting this already enamoring sound should draw some more smiles from eager listeners.
Coldplay
Every year Coldplay has hurdles to clear so that the orchestrated music they create doesn't receive bad reviews. Since they broke onto the scene 10 years ago, the Londoners couldn't have stayed firmer at the top of the rock scene.
Although gaps in albums have occurred in the group's history, live shows across the world and that ever-burning desire to hear new material will keep the group on top of their game. Plus, Viva La Vida is hardly over despite the Prospekt's March EP which was supposedly cleaning up from the album.
Video: Coldplay - Jingle Bells (live at O2 in London)
Delorentos
To no ardent MUF reader's surprise, the Dublin bunch of the Delorentos are hot on the radar of the music industry's finest.
2008 provided some readjusting for the group as they fiddled with labels and the 'making-it-big' syndrome. They have expressed plans to release a full-length fixture in the first half of 2009 which could be even more interesting depending of which label decides to step in. We have the full scoop here.
Beirut
Every time the conglomerate Beirut comes together to record, the results turn heads.When Gulag Orkestar launched in 2006 it ascended above the clouds and coasted its sweet melody to an international audience whom welcomed it as it should have been welcomed. 2007 marked The Flying Club Cup and another classic. With a somewhat silent 2008 from Beirut, we look forward to the big third album that sets them to another level of recognition.
MP3: Beirut - A Sunday Smile (buy)
Broken Social Scene
The influence of Toronto-based indie icons Broken Social Scene mixes well with any indie rock fan's collection. Built around the idea that each album is a solo project has enabled their sound to
remain eclectic as well as manufacturable from year to year without losing any edge.
Most recently BSS released Brendan Cumming's Something For All Of Us..., which continues this individualistic approach the group has designed. Any time this group of talented artists release a new album, eager people will listen, including MUF.
MP3: Broken Social Scene - Hit the Wall (buy)
Video: Broke Social Scene - Churches Under the Stars
Pela
Hospital trips for Billy McCarthy, canceled tour dates and eventually memorable live shows highlighted 2008 for Pela. If it wasn't for such a dazzling Anytown Graffiti album from 2007, the group probably would have never traveled as much as they did despite the sporadic drawbacks.
For 2009 expect a lot less injuries, a complete tour and a new album. Anything less shouldn't suffice. MUF certainly hopes to finally see them live this time around.
Sea Wolf
Although no formal announcement has come from the group within the past few months, the touring success from Sea Wolf after their 2006 release of Leaves in the River speaks volumes about the folk hook the group has latched to the masses.
Video: Sea Wolf - You're a Wolf
Their show at the end of May really got us hyped about where they could be headed. In October the group stated they were finished touring for the year and that an album would once again be in motion starting in March. For a group with six members, including the uber-talented Alex Brown Church, the sky is the limit.
Thirteen Senses
Contact didn't jump out to the masses like Thirteen Senses expected. Many critics don't expect superb sophomore albums, so the so-called letdown wasn't really a letdown at all, just a bump in the road. What can be expected could be a reinvention of their roots that made The Invitation such a jaw-dropping debut.
With a new record in mind, lead man Will South headed to Cornwall to begin musing over lyrics and the direction of what will be their third release. Soon after his arrival, his bandmates joined in on the process at the North London studio.
MP3: Thirteen Senses - Into the Fire (buy)
Director / Editors
Filing Director and Editors together has become a routine thing for MUF. Both groups are important positions in video and print media. Both artists will both be important in 2009, too.
Director last landed on the UK rock charts in 2006 with their release of We Thrive On Big Cities, when they challenged The Killers for the top spot. For 2009 the Dublin rockers have prepared their follow-up, as we wrote about earlier this month.
On the same island in the pond, Editors last recorded An End Has A Start in mid-2007 and have their third album looming in front of them. We will keep you posted on any new info on the group as it passes our inbox.
Concert Review: Coldplay (11/1/2008 @ The Wachovia Center, Philadelphia)
1 comments Posted by musicunderfire at 11/03/2008Reviewing a live show for a group as renown as Coldplay isn't really necessary, but since we snapped over 300 photos and shot more than 20 minutes of video, we owe it to you share some of our experience.
The Wachovia Center, which houses the Sixers and Flyers, played host to Coldplay for their November 1 show in Philadelphia. With a buzz already surrounding the city due to the Phillies winning the World Series, the stage was set for a night of celebration, waves of adulation and energy. Coldplay arrived as the headliner soon after Duffy and crew left stage.
From the get-go, the harmony of every instrument stuck out. While Chris Martin's voice is unique to him, the keyboard's electric tune met the rapping of the drums consistently, as Coldplay has perfected over the years. What the sound on the CD doesn't catch though comes when the lights flash during a guitar solo or when the group migrates around the stadium.
Perhaps unknown to Coldplay fans who have yet to attend a show came over an hour into the show when the four bandmates left center stage and headed towards the back of the venue. There they were prepped for a few acoustic songs, which they played at an armslength from overjoyed onlookers. From here they stood shoulder to shoulder to play as the near 20,000 person crowd followed every earnest lyric.
After a brief interlude, the group reappeared on stage. The large screens showed guitarist Jonny Buckland clad with a "Fightin' Phillies" shirt. Just as the sight of seeing this shirt, any mention of the Phils sent roars around the arena.
Overall, the concert was as flawless as one could really want it to be without being overly critical. The Wachovia Center doesn't house the best acoustics while the special effects they have at their disposal are as good as any. Getting to hear and see a band as big as Coldplay from multiple angles was something special while the variety they keep with their own songs also kept each song intriguing.
MP3: Coldplay - Strawberry Swing (live at Brixton Academy) (buy)
Below we have the set list from the show as well as a mass of pictures.
Life In Technicolor
Violet Hill
Clocks
In My Place
Speed Of Sound
Cemeteries Of London
Chinese Sleep Chant
42
Fix You
Strawberry Swing
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (techno remix)
Talk
The Hardest Part
Postcards From Far Away
Viva La Vida
Lost!
The Scientist (acoustic)
Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic)
Viva La Vida (to interlude)
--Encore--
Politik
Lovers In Japan
Death And All His Friends
--Encore 2--
Yellow
Closing*
Bloc Party news has been simmering down since Intimacy was released back on August 21st. Since then, an array of remixes have been releases, their most prominent one being their Mercury EP (iTunes UK link) which featured two other songs we didin't post here - "Flosstradamus Remix" and the "Herve Is In Disarray Remix" .
However, the list below has some great remixes, most importantly by CSS along with some of my older favorites such as "The Modern Love" and the stunning duality of Kele singing "Hunting for Witches" to the tune of Coldplay's "In My Place". Also featured are Chromeo and Does It Offend You, Yeah? (featured on our 300th post) remixed by Bloc Party.
MOST notable below, you can listen to the latest Bloc Party Remix, "Talons (Phones R.I.P Mix)", which will be available for download on iTunes' UK site as of tomorrow (10/20/08) in the UK only. From listening to the song below, I can say this is the best Bloc Party remix I've heard to date. As any Phones fan would be, I am shocked to hear it rumored that this is going to be his final remix (hence the "R.I.P." part of the remix title). If anyone has some truth to this, please leave a comment. Enjoy the list and be sure to pick up the Talons EP tomorrow...
MP3: Bloc Party - Hunting for Witches (Crystal Castles Remix) (buy)
MP3: Bloc Party - Mercury (CSS remix) (buy)
MP3: Bloc Party - The Pioneers (m83 remix) (buy)
MP3: Bloc Party - The Prayer (La Modes Sunday school remix) (buy)
MP3: Bloc Party - This Modern Love (dave piankas making time remix) (buy)
MP3: Bloc Party - Where Is Home (Diplo Remix feat Skepta) (buy)
MP3: Bloc Party vs Coldplay - Hunting for Witches In My Place (buy)
MP3: Chromeo - Needy Girl (Bloc Party Remix) (buy)
MP3: Does It Offend You Yeah - We Are Rockstars (Bloc Party Remix) (buy)
Bloc Party - Talons (Phones R.I.P Mix)
The album art above features yet another painting (looks familiar doesn't it) by Eugene Dela Croix which was painted to represent the French Revolution. And just another tidbit of information; You may recall reading each of Coldplay's exerpts leading up to their album name actually being dropped, however, many onlookers were anticipating this album to be named Prospekt, when in fact, it turns out this song will be the meat and potatoes of this follow-up EP. Keep in mind, the band went through a tough time trying to pick out which songs they wanted on their full length, so these are no lesser than was was on their album, rather songs that didn't fit into the album flow they wanted.
From Coldplay:
We are very proud of these and excited to release them. They have each been the subject of many discussions and arguments. Some might be considered too catchy or too heavy for Coldplay songs but in our minds they complete the Viva La Vida picture.You can see Coldplay's first ever performance of "Glass of Water" played in Antwerp, Belguim on October 4th by going here.
Below is the tracklisting. If you still haven't purchased Viva La Vida, there will be a VLV Prospekts March Edition which will feature the original disc along with Prospekts March EP included.
The EP will be released on the following dates:
Wednesday 19th November - Japan (digitally, physical to follow in January), Sweden (digitally on 21st)
Friday 21st November - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, South Africa
Saturday 22nd November - Australia
Monday 24th November - UK, rest of the world
Tuesday 25th November - USA, Canada, Spain
Tuesday 9th December - Argentina
Tracklisting:
1. Life In Technicolor II
2. Postcards From Far Away
3. Glass of Water
4. Rainy Day
5. Prospekts March / Poppyfields
6. Lost +
7. Lovers In Japan (Osaka Sun Mix)
8. Now My Feet Won't Touch The Ground
MP3: Coldplay - Ladder to the Sun (live)
Wow, its amazing how Viva La Vida stuck like Krazy Glue in my mind since their release in mid-June. Since then, I've heard the album many times, sometimes giving myself a much needed break from it, then coming back and realizing new subtleties each new time around. Coldplay's album is spectacular, and although we didn't do a full out critique of it in a review, our rating of the album is a 8.8.
Why? That is very high for us, but given the amount of changes they've made from their previous album, there is very little to be umoved by. If you want more opinions on this album, perhaps you check out some of their best reviews in Spin, The Onion (A.V. Club), Paste Magazine, Lost At Sea or their highest in Entertainment Weekly - these are all 80 out of 100 and above. If you think you'll get a better feel for the album by reading some of the worst out there, visit Paste Magazine, Hartford Current, Tiny Mix Tapes, or Village Voice. However, we know these guys are all just looking for attention. How unreasonably low can you rate such a satisfying album? I don't hear any Coldplay fans disagreeing...
I enjoyed this quote from Chris Martin back in 2005, shortly after X&Y was released The Gazette, and I think it says a lot about VLV:
"When you do something that some people don't like quite so much, then youSo aside from all of the negativity, overscrutinized palatable melodies and simplified glory this album has taken, take a gander at the remixes. After all, you've probably played this album out by now.
are free again. Your whole canvas is open."
MP3: Coldplay - Violet Hill (Cryptonites Remix) (buy)
MP3: Novel ft. Coldplay - Lost (Remix) (buy)
MP3: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (Chark Mu Electric Remix) (buy)
MP3: Coldplay - Death And All His Friends (MMMatthias Remix) (buy)
MP3: Coldplay - Violet Hill (Justice Remix) (buy)
MP3: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (We Plants are Happy Plants Remix) (buy)
MP3: Coldplay - If I Viva La Vida (Starters Remix) (buy)
MP3: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (WPAHP Remix) (buy)
MP3: Coldplay - Viva La Vida (Telemitry Remix) (buy)
If you haven't yet, listen to Coldplay for free on any of the following: Official, MySpace, Virb, iMeem, and Last.fm.
We also suggest checking out King Khan & the Shrines as well as the very sweet Sian Alice Group.
MP3: Wolf Parade - Language City (buy)
MP3: The Notwist - Boneless (buy)
MP3: Silver Jews - Strange Victory, Strange Defeat (buy)
Adem - Takes
Bowerbirds - Hymns for a Dark Horse
Children of the Sixth Root Race - Songs From the Source
Clouds - We Are Above You
Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
Confide -Shout The Truth
Dan Tyminski - Wheels
Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue - Legacy Edition
Eef Barzelay - Lose Big
Impossible Shapes - The Impossible Shapes
James Blackshaw - Litany of Echoes
Jason Falkner - Bedtime With The Beatles Pt. 2
Jay Reatard - Always Wanting More / You Mean Nothing To Me 7"
Joshua James - The Sun Is Always Brighter
Judas Priest - Nostradamus
Katy Perry - One of the Boys
King Khan and the Shrines - The Supreme Genius of King Khan
The Low Lows - Shining Violence
Mick Hucknall - Tribute to Bobby
MIGGS - Unraveled
My Brightest Diamond - A Thousand Shark's Teeth
NOMO - Ghost Rock
Paul Weller - Live at the Royal Albert Hall
Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual
Reggie and the Full Effect - Last Stop: Crappy Town
Ride The Boogie - Ride The Boogie
Sian Alice Group: The Dusk Line EP
Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
Sister Hazel - Before The Amplifiers, Live Acoustic
Stars Like Fleas - Ken Burns Effect
Teddy Thompson - A Piece of What You Need
The Briggs - Come All You Madmen
The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me
The Offspring - Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace
The Real Tuesday Weld - The End of the World
Thom Yorke - Harrowdown Hill/The Clock (import single)
Tilly and the Wall - O
Twine - Violets
Valient Thorr - Immortalizer
War on Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
After clips being shown on several blogs and websites, we waited for the perfect moment when the full version of "Violet Hill's" video would be released. This is no rip-off, fake or false promotion for another band; this is the real deal.
As Coldplay's first release from Viva La Vida, their highly influenced Brian Eno-driven "Violet Hill" single boasts political messages shown throughout, especially since Coldplay released a parody on political world leaders and governmental video shots tuned to their latest single.
MP3: Coldplay - Help Is Around The Corner (buy)
You can now preorder Viva La Vida on iTunes until its release date of June 17th. Also check out their website for updated info on their latest band news.
Video: Coldplay - Violet Hill
Coldplay: "Violet Hill" Free Download, Album Art Revealed
0 comments Posted by musicunderfire at 4/29/2008
Since the inception of the idea that Coldplay would release an album dating all the way back to the beginning of 2007 kept their fans bubbling with enthusiasm over the course of the last extended year, and just as the band promised, we get a sneak peek at Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends thanks to Coldplay's generosity. Let's get right to it - you can download "Violet Hill" right now and for FREE as the air you breathe by visiting Coldplay.com and entering your email address. Its as simple as that. As for the song itself, we'll restrain ourselves and just say its quite good in a new Coldplay sort-of-way.
The artwork you see above is the painting 'Liberty Leading The People' by famous French Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix. For you history buffs, Delacroix created the painting in 1830. It depicts a three-day uprising by republicans that took place in Paris near Delacroix's painting studio.The main character seen on the album cover is Marianne, the symbol of the French nation. The painting is currently on display in the Louvre gallery in Paris. "Viva La Vida" means "Long Live Life".
Coldplay will also be playing a free show at Brixton Academy, London on Monday, June 16th as well as another free show in NYC at Madison Square Garden on June 23rd. Check back on Coldplay's website for more details.
In the meantime, check out this rare live song recorded at the Bell Centre in Montreal, which dates back to 2003.
MP3: Coldplay - Ladder To The Sun (live)
http://www.coldplay.com/
http://www.myspace.com/coldplay
http://last.fm/music/Coldplay
We know everyone can't help but read every piece of recycled news about Coldplay, but we guarantee we have something you haven't heard yet... unless you somehow know as much as we do.
But first, take a quick gander at the songs below. If you've been following all of the song selection hoopla since November/December, its a relief that Coldplay finally selected their tracklist for Viva La Vida. A few songs that I've seen brought up time and time again from the band's long-running blog are "Cemetaries of London", "Lost" and "42" and "Violet Hill". You can expect these to be the strong tracks on VLV.
There's no way of telling how many songs Coldplay did actually scratch from this list, but the band wanted to keep it to-the-point. Here are a few quotes from Coldplay's official site from the course of the last 6-8 months I found would shed some more light as to what we can expect:
The plan has always been to make a short record. No more than 42 minutes, 9 songs (give or take).
To use a tired analogy, it’s like picking a football team. It’s not simply about individual talent, but overall cohesion and combined effectiveness. The bigger picture. An album that you can listen to from start to finish. The danger of this is that great songs may get left off the album because they don’t “fit”.
One minute we're all buzzing about the mix of Prospekt's March; the next we're crippled by doubt over the drum track for Lost!
It feels like a very dense record. There are so many melodies and colours packed into a relatively short space (42 mins). As you'd expect with Brian Eno, there's experimentation, and exploration. But the music still has integrity. It's real and honest. There's no posturing or bombast.From their latest message posted on April 10th, we can expect to hear one or two of their new tracks soon:
The powers-that-be tell me it'll be available for general consumption on June 16/17, depending on where you live. We'll try to release a track or two before then...That's it, here's their tracklist:
1. Life in Technicolor
2. Cemeteries of London
3. Lost!
4. 42
5. Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love
6. Yes
7. Viva la Vida
8. Violet Hill
9. Strawberry Swing
10. Death and All His Friends
And finally... for those who didn't think we could introduce something new to you, here are two VERY good tracks you probably never knew about (unless you're crafty like us). The first is a song by Faultline featuring Chris Martin from their 2002 Your Love Means Everything album (also features a song with The Flaming Lips) and the second is from the God Put A Smile On Your Face EP (2003).
MP3: Coldplay - Your Love Means Everything, Part 2 (Faultline, feat. Chris Martin) (buy)
MP3: Coldplay - Animals (buy)
If you want to go back in time and see all of Coldplay insights on their new album, visit Wiki Coldplay. Or if you want to own everything Coldplay has to offer on iTunes go here.
And lastly, here's a video showing the lighter side of Chris Martin from 2006:
If you haven't heard by now, Coldplay's new album will be called Viva la Vida. Does it sound like a horrible album name? Of course it does. Most English-speaking fans would have no clue what it means at first glance. First impressions are everything, and despite the likability of Coldplay, this may be the worst album name I've heard all year. Mind you, I'm not a Coldplay hater, like the million others out there, but the band would have been wiser choosing their alternate album name "Death And All His Friends", but even that doesn't click.
Perhaps a lot of what Coldplay has been up to doesn't 'click' per se, but that seems to be what they're going for. Rolling Stone sat down and got a sneak peek of the album with Chris Martin and the band as well as an explanation of the reason the album name was chosen and most importantly, what the album sounds like:
Singer Chris Martin chose it after seeing the phrase, which means “long live life,” on a painting by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who endured polio, a broken spine, and chronic pain for decades. “She went through a lot of shit, of course, and then she started a big painting in her house that said ‘Viva la Vida,’” says Martin. “I just loved the boldness of it.”Martin's boldness in name choosing falls right in line this time around since the birth of his two children who have since been named Apple and Moses. Says Martin to Rolling Stone:
“I’ve been through this before, naming something or someone and everyone saying that ‘That’s a terrible name’. But then saying, ‘Well, fuck you, that’s what it’s called, and I’ll be proved to be right eventually’. So when Viva la Vida came along, I was kind of annoyed because I’m going to have to try and convince everybody of this, but it just felt right.”Besides the name of the album, Rolling Stone reports influences like that of The Doobie Brothers in one song and Afro-pop influences in another. RS reports that many of the lyrics are "darker, dealing with recurring themes of death and loneliness" and that Martins vocals go beyond his traditionally light-footed singing style.
Here is the description of some of the more likely songs to be accepted to Coldplay's tedious track selection for the new album. The band had reported last year on their Official Site that VLV will most likely be only a 10-track album only because they wanted it all to fit together and couldn't include everything. Here are the details:"Violet Hill": One of the strongest of the new songs, the band is considering giving it away as a special promotion in coming weeks and then leaving it off the album. Opening with a jagged distorted guitar riff, the song announces a new template: The stalking, bluesy beat fits nicely with Martin's earthy vocals and plaintive lyrics: "If you love me, won't you let me know?"
"42": The fact that the band is considering this song as the album's first real single underlines how far they're willing to a stray from their formula: It's an elaborate three-part piece, with swirling pianos, strings and beat loops that build to an uptempo climax, with some seriously stoner lyrics: "Those who are dead are not dead/They're just living in my head."
"Yes": Here, Martin's vocals take center stage like never before: Sounding more aggressive and strong than ever, they sit on top of an irresistible North African string-and-tablas arrangement and ache more convincingly than all the lilting falsetto in the world: "If you'd only, if you'd only
say 'Yes'/I'm just so tired of this loneliness." It's the band's freshest song since "Parachutes."
"Death and All His Friends": A straight-up rock tune with a riff that sounds ripped from the Doobie Brothers, piano, and, in the last section, flute.
"Cemetaries of London": Notice the thematic pattern emerging from the title and lyrics? This one, with an electro loop and hand claps, doesn't sound as glum as its title portends.
"Life in Technicolor": Acoustic-guitar driven and jangly, this is one of the few tracks that seems built from the Coldplay template of songs like "Don?t Panic," only a bit more, well, panicked: "Baby it's a violent world," Martin sings.
"Chinese Sleep Chant": Opening with a jagged guitar riff, the song quickly settles into a propulsive dance-track loop with low-mixed, angelic vocals.
"Strawberry Swing": This is one of several potential album cuts with Afro-pop and high-life influences: Here, distortion-free finger-picked guitars which sound straight out of Mali mix with a heavy bassline and psychedelic synths. "My Mum comes from Zimbabwe, so I spent a lot of time there," says Martin. "I used to work in a studio where people played that."
"Reign of Love": A lovely layered composition of piano, bass and organ that backs fairytale lyrics.
MP3: Coldplay - Parachutes
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Well duh! Of course the album's name isn't 'Prospekt', that would be an awful name. You have more faith in Coldplay, don't you? Well the band has been persistent in their push to get their album out; one which seems like an eternity to most, but a whimsical few seasons for others who may have finally stopped playing 'Fix You'. Its for the better all of this time has been spent. Afterall, maybe some reconstruction was in order after their least likeable album X&Y.
Back home for a few days. A brief rest before the final push.Another four or five weeks and we should be home and dry: another ten mixes + re-recording one of the songs from scratch.
In times gone by I would have set aside a month to re-record a track. However, the week before Christmas, we recorded two tracks in four days - Lovers In Japan and Strawberry Swing. On the fifth day (Friday), Chris put down new lyrics (and new melodies) on two other tracks. It was far and away the most productive and exciting week we've ever had in the studio. I was buzzing all through Christmas.
Since then, mixing has been slow and painstaking but that's just the nature of the beast. So... give us another month or so and we might just have an album worthy of your patience.Prospekt.PS - album title ≠ prospekt!
Also this past week, Coldplay turned ten years. The specific day this happened was 1/16/1998 when the band played in Laurel Tree. Funny how that first time always sticks around. Coldplay has a video posted up on their thoughts and rememberances of this day, which was only the beginning before their career was launched from Parachutes. More exciting is to celebrate this day, they are going up to New York to mix their new album, Prospekt.MP3: Coldplay - Pour Me (Live at the Hollywood Bowl)
So, as you can gather, there's a lot going on... we're trying to pull all the threads together and get these songs (and all the hoopla that goes with them) ready to present to the big wide world. The funny thing is (and this is always the case), the creative momentum just keeps gathering. There's no sense of consolidation or winding down. In a couple of hours, we've got a colliery brass band (tubes, trumpets, French horns etc) coming in from Brooklyn to reinvent the third verse of 'Famous Old Painters'. Hats off to producer Markus (Dravs) for finding a group of musicians playing a style of music unique to a small area of Northern England in New York City at 24 hours' notice.
