Changes at the speed of sound for Coldplay

Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friend Coldplay Capitol Records Rocks like: Arcade… Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friend Coldplay Capitol Records Rocks like: Arcade Fire, Snow Patrol, The Fray A-

Viva la Vida, Coldplay’s newest album, is a perfect blend of new and old for the band.

Gone are the melodic piano accompaniments that populated Parachutes and other previous releases by the band – they’re replaced with a more vibrant sound from violins, synthesizers and drums. Vocalist Chris Martin’s signature falsetto singing style has also been scaled down to more natural sounding vocals. Despite these changes, the sound that Coldplay is known for – a blend of soft vocals and melodic arrangements of music – is definitely here.

The album’s title track, “Viva la Vida,” is representative of Coldplay’s new blend of old and new. The song begins with a catchy violin rhythm, replacing the piano from older albums, followed quickly by Martin’s voice. Guitar and violin blend effortlessly in the background, offering a unique counter-rhythm to the lead violin pulsating in the foreground.

Key moments of the song are highlighted by blasts of music, creating a symphony of sound. When the lyrics describe “pillars of sound,” they’re followed by a triumphant surge of violin, guitar, drums and Martin’s falsetto. “Viva la Vida” is easily one of the better tracks on the album.

The most interesting song on the album is “Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love,” a song that is split into two very different parts. The first is standard Coldplay: rhythm guitar, drums and Martin’s unique vocal style. The second part of the song is a drastic shift from the first, bringing back the piano from Parachutes and toning down Martin’s vocals considerably. It is a melodic love song – slow, emotional and an anticlimactic end to the song’s fast, upbeat opening.

If there is a problem with Coldplay’s latest offering, it is the fact that the changes to Coldplay’s sound are nothing drastic. Replacing a piano with a violin and lowering Martin’s vocal range make for some unique sounding songs, but nothing sounds much different than previous Coldplay outings. Martin’s vocals are once again occasionally lost within the musical arrangements of songs, a problem that has been persistent for many Coldplay albums.

By the end of the album, the listener feels satisfied but still longs for something more. Like most reunions with old friends, it is great at first, but when it comes time to say goodbye, you wish you could have done something to make your time together more memorable. Revisiting Coldplay is a great experience, but one hopes that the band’s next album will completely change its sound. Viva la Vida proves that a change in sound can be a good thing, now let’s see if the band can take it further.

Despite these hit-or-miss changes, Viva la Vida is Coldplay at its very best – a solid new outing for the band that fans new and old will want to rush out and buy.