To introduce Coldplay as an internationally popular group would be an understatement. Dropping Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends and exceeding Platinum status in the UK within three days of its release might do well to back that up. With the album the members of Coldplay had stated that they would attempt to shift directions artistically and incorporate new ideas and methods into its recordings. Here are four reactions, four impressions, four takes on Coldplay’s Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.

Haven’t heard Coldplay’s new album, Viva La Vida, yet? Don’t worry, you will surely be hearing it soon: next time you are perusing the aisles of Best Buy for instance, or every time you see that damn iPod commercial. If that isn’t enough, I’m sure it will make the summer romantic comedy roster – you know, when that John Cusack-type realizes he has made a mistake and rushes to stop that Jennifer Aniston-type from boarding the plane that will take her away from him forever? They will gaze longingly into each other’s eyes, they will kiss, cue Chris Martin and company with the unobtrusive goo. Then the credits roll while everyone dries their eyes. While some critics have made a big deal of the fact that this is Coldplay’s anti-Coldplay album, I just don’t see how this differs so much from anything they have done before. Sure, there are U2 style sweeping guitars, a more eclectic, Brian Eno-produced sound, and a slightly more grandiose attitude. My main problem with the band remains though, in Chris Martin’s whiny platitudes. It’s not that the front man’s lyrics don’t make sense so much as the fact that at face value, they are generic enough to mean just about anything. Take “Lost!” for instance: “Just because I’m losing/doesn’t mean I’m lost/Doesn’t mean I’ll stop/Doesn’t mean I’ll cross.” This vagueness goes the length of the entire song. Is he talking about a tennis game? Is he referring to his Brad Pitt penis envy? Who knows? What bothers me so much about this is not the mystery of the words’ meanings; it’s that I feel that the lyrics have been made purposely sterile, in the aim that they will appeal on a broader level to as many people as possible. Pleasing people is fine, but not if it is the sole driving force in creating music. In a recent painful interview with NME Martin admitted his desire to gain the acceptance of U2 and Radiohead. “They are never interested in hanging out with us,” He complains, “It’s a permanent feeling of being at school and the bigger boys don’t want to play with you.” It’s precisely this desire to be liked and respected that has infected Coldplay’s sound with an “everything to everyone” banality. And until Chris Martin learns not to give a fuck, Coldplay will only ever be as good as Viva La Vida. And that isn’t saying much. - Jon Behm

If the world’s biggest bands were brothers in a family, Radiohead would be the brooding, brilliant-yet-slightly-crazy one who never comes to family events, U2 would be the firstborn, the smiling golden boy all the aunties want to chat with, and Coldplay would be the cute, unassuming, modestly successful one who, despite being a good enough guy, is doomed to live in the shadows of his larger-than-life brothers. But maybe that’s unfair. While Coldplay has built a following as an arena-rocking megaband, their best moments have always been the quiet ones. Their new album builds on that strength while adding some new elements into the mix. They’re still not the sexiest, most dangerous or most risk-taking band out there, but Chris Martin’s earnestness and knack for melody was always at the core of their appeal anyway, so while Viva la Vida may not win over a lot of hardcore rock critic types, it should satisfy people who just want to listen to pretty pop music. Highlights include the haunting organs on “Lost!,” the sweeping, orchestral title track, and “Violet Hill,” a marching power ballad very reminiscent of big brother U2. - Kyle “El Guante” Myhre

Long live life proclaims the title of Coldplay’s recently released album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. The album was recently released using the same repetitious iTunes marketing campaign that helped propel Bob Dylan’s Modern Times to platinum status, and while it too will eventually reach that level of commercial popularity, it is an entirely different type of animal. Whereas we are to understand that both Dylan and Coldplay were both promoting their work commercially, I believe there is a difference in intentions between Dylan’s “Someday Baby” and Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.” Pitchfork’s Ryan Dombal talked of the band’s recent MTV appearance in his review, in particular a comment made by lead singer Chris Martin, “We look at what other people are doing and try and steal all the good bits.” Martin continued, “We steal from so many different places that hopefully it becomes untraceable.” Understandably, the majority of popular music falls under such a premise. It’s still a bit striking though to hear someone in Martin’s position say something so honest. I can respect that statement much more than the music that is supposedly a culmination of influential ideas repackaged as the band’s own. Coldplay has become the new U2 in that one can compare other uninventive, mainstream rock to them just like one could in the early 2000s with U2. Not to say that Viva La Vida doesn’t have interesting moments, the title track offers a side to the band that I was unfamiliar with - one that harmoniously develops a song with an enjoyable tempo and sound…and given a casual listen, it sounds OK. But, when you don’t think about what it is you’re listening to, so does Creed, right? As a whole Viva La Vida is exactly what one would expect of the band. Long live life? If this is the best life has to offer, I’m not sure life is worth living. - Chris DeLine

My opinion can be hot and cold with Coldplay, but regardless of whether it’s shit or it shines, I love Chris Martin’s voice intensely. However, I find this album incredibly dull. And the surprise of it is – I think X/Y was way better than this, even after its pretty harsh reviews. But that previous effort was a little more concise with it’s emotion, which has always been the sole reason for me to enjoy them as a band. They have this ability to produce songs that regularly aid in overemotional behavior. I can’t deny that I think Chris Martin is a great songwriter and I think these guys are the utmost professionals in their modern arena rock superstardom, but this time around, I’m just bored. The main exception for me are the two lead singles, “Viva La Vida” and “Violet Hill” – because there they are classic overwrought Coldplay songs: epic and overdramatic. (A non-sensical sidenote: Have you seen the Ipod commercial for “Viva la Vida”? Chris Martin looks like an eighties Rob Halford in the shadows there with that mini-mullet. I figure this is why I got sucked into this song. No, seriously – he’s doing some of the same hand gestures – go ahead and try to argue this with me…) - Jen Paulson

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