Viva La Vida

My love for Coldplay runs long and deep. A typical new album release finds me rejecting all other music and listening to non but the fresh tracks over and over again. I find their music calming and exhilarating at the same time. I've never felt such a kinship with lyrics or such levels of application or interpretation. Coldplay songs have the ability to pierce my very soul and illicit such strong emotion and sentiment....all flowery language aside, I freaking love them!!

The last time they toured with their X&Y album was my first attempt at attending a live performance but American Airlines thwarted my plans to get to the concert. With the release of their latest album, which comes highly recommended, I have plans anew to see them live. Thank my lucky stars they are stopping off in SLC in November before their tour comes to an end. If all goes to plan it should be a November to remember!

The latest album reminds me of the numerous reasons why I'm a fan. Their are a couple of overt connections to art. The most blatant is the cover art which features Eugene Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People. I was fortunate enough to see this impressive painting in the Louvre just before I got my hands on the album. Delacroix painted this masterpiece during a time of unrest and revolution in France, a time when many of his piers and relatives were actively fighting. He is quoted as saying something to the effect of; though I cannot fight for my country at least I can paint for her. Which brings me to my next point, Coldplay is an involved group. Their albums contain politically charged messages and they continually promote organizations like Make Trade Fair, in their albums, during interviews and even at their concerts. They use their music, like Delacroix used his paintings, to promote change and progress.

So if you haven't checked it out yet, just do it. Their sound has evolved and has a new flair to it unlike any previous album, its good stuff, I promise!!

On the old record player: The low humming of the Social Science department.