Sound: A darker, stranger and less accessible version of Coldplay. There are some pretty piano parts, some delicate vocal melodies and some swirling, atmospheric guitars. But you’ll also find Chris Martin singing in a deeper register uttering thoughts on death, more strings than usual, tracks that are clearly two distinct songs but are given one name – for some reason, and an overall lack of the sweeping, arena-sized, sing-along choruses you’re used to.
Heavy Rotation tracks: “Violet Hill”; “Viva La Vida”
Medium Rotation tracks: “Lost!”; “Yes”
Recommended: With very few traditional hooks, Viva La Vida is much more difficult to get into than the first three Coldplay albums. The music does grab your attention and finds them exploring refreshing new directions. But if you start looking for the memorable songs and lyrics, you won’t find too much beyond the tracks highlighted above.
Grade: B

Listen to tracks/Buy music:
On iTunes
On amazon.com