Coldplay - Viva La Vida... Continued Discussion

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I can have Chris Martin steal Bono's identity or something. Then, when no one can tell them apart, Bono can ask Chrissy if he has a preoccupation with death in his songwriting, and he'll run out of the room crying.

:lmao: Do it.
 
For god's sake, it's just confetti.

With any other band, I'd agree. The thing with Coldplay is -- and I am a fan, mind you -- they are SO obviously HUGE U2 fans that it affects almost everything they do. I think it's part of their charm. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Coldplay is like a little puppy that tags at U2's heels, and makes great songs as a result.
 
It's not a bad idea. I couldn't do any cartooning for a week, but now that my computer is stable again, it's a possibility.

I can have Chris Martin steal Bono's identity or something. Then, when no one can tell them apart, Bono can ask Chrissy if he has a preoccupation with death in his songwriting, and he'll run out of the room crying.

Go for it!! :lmao:
 
With any other band, I'd agree. The thing with Coldplay is -- and I am a fan, mind you -- they are SO obviously HUGE U2 fans that it affects almost everything they do. I think it's part of their charm. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Coldplay is like a little puppy that tags at U2's heels, and makes great songs as a result.

Again, it's confetti. It's a prop. U2 were not the first band to use it in a live setting, and they certainly are not going to be the last. Coldplay mightn't even be the ones who decided to use the confetti in the first place - tour production management usually handles that kind of thing.

Until Christina explicitly says "hey, we're using confetti because U2 used confetti during City Of Blinding Lights, and we thought it was totally cool!" I will refuse to see any connection between the two.
 
OK, I came up with the plot:

"Bono loses his wallet, which contains not only all of his identification and £200,000 but, predictably, the new U2 album. The band has to start the recording process over from the beginning. Chris Martin finds the wallet and, after burning himself and Gweneth a copy to shag to, returns it to Bono. The two become close friends but Bono becomes disturbed by Martin's obsessiveness and cuts him off. Bono loses his wallet again the next day (containing a copy of another new U2 album), and Martin finds it again, but this time doesn't return it, and attempts to steal his identity out of spite."

Will U2 fans everywhere be extremely pissed about Bono losing two albums in one week?

Will Chris Martin look good attempting to be Bono? (oh, wait, we know that already)?

Will Martin's new baby (Citrus Burst Martin) that the couple conceived while listening to the new U2 album become a U2 fan as well?

Find out, in the upcoming weeks...
 
I know it's just confetti! :lol:

Rob, don't you think Viva La Vida is better than ATYCLB or HTDAAB? I think so.

well to answer that accurately we would need to discuss this question in about 4 years....ATYCLB came out about 7-8 years ago, HTDAAB came out about 4 years ago...Viva la Vida came out like a week ago or something :scratch:

But if I had to say, right now...:hmm:

well...I think "Kite" is better than every single song on Viva La Vida and "Walk On" is up there too....I honestly have to say I enjoy ATYCLB more than Viva La Vida from start to finish...

For Bomb, well...I really don't know...I'd say I'm enjoying them about the same right now...but Bomb came out 4 years ago...I really doubt I'll still be listening to songs from Viva la Vida in 4 years...who knows :shrug:

There's something static about any Coldplay album, including Viva la Vida, that makes it less enjoyable than an album such as ATYCLB...and I think it has to do with Martin's voice- For example, on ATYCLB, We have Kite, a huge, emotional song, then everything gets scaled down for the soothing IALW...and you can feel the passion from Bono with each song- Bono sings each song differently, he sings them with a different style and fits the mood of each song perfectly, i.e. "When I look at the World" - just the way he sings that song makes it all the more real and enjoyable and simply more meaningful to listen to...with Viva la Vida, it feels like the same thing over and over...sure, Strawberry Swing is a nice soothing, "summer lovin' " song, and it most definitely contrasts with a song like Lost, but Martin's voice doesn't change to fit the mood...he simply sings the melody with that same sugary, lackadaisical voice, and really leaves the listener with no real contrast. But the main point is, I'm not sure if Martin, with the voice he has, is capable of doing so. On HTDAAB, you get SYCMIOYO, one of the most emotionally intense U2 songs, and then later comes "A Man and a Woman," which features an entirely different approach from Bono. Yeah, Bono sings the melody just like Martin, but Bono gets inside the song...there's a difference. You can really see what I'm talking about if you compare Coldplay albums- Martin on "Speed of Sound" sounds exactly the same on any song off Viva la Vida...

I know I'm only focusing on the vocals, but when I say there's something "static" about Coldplay, I think it's primarily because of the vocals.

I realize I might not be explaining myself clearly, but what I'm trying to get across here isn't the easiest thing to put into words and explain. I'm just trying to convey one of the reasons why ATYCLB and probably HTDAAB are overall more lasting and enjoyable albums for me, and from a more objective perspective, better albums, taking all things into consideration.
 
well to answer that accurately we would need to discuss this question in about 4 years....ATYCLB came out about 7-8 years ago, HTDAAB came out about 4 years ago...Viva la Vida came out like a week ago or something :scratch:

But if I had to say, right now...:hmm:

well...I think "Kite" is better than every single song on Viva La Vida and "Walk On" is up there too....I honestly have to say I enjoy ATYCLB more than Viva La Vida from start to finish...

For Bomb, well...I really don't know...I'd say I'm enjoying them about the same right now...but Bomb came out 4 years ago...I really doubt I'll still be listening to songs from Viva la Vida in 4 years...who knows :shrug:

There's something static about any Coldplay album, including Viva la Vida, that makes it less enjoyable than an album such as ATYCLB...and I think it has to do with Martin's voice- For example, on ATYCLB, We have Kite, a huge, emotional song, then everything gets scaled down for the soothing IALW...and you can feel the passion from Bono with each song- Bono sings each song differently, he sings them with a different style and fits the mood of each song perfectly, i.e. "When I look at the World" - just the way he sings that song makes it all the more real and enjoyable and simply more meaningful to listen to...with Viva la Vida, it feels like the same thing over and over...sure, Strawberry Swing is a nice soothing, "summer lovin' " song, and it most definitely contrasts with a song like Lost, but Martin's voice doesn't change to fit the mood...he simply sings the melody with that same sugary, lackadaisical voice, and really leaves the listener with no real contrast. But the main point is, I'm not sure if Martin, with the voice he has, is capable of doing so. On HTDAAB, you get SYCMIOYO, one of the most emotionally intense U2 songs, and then later comes "A Man and a Woman," which features an entirely different approach from Bono. Yeah, Bono sings the melody just like Martin, but Bono gets inside the song...there's a difference. You can really see what I'm talking about if you compare Coldplay albums- Martin on "Speed of Sound" sounds exactly the same on any song off Viva la Vida...

I know I'm only focusing on the vocals, but when I say there's something "static" about Coldplay, I think it's primarily because of the vocals.

I realize I might not be explaining myself clearly, but what I'm trying to get across here isn't the easiest thing to put into words and explain. I'm just trying to convey one of the reasons why ATYCLB and probably HTDAAB are overall more lasting and enjoyable albums for me, and from a more objective perspective, better albums, taking all things into consideration.

... so, that's a no then?
 
OK, I came up with the plot:

"Bono loses his wallet, which contains not only all of his identification and £200,000 but, predictably, the new U2 album. The band has to start the recording process over from the beginning. Chris Martin finds the wallet and, after burning himself and Gweneth a copy to shag to, returns it to Bono. The two become close friends but Bono becomes disturbed by Martin's obsessiveness and cuts him off. Bono loses his wallet again the next day (containing a copy of another new U2 album), and Martin finds it again, but this time doesn't return it, and attempts to steal his identity out of spite."

Will U2 fans everywhere be extremely pissed about Bono losing two albums in one week?

Will Chris Martin look good attempting to be Bono? (oh, wait, we know that already)?

Will Martin's new baby (Citrus Burst Martin) that the couple conceived while listening to the new U2 album become a U2 fan as well?

Find out, in the upcoming weeks...


Citrus Burst Martin had me cracking up! :laugh:
 
OK, I came up with the plot:

"Bono loses his wallet, which contains not only all of his identification and £200,000 but, predictably, the new U2 album. The band has to start the recording process over from the beginning. Chris Martin finds the wallet and, after burning himself and Gweneth a copy to shag to, returns it to Bono. The two become close friends but Bono becomes disturbed by Martin's obsessiveness and cuts him off. Bono loses his wallet again the next day (containing a copy of another new U2 album), and Martin finds it again, but this time doesn't return it, and attempts to steal his identity out of spite."

Will U2 fans everywhere be extremely pissed about Bono losing two albums in one week?

Will Chris Martin look good attempting to be Bono? (oh, wait, we know that already)?

Will Martin's new baby (Citrus Burst Martin) that the couple conceived while listening to the new U2 album become a U2 fan as well?

Find out, in the upcoming weeks...

Brilliant. :lol:
 
What I need to ask is, should I post this episode in B&C or EYKIW? :hmm: I'd be kind of a hypocrite if I made a Coldplay thread in EYKIW, but would receive a larger audience...hmm...
 
... so, that's a no then?

Correct, but like I said....I'd need to wait some years to answer the question most accurately.


With any other band, I'd agree. The thing with Coldplay is -- and I am a fan, mind you -- they are SO obviously HUGE U2 fans that it affects almost everything they do. I think it's part of their charm. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Coldplay is like a little puppy that tags at U2's heels, and makes great songs as a result.

LyricalDrug, :up:

well, some "great" songs :wink:
 
OMG...ok someone help me out here, go to about the 3:55 mark on "Lovers In Japan/Reign of Love" ....that chord progression that starts.....it sounds just like a U2 song but I can't recall at the moment...I don't think it's exactly the same but it reminds me so much of it and I can't think of it right now, it's frustrating me...anyone?!?

it actually starts at about 4:04 after Martin or whoever says "1,2,3.."
 
As a whole, it's better than both.

Although there are some songs that are better than anything on Vida.

Agreed. Viva La Vida is cohesive from beginning to end, as any proper album should be. It's not a whole bunch of singles that were thrown together haphazardly in the hopes of generating huge sales and Grammy nominations.
 
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...I'm thinking of WOWY...that guitar part where, in the JT documentary, Edge is standing there with his guitar and says something like "it's just so satisfying playing out the song like this" or something like that....and where, during live performances, Bono will sometimes go "goodbye, goodbye..."
 
Coldplay is like a little puppy that tags at U2's heels, and makes great songs as a result.

Good analogy.

I like Coldplay just as they are. Just wish Chris Martin would stop being a douche in interviews and completely forget what a falsetto is.
 
What I need to ask is, should I post this episode in B&C or EYKIW? :hmm: I'd be kind of a hypocrite if I made a Coldplay thread in EYKIW, but would receive a larger audience...hmm...

Do it in EYKIW, just to take the piss. :up:
 
Agreed. Viva La Vida is cohesive from beginning to end, as any proper album should be. It's not a whole bunch of singles that were thrown together haphazardly in the hopes of generating huge sales and Grammy nominations.

Yeah, Viva is far more cohesive. The problem I have is that the standouts are fewer than on the first two; there aren't any brilliant singles here like Yellow, Shiver, or Clocks, and no hidden gems like High Speed and Amsterdam. It's all very enjoyable, not-completely-homogeneous Coldplay fare. And, when you're in the right mood, that can be (as any hipster wank worth his salt would put it) transcendent all on its own. I recommend this record to everyone, as it should be appealing to just about everyone, but they haven't reinvented the wheel here or anything.
 
I'm just not getting the hype of the whole album. Yes there are some good songs, but the whole album overall? I'm not getting it. I'll have to listen more.
 
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...I'm thinking of WOWY...that guitar part where, in the JT documentary, Edge is standing there with his guitar and says something like "it's just so satisfying playing out the song like this" or something like that....and where, during live performances, Bono will sometimes go "goodbye, goodbye..."

Yes, it's similar. D - Dsus2 - D - Dsus4.

Did you download my link? :sad:
 
So this has turned into a U2 vs. Coldplay thread.
Let's talk again in a couple of years, shall we?
OK, I am one of the first people to admit that I really like this album and yes, it's very cohesive, there is a lot of atmosphere in it and I really like most of the songs. But I don't like it more than U2's albums.

And I just think Chris Martin is, unlike Bono, not a really good singer.
He's singing becomes boring after some songs.
The songs are good after all, the singing just isn't overwhelming.
 
I'm just not getting the hype of the whole album. Yes there are some good songs, but the whole album overall? I'm not getting it. I'll have to listen more.

oh no dude...no no no....you are getting it, don't worry....you are getting it....

I have to say probably my favorite moment on the album though is the latter half of Yes! - anyone else like that? It has the same sort of structure as "Life In U2Color" ...I think Coldplay did a good job with that this album...when Martin is singing less, I like this album the most....I think :hmm:
 
So this has turned into a U2 vs. Coldplay thread.
Let's talk again in a couple of years, shall we?
OK, I am one of the first people to admit that I really like this album and yes, it's very cohesive, there is a lot of atmosphere in it and I really like most of the songs. But I don't like it more than U2's albums.

And I just think Chris Martin is, unlike Bono, not a really good singer.
He's singing becomes boring after some songs.
The songs are good after all, the singing just isn't overwhelming.

that's what i'm saying in a nutshell :up:

but I'll be honest, it sucks for any singer to be compared to Bono and it's sort of unfair....but since the topic of ATYCLB/HTDAAB vs. Viva la Vida surfaced....it must be mentioned.

Oh, and Last Unicorn, I don't think U2 vs. Coldplay is even debatable...:giggle:
 
Yes, it's similar. D - Dsus2 - D - Dsus4.

Did you download my link? :sad:

oh no, I forgot, sorry, I meant to ask you what it was before I downloaded it...like...in general...is it a song or something?



Edit: K I gotta go now, GG I'll download and listen to it later :)
 
oh no dude...no no no....you are getting it, don't worry....you are getting it....

I have to say probably my favorite moment on the album though is the latter half of Yes! - anyone else like that? It has the same sort of structure as "Life In U2Color" ...I think Coldplay did a good job with that this album...when Martin is singing less, I like this album the most....I think :hmm:


I'm NOT a dude..
 
oh no, I forgot, sorry, I meant to ask you what it was before I downloaded it...like...in general...is it a song or something?

A few clip-by-clip comparisons. :D

1. Echo And The Bunnymen's "Ripeness" (1983) vs "Two Hearts Beat As One" (1983)
2. Echo And The Bunnymen's "With A Hip" (1982) vs "Indian Summer Sky" (1984) - please note the fact that the bass lines are interchangeable
3. Echo And The Bunnymen's "Back Of Love" (1983) vs "In God's Country" (1987)
4. Echo And The Bunnymen's "Angels and Devils" (1984) vs "Angel of Harlem" (1988)
5. Pink Floyd's "Eclipse" (1973) vs "Walk On" (2000)

Those are just a few examples. There are many more.

The songs in item one contain very general similarities - rather like the ones that people accuse Coldplay of when it comes to U2. The songs in items two and three contain identical notes/chord progressions (kind of like the example you just brought up with Lovers in Japan/Reign Of Love.) The songs in items four and five contain eerily similar vocal deliveries and lyrical content (remember "the banks became cathedrals"?)

As Bono so aptly sums it up, "every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief."

I should also note that Echo And The Bunnymen fans used to accuse U2 of being wannabe-Bunnymen back in the 80s. :) Bono (or was it Adam?) even admitted that the bass line in Vertigo was a homage to the Bunnymen. On a semi-related note, Coldplay are also big fans of Echo And The Bunnymen. Goodness me, could it be that their sweeping atmospherics and delayed guitars aren't ONLY influenced by U2?

Don't get me wrong - I used to be like you. I thought Coldplay were nothing more than pointless U2/Radiohead rip-offs who should not be allowed to exist. Ask Phanan. Then I found out a little bit more about U2's history and discovered that, gasp, they weren't quite as original as I thought they were.

It's okay to be strongly influenced by a band. Really, it is. If you don't like Coldplay's songs, that's fine. But to constantly bring up the comparisons between their sound and U2's sound...it gets tiring, honestly. There are very few truly original bands and artists on this planet. Even U2 are guilty of a bit of heavy influence.

Bring on the Martin-bashing, though. :lol: Even though I really like Viva La Vida, I still think he's a colossal twat.
 
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