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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An album and a half (in more ways than one), 18 Dec 2008
This is a double CD pack containing Coldplay's recent album - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends - and their even more recent EP - Prospekt's March. I have written more in depth reviews of the albums on their respective pages, but I can first say that they are excellent, and that the price that this product is currently listed at makes it a bargain. Added to that, given the close relationship between the two CDs, it would seem strange to me to buy one without the other - particularly (given that I'm writing this at Christmas time) if you are buying this as a gift.
I see Viva La Vida as an album as Coldplay's most progressive. It doesn't sound much like any of their other albums, and seems to draw on a variety of influences. I quite want to write that it doesn't have as many obvious piano or guitar `songs' on it as previous albums, but that would seem to ignore the first two singles - Violet Hill and the epic and brilliant title track Viva La Vida, as well as Lovers In Japan, which is one of my favourites here, and to a lesser extent Lost. In addition to that there is a feeling of experimentation - at least for Coldplay - there are songs tucked away at the ends of other songs, big changes between the first and second halves of songs, a beauty of an instrumental opener (see further down), and an absolutely majestic closing track, which is reminds me somehow of what would happen if Coldplay tried to write a song like I Am The Resurrection.
Prospekt's March is an EP of songs that Coldplay thought either weren't ready for the album or didn't fit with it. Plus a couple of `remixes' thrown in. The remixes are there to pad out the EP, really, and don't add much - Jay Z's rapping is easily forgettable (although I like rhyming Jesus/Judas with Caesar/Brutus) and I couldn't tell you what's different about the new version of Lovers in Japan. But Glass of Water is almost single-worthy, Now My Feet Won't Touch The Ground is a closer very much in the vein of the magic Til Kingdom Come (on X&Y) and Life In Technicolor ii is the potential single of the album. It is great as an instrumental on Viva La Vida, but brilliant here.
All in all, I am clearly a Coldplay fan, and clearly a fan of both the album and the EP. The deal to buy them together seems good, and I would suggest that everyone who has the album should also have the EP. If only for Life In Technicolor ii.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life In Technicolour., 6 Jan 2009
This album is classic Coldplay with a twist, and this deluxe edition is even better as of course it includes a whole extra disc packed with music which sounds like the first disc, so more classic Coldplay with a twist.
There are the same melancholy, slightly ambient, distant, dreamy vocals with introspective sensations, but with more upbeat and semi-electronica instrumentals added.
Most people will already have heard Violet Hill, which even people who don't like Coldplay have taken to. It is the highlight of the first disc. The entire album is of the same high standard, as expected of the band. Every song seems to flow effortlessly into the next, and it's both easy to listen to and to relax to, but can also be an album which demands your attention and focus and which you find yourself listening to intensely and being stimulated by.
As for the Prospekts March EP, Life In Technicolour is the most commercial sounding, rocky piece, and it's not what you'd probably expect from Coldplay as it's less sedate than most of their music. Still great though and a favourite track on this disc. Postcards From Far Away is a great intermission between the aforementioned opening track and the next track Glass Of Water, which opens with vocals immediately; Postcards is a modern classical piano instrumental, the only criticism of which is its brevity. Glass Of Water is a brilliant track, very Coldplay-esque and one which should have been included in the main release.
The strings which feature strongly in rainy Day and a little less so in Prospekts March/Poppyfields add a great point of interest to the album and sound very different and unique. Lost+ is another strong track with elements of Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon with the rhythmic hand-clapping, and has Jay-Z adding a rap. In fact, I almost feel that this second EP should have been the main release.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Better than I thought, 10 April 2009
I really liked the first 3 albums and was a little unsure especially when my son said he hated it, suprising as he is really in to Coldplay. I took the plunge after listening to the album in a mates car and low and behold it is really good.
Just goes to show the younger generation think they no it all?
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