Coldplay - Everyday Life

  by Zena Grieg

published: 24 / 12 / 2019

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Review

Twenty-one years on from their debut single Coldplay have released an experimental double album, which marks a departure from their trademark style and may surprise and challenge long-time fans. Comprised of two sections ‘Sunrise’ (Part One) and ‘Sunset’ (Part Two), the collection swings between the topical, timeless highs and lows of racism, gun control, police brutality, war, climate change, friendship and love. ‘Everyday Life’ includes familiar, Coldplay-esque songs like ‘Church’, a transcendental pop track, distinguished by Chris Martin’s atmospheric vocals and a strikingly beautify Arabic verse entwining romance with faith. There is though a stark juxtaposition with other less usual styles including gospel with a choir backing in ‘Broken’ and doo-wop in ‘Cry Cry Cry’, while the opening track ‘Sunrise’ features a major/minor string arrangement more reminiscent of a war film soundtrack. ‘Arabesque’ is a highlight, with its jazzy, Arabic-influenced arrangement. This is the most overtly socio-political of Coldplay’s albums with ‘Daddy’ highlighting the heartbreak of a broken family. ‘Trouble in Town’ features an infamous soundbite raising issues of racial profiling and police brutality in the USA. Coldplay has become one of the biggest bands of the 21st century, selling out stadiums worldwide to millions of fans who share a deep personal connection to their music. This inventive eighth album represents a clear change from the past and requires active listening and an open mind. It alternates between despair and hope as in ‘Orphans’, set against the bleakness of the Syrian civil war. "Every day is great and every day is terrible," Chris Martin said in a recent interview. "There’s a lot of trouble, but there’s also so much positivity." From the Amman Citadel in Jordan’s capital, where Coldplay performed the album on its release date, Martin said “If you’ve had the privilege of travelling around the world a lot, you know that ultimately we’re all from the same place." At times dissonant, this adventurous album is marked by a sincerity and in the risks it takes. It is an ambitious step forward for a band already so world-renowned and universally accepted.

Track Listing:-

1 Sunrise
2 Church
3 Trouble In Town
4 BrokEn
5 Daddy
6 WOTW / POTP
7 Arabesque
8 When I Need A Friend
9 Guns
10 Orphans
11 Èkó
12 Cry Cry Cry
13 Old Friends
14 بنی آدم
15 Champion Of The World
16 Everyday Life

Band Links:-

https://www.coldplay.com/
https://www.facebook.com/coldplay
https://twitter.com/coldplay

Have a Listen:-