Coldplay Evolving Slowly But Surely

The buzz on Coldplay's fourth album was that Chris Martin and friends hadn't made the same album they've made three times before. Admittedly, this says nothing flattering about the band, but it certainly was a necessary adjustment. Had Coldplay continued to refine its sound, the next disc surely would consist of a single sustained piano chord and a quavering, wordless whimper from Martin.

It's not that Coldplay made bad music. But 11 barely distinguishable mid-tempo tracks in a row gave the listener the feeling of being slowly smothered by designer throw pillows.

On "Viva la Vida," Martin takes pains to give each song its own identity. Not everything works wonderfully, but enough does that his effort is appreciated.

Martin still draws from his primary influences here, although there's a bit less of Radiohead's melancholy this time out; and the occasional grandiosity is less specifically U2's.

Some credit presumably is due to Brian Eno, the album's co-producer who also is credited with "sonic landscapes." But all the sound gardening in the world wouldn't have made this worth hearing had Martin simply rewritten "Clocks" again - which he didn't.

Opening instrumental "Life in Technicolor" is pretty but does little more than announce the album as a Big Event. "Cemeteries of London" sees Martin stretching more lyrically than musically.

But "Lost!," with its big church organ chords and sturdy beats adds some new twists to the Coldplay formula, while maintaining Martin's knack for irresistible choruses.

From there on out, "Viva la Vida" is a disc to, if not win over the haters, at least make them reconsider. Martin's band mates still seem unwilling to, or under orders not to, make much of an impression. But Martin's willingness to experiment, not to mention send up his own pomposity on the title track, is a hopeful sign.

Download this: "Lost!"