So, the 'critics' have been all over this one, wetting their pants with excitement, waiting with baited breath for the day of its release. With this band being one to have the media whipped into a frenzy over their ‘alternative rock’, I have always had trouble warming to them and their music. If a song comes on the radio, I’ll listen to it, and I will always have a soft spot in my heart for ‘Yellow’, but have never really cared much for Coldplay. And so I have, for the first time in my life, sat down and listened to, from start to finish, ‘Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends’, the whole ten tracks.

First things first, though – the artwork! I’m a sucker for album art. None of this band photo on the front! Give me extravagant images or minimalist graphics! Anything but the singers face!

And with a beautiful painting of battle scene gracing the front, with the title scrawled across in what looks like white paint, I feel as if this album will be different from the rest, possible a little edgier?

I know, Coldplay? Edgy? What are you talking about!?

But surprisingly enough, compared to its piano-addled predecessors, ‘Viva...’ is beginning to show a little attitude, right from the get-go with lyric-less opener ‘Life In Technicolor’. Despite the somewhat darker title, the album has its (almost) happy moments, ‘Lost!’ and even ‘42’ seemingly upbeat for Martin and co. Though it is half title-track ‘Viva la Vida’, with its sharp string arrangement that truly give the album a lift. It even made me smile a little bit. Though, with ‘Violet Hill’ following, I can’ help but then feel a little let down. While I did like this song, next to ‘Viva...’ it kind of sucks. But, despite this, it does happen to redeem itself with the last track, ‘Death and All His Friends’.

Ok, so this album isn’t half bad. Not enough to convert me, but I did enjoy it. It’s good to see Chris Martin moving away from his usual, boring, depressing ballads into warmer waters, leaving all his paparazzi-smashing angst behind, at least for the moment.