Quick, Before It Melts.

As of yesterday, you can go to Coldplay's Myspace page and listen to Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends in its entirety (Americans can go here it hear--and I mean that in the nicest possible way). And if you were savvy enough to check my previous post on this subject, you'll have noted that someone posted a link in the comments to a download of the full album a few days back.

So now I have heard it, and I am forced to return to my previous comments, and possibly eat my words. I'm still well in love with "Viva La Vida" and well on my way to declaring it's parent album as one of the best things I've heard all year. There was a comment left on that post by a gentleman by the name of Kevin, who hit the nail on the head I think: if music does grow stale after you've had it for a few weeks, then it was never really going to last in your favourites playlist, no matter how much exposure it received in the media. He makes reference to his continued adoration of The National's Boxer, which I called by favourite album of last year, and has become a permanent part of my musical library. Great music lasts, and outlives the initial rush of press and fanfare, allowing you to discover new and exciting aspects of its personality even after you've heard it a few dozen times. When it doesn't, that means it never would have in the first place.

Viva La Vida reminds me of another great Brian Eno produced album--James' Laid. There was a great pairing of artist and producer, much like Coldplay and Eno, who brought an incredible songwriting talent into the studio and a fearlessness to allow the producer to do his job. Together they created a multi-layered and complex album that for me ranks as the pinnacle of James' career. Still, they were able to maintain a level of accessibility that allowed for a major pop hit in the form of it's title track. Artistic integrity and mainstream success sitting comfortably side by side.