Music Review – Coldplay – Viva La Vida

Over the course of the last day, I've gotten a lot of Facebook comments/questions that read like this: "Hey Seth, how's the new Coldplay album"? I've also had a few face to facers: "You listened yet, what do you think?" And finally, my favorite, a voice mail message: "I'm calling to talk about the new album, what else? Call me back."

It seems that I've made it pretty well known that I'm pretty excited about Coldplay's newest release, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends. You might have been riding in a car with me and been abruptly cut off in conversation as I screamed, "turn it off, it's the new Coldplay single, I don't want to hear it." Or maybe you just know me well enough to understand that I breathe in new music and when my favorite band puts something out, I get really, really excited. I mark time throughout the year based on when the next new album is coming out. Tuesdays are my favorite day of the week (because that's when new music comes out….oh, and because that's when the INN is!).

So, here's the review. I've listened to the album about 5 or 6 times now. I had waited, not listening to any of the tracks, until I could hear it all in its entirety. And I'm real happy about that. Now that I have the CD and the vinyl, I've been able to sit back and take it in. Enough about my idiosyncrasies, here's what I think about it:

Bleeding out a sense of renewed creativity, the band has opened themselves up to wider ranging styles, all within the traditional Coldplay sound. This album has been described as something new entirely, apart from the first three albums which according to the band can be viewed as a trilogy. Recorded "in a bakery, a nunnery, a magic shop, a church", the album stretches into new territory. Reportedly influenced by their extended stays in Latin American during their touring for X&Y, you can hear the willingness to leave the old ways formulas and try something new. The departure and new advances start right away with the semi-instrumental "Life in Technicolor". You can hear a bit of the old anthematic Coldplay here, but something a bit more rhythmic, more organic, and very fresh.

Dealing with the topic of death throughout the album, Chris Martin's lyrics attempt to tell a variety of stories of time running out, ghosts among us, fighting the battle until the end, not giving in. There's also a considerable amount of life after death allusions, attempts to describe where he thinks he'll end up. As he hears Jerusalem bells ringing, Roman Cavalry choirs singing on the title track, Martin's pretty sure "Saint Peter won't call my name". The melancholy, slightly pessimistic feel of Coldplay plows on.

However, with the darker lyrical and thematic content, love continues to shine through as a strong anthem for the band. Songs like "Lovers In Japan/Reign of Love" and "Strawberry Swing" illustrate that the good things de la Vida are still enough to pull us through. And along with love, the cry of the revolution calls for a good fight against death, against that which pulls us down. "Violet Hill" is a great first single, strong, powerful, full of some good 'ol revolutionary angst.

Coldplay gets a lot of flack for being too proud, too much like other big bands like U2 or Radiohead, too sleepy, too produced, too flimsy. And of course, I can see some of that. Sure, there's a lot of material on this album that you can clearly trace to their influences. Just like with a song like "Kingdom Come", though, from the X&Y album, Coldplay takes an influence who should be imitated only with the utmost care and caution (in this case Johnny Cash) and pays homage in style and sound, in a way that illustrates respect, honor, and the desire to follow in the footsteps of greatness while also trying to build their own new roads. I'm no professional musician, but I do know that how I play music, how I sing, is influenced heavily by the people I listen to and love. I think if it's done carefully and done well, songs and albums that reflect the deeper, historic musical influences on our lives are incredibly worthwhile.

Here's the lowdown: I think Viva La Vida is a great album. It's not groundbreaking like Parachutes, but it is a welcome followup to X&Y and a wonderful step forward for a band that leads the pack of popular music at this time. It was worth the wait, worth the anticipation, and, like a good bottle of wine, will hopefully continue to open up with each listen. It's not overly complex, but the direction it takes the band is exciting and I'm hopeful for the new era of Coldplay, their nueva Vida.

Favorite Tracks: "Yes", "Lost!", and "Violet Hill"

4 hours and the beginning of summer

Well folks, I'm starting to get pretty excited. It's 4 hours 'til midnight. Coldplay's new album, Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends, will be released tomorrow. I'm hoping iTunes will push the button for the east coast and I'll get to listen in about an hour, but I'm not getting my hopes too high.

I'll be posting a review of the album as soon as I've actually listened to it. So far, I've done a pretty good job of "saving myself" for this first listen today. I've heard about 5 seconds of the single, "Violet Hill" and about 45 seconds of another song of the album today at the music store, but otherwise I've been keeping my ears closed for the first full listen. I'll take notes, write something up, and share it as soon as it's ready. I hope it's good, though I hear mixed reviews. I'm not one to listen too heavily to the popular media's take on what I like as far as music goes, so I'll be making my own mind up upon my listening.

In other news, tonight's the first Monday night of summer. Stacy is down in San Francisco, taking a short vacation with a couple of her teacher friends. I've had a pretty good day, pretty quiet around here. I went to my very first Yoga class today, which was fun. I'll try to write something up for that once I really get a feel for whether I like it or not. I've also done a bunch of start-of-the-summer errands, watched more of the West Wing, and I'm plowing my way through The Subtle Knife. Life is good. I'm glad summer's here.

Ski to Sea 2008 – Video Interviews

If you didn't get enough Ski to Sea action a couple weeks ago, here's a great little video of competitors being interviewed the day before. It's put together by Stead, a student at the INN and future INN intern. It's pretty great.

And I'm kind of a big dork in it. Enjoy.

Dana Little – Concert Friday – 7pm @ the Lettered Streets

Local songwriter and piano player, and friend, Dana Little is playing this Friday at the Lettered Streets Coffeehouse in Bellingham. Dana, formerly of Late Tuesday fame, is kicking off some summer shows with an intimate gathering at Bellingham's newest and coolest coffee shop. The concert is at 7pm at 1001 Dupont Street, over by the court house in Bellingham. If you're in the area this weekend, you should totally stop by!

I've had the opportunity to get to know Dana over the past few years because of our mutual connections to music at First Pres. She is very talented and has been a good friend to the INN over the years, helping out with our Christmas program up on campus and other concerts for as long as I can remember. Recently, she and I have been working together to put some of her summer shows together, so I've gotten to know her a bit more and I'm really excited about her new music.

The concert on Friday is free and open to all. If you're around and looking for something to do this Friday night, come by. There will be two sets, one at 7pm and one at 8pm, so even if you're running late, you'll get to hear some great music.

Finally, if you haven't heard Dana in a while (or ever), check out her MySpace page and listen to a few tracks: www.myspace.com/danalittlemusic

Simple EcoSneaks – My new kicks

I got my brand new kicks in the mail today. Say hello to 100% recycled foot goodness.

Last week, I decided it was once again time to up and buy a new pair of shoes. I decided that since it seems like the world is collapsing around me, with rising gas prices, global warming, etc., it might be interesting to find a "green" shoe alternative. You know, something not made in a sweat shop, but maybe something made using ethical practices and eco-friendly material. And I found Simple shoes.

I had heard of the company before, but never owned a pair. I have usually needed to be pretty picky when it comes to shoes, as I have super-super-flat feet. But I thought I'd give something different a shot, knowing that by rocking the Superfeet orthotics that I already have, I might be ok.

My choice turns out to be the "Skiff" model, made with the following (from Simple's website):

• The men's Skiff contains no animal byproducts or even regular animal products. This shoe is vegan friendly and veggie friendly.
• Hemp uppers
• Yes those toe and heel bumpers are old bike tires
• Organic cotton linings
• Recycled PET (that’s recycled plastic bottles) wrapped latex elastic
• PET pedbeds (that’s recycled plastic bottles)
• Yes, that outsole used to be a car tire
• 100% post consumer paper pulp foot forms

How about that? And they're comfortable too!

Ski to Sea 2008 – Results!

Well, the race has been run hiked.

It was a beautiful day up at Mt. Baker this Sunday for the Ski to Sea race. I arrived at 7:45am with two of my team mates to get ready, find the start line, and slowly move towards a frenzied state of nausea as my leg approached. For the first time in about 3 years, I was going to be skiing. Raised on skis as a kid up a Stevens Pass, it is second nature, but I was still pretty nervous and rusty.

We were joined by a bunch of INN friends and students up at the mountain, comprising at least 4 different teams. It was really fun to keep bumping into people I knew, from at Western, from church, from around Bellingham. Like I said before, the community connections this event creates are amazing.

As for my performance, it was pretty tough. The first time I did the downhill skiing leg, 6 years ago, the weather was pretty nasty, with clouds and a little wind. Sunday, on the other hand, was gorgeous. It was warm climbing up (I got a bit sun burned) and the view from the top of the mountain was beautiful. I pushed myself pretty hard this time, knowing a bit more of what to expect from the steep hill climb. I felt pretty good upon finish, knowing I'd worked hard, but also knowing that physically, I could have been more prepared. The steep snow climb (which makes up most of the "downhill" skiing leg) definitely requires some different muscle use than my normal running routine exercises, so I was pretty worn out by the end. I finished in 0:35:55, about 3.5 minutes slower than my first time. Nothing to get too excited about, but I'm proud that I finished strong nonetheless.

The rest of the day was a bunch of hurry up and wait. Waiting in the car to get down the mountain. Waiting in traffic to pick up our biker. Waiting at the finish line for our team to come through. It was fun to hang out with friends, compare stories from the other legs of the race, and just enjoy the beautiful weather. The rest of my team did awesome. Everyone pushed themselves and had a blast, so for me, that's pretty good.

Here's a picture of the happy skier! I'm already pumped for next year!

 

Ski to Sea 2008

Well folks, tomorrow's the big Ski to Sea race here in Whatcom County. The buzz is building around town. Today, I'm sure we'll see cars all over the place with kayaks and canoes on roof-racks. This is a big weekend for Bellingham.

The Ski to Sea race takes competitors through 7 event legs, starting with cross-country skiing up at Mt. Baker, followed by downhill skiing, road running, road biking, canoing, mountain biking, and ended with sea kayaking on the Bellingham bay. It covers quite a broad scope of outdoor activities, as well as a substantial chunk of county land.

I will be participating this year for the 3rd time since I came up to Bellingham in 2001. In May 2002, my freshman year of school, I did the downhill skiing leg. Junior year of college I did the sea kayaking leg (after only barely learning how to kayak). This year, I'm back to the downhill skiing. It's kind of fun to be "repeating" a leg, because I've done it, know the terrain a bit more, and have a time to shoot for (and hopefully beat). My first time (in '02) was 0:32:02. It's not a long leg, but it's plenty difficult, as it includes a rough climb up to the top of one of Mt. Baker's ridges and then a leisurely ski down a cat track to the base area. The toughest part is the climb. I feel like I'm in about the same (or hopefully better) shape, so I'm really hoping to match or beat that time.

I'll be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow, shuttling up to the mountain. I will hopefully have a wonderful update for everyone, explaining how my team, "LightINNing" (made up of INN staff and students) miraculously won the race. Wish us luck!

***UPDATE***
The skis are waxed. They haven't been treated that nicely in a long time. I think they can tell tomorrow's a big day.

Music Review – Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs

"Hi. We’re Death Cab for Cutie. We think it might be worthwhile re-introducing ourselves, because we just released our newest full length album. And it doesn’t really sound like us. Or at least you might not think so. So, pleased to meet you once again."

Here’s the first review I was eluding to with yesterday’s post. I’m just wrapping up my first listening to "Narrow Stairs", the newest offering from Bellingham’s-own Death Cab for Cutie. Thanks to an iTunes pre-order, I’m listening to the deluxe edition before the release date, which clicks over in about an hour. So, that’s cool. But let’s get to the album.

I’ve been reading, over the past few weeks, that this new album might ruffle a few feathers, might make people uneasy, might not quite be what people expect. They’re saying things like "some people might not like this album". I like the line in the last track, "The Ice Is Getting Thinner": "we’re not the same dear, as we used to be |
The seasons have changed and so have we." There’s definitely something different going on here and it seems like they’re ok with admitting it. For one, the band seems a whole lot more aggressive on this album than any of the past. Where songs like "The New Year" and "Crooked Teeth" (of previous albums) had some "piss and drive" to them, they pale in comparison to the kick in the teeth that "Bixby Canyon Bridge", "Long Division", and "Pity and Fear" throw at you.

The other note I’ve heard again and again with regards to this album is about frontman Ben Gibbard’s rediscovery of the guitar. Whereas Plans, their last release, had very little distorted guitar, Narrow Stairs is saturated with long, sustained power fed by heavy distortion. This kicks the band up a notch as they shake off some of their old standby styles for a fresh look at their sound. Embracing new sonic perspectives, with songs like "I Will Posses Your Heart" (the 8 minute long jam) and "Pity and Fear" (a little more sitar, please), the band moves into uncharted territory, unexplored landscapes of sound that I’ve only heard them dance around on previous albums and mildly entertain in their live performances.

Stand out tracks, for me, have to be "Bixby Canyon Bridge", a tale of Gibbard’s soul-searching journey to meet up with Jack Kerouac’s spirit in Big Sur, CA; "I Will Posses Your Heart", the creepy stalker tale that just doesn’t go away (8:35 minutes of building, layered, sonic mess sweetness that isn’t half bad as a single); and "The Ice Is Getting Thinner", because while they depart stylistically through the middle half of the album, exploring way too many major keys and bright harmonies than one would expect from a grey-skied Bellingham/Seattle band, they return home to dark, sparse, and brooding to close the album.

It’s a different game. They’ve decided to change the rules a bit. This isn’t the Postal Service, it’s not Plans, and yet, it is the proper evolution. These guys, who I saw when they played the Viking Union at WWU my freshmen year of college, showing off their new release, The Photo Album, have changed. And that’s alright.

PS: I’ll be interested what a few more listens will bring out. I always a need a few times around to get it really settled in my mind. We’ll see what happens, I suppose.

Music Review – Jimmy Eat World – Deluxe Edition

Whatever it takes to get the blogging juices flowing again, I think I’m going to try a music review. I’m thinking it’d be a good idea to prime the pump for a couple of albums I’m really looking forward to that come out in the next month or so, so why not start with a deluxe edition, reissue, b-sides disc of one of my favorite bands?

Originally release in 2001, Jimmy Eat World’s major label debut "Bleed American" lingered in my Volkswagen Golf CD player for quite a long time. A soundtrack to senior year of high school (along with lesser-wonders Blink 182 and New Found Glory), this was album was a bright star in the mess of pop-punk, hormonally-influenced snot-rock that I spent a lot of time listening to. There was something different about the energy and drive behind songs like "Sweetness", "A Praise Chorus", and "Your House". I felt pretty cool for starting to listen to these guys before their songs started getting major radio play. After seeing a summer concert at the Gorge (in which they opened for the aforementioned bands), they began to hold a very special place in my heart.

This album’s life took a pretty significant turn, as did a lot of popular culture, on 9/11/2001. The original title, "Bleed American", also the name for the lead single, didn’t quite cut if for politically-correctness in a time where we had a lot of people talking about our nation’s insecurities. So, with a huge marketing push, led by excited college kids like myself, and a reissue of the album under the name "Jimmy Eat World", they salvaged the success of the album. "The Middle" became our anthem, however much any of my generation never wants to hear that song again, and helped us know that we’d get through whatever was going on. The big ideas, the big heart of this album became a rally cry of a bunch of kids who were trying to figure out what to do with their world which all of a sudden had threats of war, uncertainty of security and safety, not to mention the first quarter of college classes and dorm food.

Fast forward 7 years and 2 more albums. After modest success with "Futures" and riding on the tails of "Chase This Light", Jimmy Eat World has re-released a deluxe edition of "Bleed American". The album not only features the original artwork with the former title, it also includes an 18-track second disc of rarities, b-sides, and live tracks. Being the fiend for downloading b-sides and live tracks that I am, I already have a lot of these songs on MP3. But all combined into a full second album, these tracks help complete the full picture of all this album became, way back then. Stand out tracks include "Firestarter" (a Prodigy cover), "Last Christmas" (everyone’s favorite cover of Wham!’s holiday love anthem), and a reworked version of "Your House", which the band debuted on the "Chase this Light" tour last fall. I have to say, the new rendition of "Your House" live was one of the high points of their show at WWU last October. All together, it’s a disc for fans who want to see it all.

My top 10 list of albums is always evolving, kicking out stuff that I said "I’ll love forever" and taking in a new gem here and there. One album that has stayed with me for a long while is "Bleed American". It’s one of those albums that speaks to a special place and time in my life. It’s one I can hear blaring off the prison-white hallway in Nash Hall. It’s an album that knew me back when I was blowing my grandpa’s old Blaupunkt speakers in a 1987 Golf. Maybe you know what this feels like to have a special album like this to listen to. "If you don’t well, honey, then you don’t".

Now Blogging – Lora Thomas

What better way to make her brother’s evening? My sister started a blog! She’s on staff at Tall Timber Ranch this summer, working with kids at the camp we grew up going to.

Lora, I’m glad you’re in. Looking forward to reading it!

loraleone.wordpress.com