Free shows, free single — Coldplay is just feeling so free right now! Well, that single will only be free for another few days, so you’d better head to their website and snap it up while you still can. Of course, I filled out their form a couple days ago, twice, and I have yet to receive the magical email bearing "Violet Hill" in either my work or personal inbox… but assuming you can get your mitts on an MP3, what will you be getting into?
First off, Brian Eno’s production has done these guys well. "Violet Hill" opens with a thin synth wash that’s very Music for Airports, and proceeds from there to some droning, stabbing guitar textures that sound cooler than most any Coldplay tunes I can think of. Still, the songcraft itself feels lacking. The melody’s fine, if nothing special; I can accept that Chris Martin may have spent up all his truly indelible melodies on the band’s first few albums. But those lyrics! Surely even he knows how clunky the words he’s singing these days are. (Forcing a slant-rhyme out of "December" and "cathedrals"? For real?)
Then again, Gwyneth thinks the whole album is "brilliant." And who am I to argue with her? You tell me — am I the only one left a little, er, cold by playing "Violet Hill"? And while we’re at it, can anyone figure out what’s up with that bizarre, Delacroix-jacking cover art?
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I got the e-mail right away, but it asked for a user name and password that neither the site or e-mail provided. Anybody know what the deal is?
THAT’S the new cover art? What??? I don’t know if I’m feeling it…
THAT’S the new cover art? What??? I don’t know if I’m feeling it…
I got the email right away, clicked the link, and downloaded – no password needed
Weird — I tried sending it to my work e-mail and it worked fine. Maybe it’s a Hotmail issue?
Yeah, I got my email with the link to a yahoo email in about 10 seconds. The song’s not bad either – it’s great it’s free! Thanks for the tip!
copy and paste the link into the address bar. it’ll work then
You can directly loop into the site without having to get the email from gossip columnist Elaine “Lainey” Lui’s site – http://laineygossip.com/Coldplay_first_single_Violet_Hill_available_for_download.aspx
I’m not feeling the new song. And the piano keys at the beginning remind me of the opening of “California” by Phantom Planet.
I got the email straight away, no request for a password or the like – just a link to download from (which I’ve just done).
Not sure if I like Violet Hill, may grow on me…maybe.
As for the cover art, I’ve always loved this Delacroix painting but the faux-graffiti title scrawled across it feels a bit 80s stlye-wise to me.
The email landed in my spam box – maybe that’s what happened to you too
I tried to get the song with three different email addresses and my USA zip code and still after two days I got nothing. So I looked up a UK postal code, used it, and poof, a minute later I had the email with the code. I can’t imagine that they would be filtering the d/l to only UK residence – seeing as that’s where they are from – but it seemed a little fishy to me! The song is OK, hope it grows on me.
I’d like to hear what you would have to offer Mr. KnowItAll. Your lack of actual music intellegence and appreciation shows with your anything but grammatically correct comment on a revolutionary Band.
You will certainly be eating your words later my friend.
I have to admit, the first few time I heard the song it didn’t do much for me. But, it does grow on you and can’t stop listening to it now.
I immediately liked this song. The beginning reminds me a lot of old Oasis stuff. And I had no problem accessing the mp3.
It sounds like “That’s All” by Genesis. Production: 8. Song: 5.
I like the single. It’s growing on me. Not so sure about the album cover, though.
The song is different, but that is by no means a bad thing. I liked it immediately, and continue to appreciate it more and more. I love the direction Coldplay is taking. They can do no wrong in my mind.
Reminds a bit of another Brit band named Kent: one of their admitted influences.
I think it is a fantastic single. Great quality and blend of soft piano and guitar riffs.
i love it
its brilliant…completely different from coldplay and the perfect answer to critics who said they were getting too repititive
its brilliant…completely different from coldplay and the perfect answer to critics who said they were getting too repititive
its brilliant…completely different from coldplay and the perfect answer to critics who said they were getting too repititive
Viva la Vida means death and all his friends, I suppose more songs down the line for this album will explain this morbid tone, for violet hill talks of a love lost more than a love gained, per se. she as silent still may represent death, who knows. brits huh?
Fantastic song and a slight change in direction….Violet Hills is in the genre of Oasis but with more intelligence.
The reviewer should probably not quit his day job….
The new single is great.
I often think of Coldplay when looking at Delacroix… unique choice, for sure.
Fantastic cover art! That Delacroix painting is beautiful and definitely makes a point. As does the new Coldplay single “Violet Hill”, which is equally beautiful, if not more. Coldplay seem to be returning to their roots while injecting something new and interesting to give it an edge. I am in LOVE with “Violet Hill” and can’t wait until the new album comes out. Bring it on, boys!
I absolutely love it!!! I heard it played twice in a row on the night it was released and it got stuck in my head from that moment on!! Have now heard it about 10 times, have now read the lyrics and it all makes sense!! Brilliant work!!
Such a brilliant song, well worth the wait. Great new sound for Coldplay. And on reading the lyrics, i fell in love all over again with the song. Oh, and had no probs getting the song via email.