“We’re slightly terrified about this record because we’ve thrown away all our tricks,” worried Coldplay singer Chris Martin prior to the release of “Viva La Vida “. At the behest of producer Brian Eno, Martin stopped ending every song with his elegiac falsetto and concentrated more on songs than the ecstatic riffs that propelled many of the group’s singles. Also new, a slight world-music influence in the songs, “Strawberry Swing” in particular revolving around Jonny Buckland’s Afro-pop guitar line.
by Mark Emge
