Never Retallack | Entertainment Editor
Released on Nov. 22 was the British rock/pop band Coldplay’s eighth studio album titled, “Everyday Life.” It is a double album, with the first half — songs one through eight — called “Sunrise,” and the second half — songs nine through seventeen — titled “Sunset.”
The album starts with the song “Sunrise,” a melancholic instrumental song that felt hauntingly sad with the gentle violin and somber piano — an interesting way to start the album, but I think it fits the overall theme.
Coldplay touches on some serious issues within their album, with heavy topics that are relevant in today’s society. One such song is “Trouble in Town,” which explains how non-white people are treated in western countries, touching on the hostility that minorities can face by plugging in the audio from Officer Nance in 2013 who was fired for his racist and aggressive behavior. At this point in the song the soft instrumentals reach a fevered pitch that increases the anxiety of the situation and the chaotic atmosphere.
Another heavy hitting topic is covered in their song “Arabesque” which seems to try and make peace in the wake of western fear of Islam with the war on terrorism. They merge together western musical styles with Middle Eastern rhythms.
Continuing on this trend of confrontation and addressing the issues within the world comes the first song to the second half “Sunset,” a song titled “Guns,” that criticizes Americans’ obsession and need for guns. Going deeper into the issue, they sing about how Americans think gun violence will be solved with more guns and push the idea of education and peace instead.
Coldplay doesn’t stop on their mission for exposing issues, continuing with their song “Orphans” which tackles the Syrian Civil War and shows the story of a girl and her Baba — Arabic for father — who are refugees and aided by an archangel. This song pushes the need to accept and aid refugees who are struggling to survive, and emphasizing how they need to be with their family members to achieve happiness.
The album ends with the song “Everyday Life” that ties together the main messages from the band: love, equality, pain, struggles, legacy, humanity, hope and other things in everyday life. The album covers a diverse span of people from different cultures and the different challenges they face, while maintaining the belief that we are all part of the same family on this planet.
Overall Rating: I think this album is a heavy hitter; it is full of slow and somber instrumentals with songs that cover real world problems. It is more of a sit-down-and-reflect album, rather than a catchy money-making album, focusing on encouraging change and acceptance.
Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu
Photo courtesy of Atlantic Records Press
