Already often accused of trying too hard to be U2, Coldplay could have set itself up for a fall by enlisting "Joshua Tree" and "Achtung Baby" co-producer Brian Eno to co-helm its new album. Due June 17, "Viva La Vida" is the heavily anticipated follow-up to 2005's 10 million-seller "X&Y," so there's U2-sized pressure with this one. But judging from the first single, "Violet Hill," the British quartet actually used Eno to aim for an adventurous if not futuristic sound. The track is a bouncy, Supertrampy piano rocker with some trademark Eno atmospherics thrown in. While far from a classic, it does at least raise interest for how the rest of the album will sound. It's available as a free download at www.coldplay.com through Monday. Oh, so now they're trying to be Radiohead?!
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
