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Nov 20, 2019 By Christopher Roberts Coldplay

Coldplay are releasing a new album, Everyday Life, this Friday via Parlophone/Atlantic. Now they have shared two new songs: “Daddy” and “Champion of the World.” The latter has a co-writing credit from the late Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit and the former is accompanied by a video produced by Aardman Animations (Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep). “Champion of the World” is inspired by Hutchison’s “Los Angeles Be Kind,” from his Owl John solo project, which is why he gets credit. Åsa Lucander directed the “Daddy” video. Check out both songs below.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin had this to say about “Champion of the World” and Hutchison in a press release: “Scott had a song called ‘Los Angeles Be Kind,’ which I love. When I first heard it, I thought it was going to go one way; but it went another. Anyway ‘Champion of the World’ is the song that came from following the other path, and that’s why Scott is a co-writer on this song. Today is also his birthday. So happy birthday Scott and thank you for your beautiful music, wherever you are.”

Lucander had this to say about the “Daddy” video: “I knew when I had the opportunity to pitch on this project that is was going to be a very special one. A few minutes into listening to the track ‘Daddy’ - It spoke to me in a way that stories and visual images began to dance in front of me. And when this happens you know that you are on to something very special indeed. I tend to get drawn to emotional stories and this was certainly one I wanted to tell.”

Previously Coldplay shared Everyday Life‘s first two singles: “Orphans” and “Arabesque.” “Orphans” was catchy but a bit Coldplay-by-numbers, whereas “Arabesque” was much more interesting. It’s nearly six minutes long and has an Afrobeat vibe, which makes sense considering Fela Kuti and is band contribute horns to it (it also features Stromae). “Arabesque” made it to #1 on our Songs of the Week list, a rare appearance by Coldplay.

Coldplay also shared a video for “Orphans.” Mat Whitecross directed the video, which starts simply with frontman Chris Martin performing the song acoustically on some city steps but increasingly gets more elaborate, including some “Dancing on the Ceiling” moments.

Then shared an amusing fake press conference, with Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein (formerly of Portlandia of course) playing all the journalists, to announce some live-streamed concerts in Jordan on the day the album is released. Following that they stopped by Saturday Night Live perform two songs: recent single “Orphans” (partly performed in the audience with dancers) and a brand new song, album title track “Everyday Life.” Then right after that performance the band shared the studio version of “Everyday Life.”

Everyday Life is 53 minutes long and will be released on CD, vinyl, cassette, and digital formats by Parlophone/Atlantic. There will also be two U.S.-only vinyl versions released by Third Man, one on standard black and a limited edition gold version. “Orphans” and “Arabesque” are also available now on a seven-inch single via Third Man. The album’s cover art is “based around a 1919 photo of guitarist Jonny Buckland’s great-grandfather’s band.” The album was announced via postcards sent to fans and has been touted as an experimental double album, with one side titled “Sunrise” and the other “Sunset.”

British actress Jodie Whittaker, who plays the first female Doctor in the long-running British sci-fi show Doctor Who, also recently covered Coldplay‘s hit “Yellow” with members of the band. It was recorded for Got It Covered, a new British charity album that benefits Children in Need.

Coldplay released their last album, their seventh, A Head Full of Dreams, back in December 2015 via Parlophone/Atlantic and released a follow-up EP, Kaleidoscope EP, in July 2017, also via Parlophone/Atlantic.

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