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Milton Fall Fair: 2009 Edition

September 24th, 2009
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There are a ton of events for everyone, but for the kids, its all about the midway!

There are a ton of events for everyone, but for the kids, it's all about the midway!

Yep, it’s that time of the year again

And what a wonderful time of the year it is. Late September: the weather is still warm, fall colours are just beginning to appear on our foliage, and the annual Milton Fall Fair is rolling into town.

Every year, we have such a great day at the Fair with the whole family. The highlight of course, has to be the Demolition Derby. Count us in the demographic that ‘loves to see stuff get smashed up!’ The Friday/Saturday evening derbies are quite the event, but if you’ve got young children, don’t fret because there is another derby on Sunday afternoon at 2pm. That’s the one we usually catch.

Kerrrrash! Its fun watching stuff get smashed.

Kerrrrash! It's fun watching stuff get smashed.

It’s also fun for the kids to search for their crafts and works of art in the enclosed area underneath the grandstand. I know we wandered around for quite awhile in there last year, looking for my then 2-year old daughter’s 2 or 3 crafts/drawings.

The petting zoo and livestock barn are also big draws with the little ones, and you’ve gotta indulge and have some greasy fries and a burger/hot dog/sausage and/or a candy apple from one of the food vendors on-site.

Again, fortunately our kids love the Demoliton Derby as much as Mom and Dad, which means that’s become a must-see event. They really go crazy for the midway rides however, begging for more tickets after we’ve used them all up, begging to go on all of the rides they are too small for and truly loving the ones they actually get to ride.

Expect a full house for the Demolition Derby

Expect a full house for the Demolition Derby

The arrival of the first bit of cool, crisp fall air a couple of weeks ago prompted me to call up our photos from last year’s Fall Fair and post them in MiltonSearch.com’s online photo gallery. There are a ton of great shots, so feel free to check them out (yes, there are a lot of Demolition Derby shots).

We hope to see everyone out at this year’s Fall Fair — as of right now, the weather looks to be rainy for Saturday, but sunny and 23 celcius on Sunday (don’t quote me on that). If you’re new to Milton, well, I just can’t think of a better way to get a feel for your new community than to attend probably the Town’s signature attraction of the year.

Where else can you almost get hit by flying car parts?

Where else can you almost get hit by flying car parts?

Quick Links

MiltonSearch.com Arts & Entertainment: Milton Fall Fair 2009: bigger, better than ever

Milton Fall Fair Daily Schedules from MiltonSearch.com’s Community Calendar

The Official Milton Fall Fair website

Below we’ve posted the schedule for all three days as listed on the Fall Fair’s website. For further information, visit www.miltonfair.com.

Now that autumn is here, you know we won’t have this weather for all that much longer, so get out and enjoy the fair! After the weekend, I invite you to visit our photo gallery, register for an account, and upload your photos of the Milton Fall Fair to share with everyone!

Cheers!

2009 Milton Fall Fair Schedule

Friday, September 25

3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Halls and Exhibits open to public
3:00 p.m. – Midway Opens (Toonie Rides from 3:00 till 7:00 p.m. only!)
4:00 p.m. – 2009 Speed Show (Barrel Racing) – Horse Ring #1
5:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Beer Tent open
6:00 p.m. – The Randalls– Infield Stage
7:00 p.m. – SuperCheer Scorpions – Grandstand
7:30 p.m. – Official Opening – Grandstand
8:00 p.m. – Demolition Derby – Grandstand

Saturday, September 26

9:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Halls and Exhibits open to public
9:00 a.m. – Horse Show Jumper Challenge – Horse Ring # 1
10:00 a.m. – Pet Show – Exhibition Theatre
10:30 a.m. – Heavy Horse Show – Horse Ring #2
10:30 a.m. – Youth Beef Show – by Cattle Barns
10:30 a.m. – Truck & Tractor Pull – Grandstand
11:00 a.m. – Halton 4-H Dairy Calf Club Achievement Day – No. 1 Barn
11:00 a.m. – Midway Opens
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Beer Tent Open – Infield
11:30 a.m. – Light Horse Show – Horse Ring #2
12:30 p.m. – Beef Show – No. 1 Barn
1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Birds of Prey – Outside Exhibition Theatre (west side)
2:00 p.m. – Skedaddle Kids Kiddies Pedal Tractor Pull (Registration – on the track area by the office)
3:00 p.m. – Skedaddle Kids Kiddies Pedal Tractor Pull
3:30 – 4:15 – Nancy Be Duo – Exhibition Theatre
6:15p.m. – Spokes N Slopes Trials Extravaganza! – Grandstand
7:00 p.m. – Demolition Derby – Driver’s Meeting
8:00 p.m. – Demolition Derby – Grandstand

INFIELD STAGE – Saturday
12:00 p.m. – Sneezy the Clown
12:30 p.m. – The Funky Mamas
1:30 p.m. – Silver Elvis
2:00 p.m. – Nancy Be Duo
3:00 p.m. – BellyUp
3:30 p.m. – The Funky Mamas
4:30 p.m. – Garbha Ras/Dandiya
5:00 p.m. – Milton Youth Bhangra Group
5:15p.m. – Nancy Be Duo

Sunday, September 27

9:00 a.m. – Hunter Challenge and Gymkhana Show – Horse Ring #1
9:30 a.m. – Lawn and Garden Tractor Pull – Grandstand
10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Halls and Exhibits open to public
11:00 a.m. – Midway Opens
11:00 a.m. – Baby Show – Exhibition Theatre
11:00 a.m. – Sheep Show – No. 1 Barn
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.- Classic Car Show (Weather permitting) – By Cattle Barns
11:30 a.m. – Team K9 – Dog Agility Show – Horse Ring #2
12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Beer Tent Open
12:00 p.m. – Skedaddle Kids Kiddies’ Pedal Tractor Pull (Registration- on the track area by office)
1:00 p.m. – Team K9 – Dog Agility Show – Horse Ring #2
1:00 p.m. – Demolition Derby – Driver’s Meeting
1:00 p.m. – Skedaddle Kids Kiddies’ Pedal Tractor Pull
1:30 p.m. – Nancy Be Duo – Exhibition Hall
2:00 p.m. – Demolition Derby – Grandstand
2:30 a.m. – Team K9 – Dog Agility Show – Horse Ring #2
4:30 p.m. – Halls close
5:00 p.m. – Hall Pick-up

INFIELD STAGE – Saturday
11:15 a.m. – Funky Mamas
12:00 p.m. – Sneezy the Clown
12:30 p.m. – The Skyway Cloggers
1:00 p.m. – Premier Martial Arts
1:30 p.m. – The Skyway Cloggers
2:00 p.m. – Silver Elvis
2:30 p.m. – Funky Mamas
3:15 p.m. – Premier Martial Arts

Ongoing activities Friday, Saturday, and Sunday:
Livestock Display Barn, Agricultural Awareness Tent, Craft Building, Petting Zoo, Great Food, Exhibit Hall and Vendors

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Milton Canada Day 2009: Volunteers Needed

June 19th, 2009

The Milton Canada Day Committee is still looking for volunteers. Anyone interested can call volunteer program coordinator Kirsten Pederson at (905) 691-7470 or kirsten@miltoncanadaday.ca

The Milton Canada Day Committee is still looking for volunteers. Anyone interested can call volunteer program coordinator Kirsten Pederson at (905) 691-7470 or kirsten@miltoncanadaday.ca

Canada Day is fast approaching and plans are well underway to deliver festivities not soon to be forgotten.

On Wednesday, July 1, thousands of Milton and area residents are expected to gather at the Milton Fairgrounds to celebrate Canada’s 142nd birthday.

This year’s events will start at 10am with a veterans’ breakfast at Victoria Park in front of town hall, followed by a wreath-laying at 11:30am at the cenotaph. A pipe band parade will then lead the way to the opening ceremonies at the fairgrounds.

Throughout the day and into the night, families will be able to take advantage of a variety of activities and entertainment including: the Kidz Zone, Teen Zone, vendors and the band Hotel California.

Also on hand will be Soaring Heights Productions’ trampoline show. The four-person team is made up of world-class performers including trampoline Olympic medalists Karen Cockburn and Jason Burnett.

The show is scheduled to run hourly from 1 – 4pm.

Of course, the grand finale will be a fireworks display when the sun goes down.

The Milton Canada Day Committee is still looking for volunteers. Anyone interested can call volunteer program coordinator Kirsten Pederson at (905) 691-7470 or kirsten@miltoncanadaday.ca.

For a complete list of events, we encourage you to visit the official Milton Canada Day website.

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The Bee is Back!

March 21st, 2009

First-timers, or new-bees are always amazed by how much fun the whole event is. It is a wonderful night and people really get into the spirit of it.

First-timers, or "new-bees" are always amazed by how much fun the whole event is. It is a wonderful night and people really get into the spirit of it.

Adult Bee brings community together

The impact of low literacy touches everyone: No one knows that better than Literacy North Halton (LNH), a local non-profit agency.

In order to reinforce its mandate to raise awareness and funds for adult literacy programs in Milton and throughout North Halton, LNH is presenting the sixth annual Grate Groan-Up Spelling Bee.

The popular local event is slated for May 7, 2009.  Organizers are sending out a call for teams to dust off their dictionaries, get creative with costumes and register now for the corporate spelling bee.  

The Bee is a fun way for the community to come together to help support literacy at all levels, throughout Milton, Georgetown and Acton.  The event sees more than 20 teams of three from local businesses, organizations and non-profit agencies competing in a hilarious battle for spelling supremacy and for the coveted Spelling Bee trophy.  Teams generally dress in costume and are supported by a lively audience of more than 250 people. The Bee has sold out every year since it’s inception in 2004. 

Spelling Bee Chair Theresa MacDonald says: “The success of The Bee has been remarkable. The community has really come together and embraced the literacy cause. We are grateful to our participants who have made it such a success because they have chosen to get involved and make a difference in people’s lives.” 

While The Bee has a reputation as a fun-filled event, the underlying issue is a serious one, notes MacDonald.

“Literacy is a hidden problem and many are surprised to learn that one in five people in Ontario struggle with low literacy skills. It is an economic and quality of life issue and it impacts our whole community. Through the Read Spell Write program, Literacy North Halton trained volunteer tutors work at a grass roots level to help adults in our community improve their literacy skills in order to achieve their goals as students, as parents, as employees and as full participants in the civic life of our community.”

Registration is now open for new spelling bee teams, but with a large percentage of returning teams, space is limited and organizers recommend registering as soon as possible. For those considering entering a team, MacDonald has some advice. 

“It’s not like the scary school bees where you were up there all by yourself. Our teams can work together to correctly spell their answer. I think first-timers or “new-bees” as we call them, are always amazed by how much fun the whole event is! It is a wonderful night and people really get into the spirit of it.” 

For more information about the event and details of team registration, visit www.grategroanup.com or contact Literacy North Halton (905) 873-2200 or visit www.literacynh.org

Contact for media: Event Chairperson, Theresa MacDonald  (905) 876-0866

——-

The Grate Groan-Up Spelling Bee Mascot and Milton’s Martin Street Public School students participated recently in a nation-wide attempt to set a new Guiness World Record  for Most Children Reading With an Adult, Multiple Locations. The event was held in honor of Family Literacy day, which raises awareness of literacy among all ages and was created by ABC Canada to promote the importance of reading and learning as a family.

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Posted in Charity, Education, Entertainment, Halton, Milton Events, Milton: The Good, Volunteer Halton

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2008 Milton Santa Claus Parade Route

November 11th, 2008

MiltonSearch.com’s inbox has been flooded with inquiries as to the actual route this year’s Milton Santa Claus Parade will take, so we’ve decided to post it.

From the Milton Canadian Champion: 

This year’s parade will take place Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2 p. m. It’ll leave from the corner of Bronte and Barton streets, proceed along Main Street and end up at the rear parking lot of Milton Mall in front of the Winners store.

The theme for the 2008 parade is Christmas Around the World, which is sure to inspire a number of interesting floats depicting Christmas as it’s celebrated by diverse nationalities.

So there you have it, straight from the local fishwrap.

It’s sure to be a great parade this year, with, according to Regional Councillor Colin Best, “a few surprises in store.”

We encourage you to post any comments below, before or after the parade, and hey, if you have any photos of the parade, why not register for an account and post them on MiltonSearch.com’s photo gallery to share with all of Milton?

Let’s give Santa a warm Milton welcome!

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Apple’s iPhone comes to Canada: What’s to love and not to love

July 13th, 2008

Apple iPhone comes to Canada

The Apple iPhone arrived in Toronto this week to a Beatles-like reception

It’s arguably the most-hyped consumer electronics gadget in history and Apple’s iPhone is finally available in Canada through Rogers Wireless. With all the media hoopla surrounding this sexy smartphone there’s probably very little you don’t already know about it.

Here are the things people are saying they love about the iPhone 3G, and the things they don’t, as compiled by the Toronto Star last week:

What people love

1. It’s so wireless. Ten different radios are under the hood of the iPhone 3G, including Wi-Fi (to surf the Net while on a wireless network), Bluetooth (for hands-free headsets), GPS (to navigate to a destination) and 3G connectivity for high-speed wireless connectivity through Rogers’ HSPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) network.

2. The display. The 3.5-inch multi-touch screen makes it a breeze to navigate through the phone’s features. Use your fingertip to flick down your contacts like a digital Rolodex. Pinch and expand to zoom into your photos. Tap to preview and play music via the iTunes Wi-Fi store.

3. Shhh, it’s really a computer. You haven’t surfed the Net on a phone until you’ve used an iPhone, thanks to a real HTML-based Safari browser with support for photos and some videos (such as QuickTime). Turn the iPhone sideways and the built-in accelerometer automatically flips the screen horizontally.

4. It’s an iPod. Store up to 8GB or 16GB (depending on the model) of music, podcasts, audio books, photos and videos – all copied over when synched with your iTunes software. But unlike any previous iPod, the iPhone also has a built-in speaker so you don’t need ear buds if you don’t want to wear them.

5. Programs galore. Apple opened up the platform for third-party developers. The AppStore means you can download thousands of applications to run on the iPhone, ranging from 3-D video games and song-writing software (think GarageBand for your pocket) to medical encyclopaedias and digital cookbooks with video tutorials.

6. It’s stable. The operating system is rock solid. We haven’t experienced a crash once. Any time you want to get out of a program you don’t have to look for an “X” to tap in order to close it – simply tap the solitary “Home” button at the bottom of the iPhone. It might not be a sexy feature, but there’s nothing more un-sexy than a crashing OS with a complicated interface.

7. Coffee is close by. Type in something you’re looking for in the Google Maps search field – such as “coffee,” “gas station,” “Indian food,” “CIBC” or “hotel” – and you’ll immediately see pushpins fall onto the satellite image. Tap the closest “point of interest” and it will present the phone number (tap to call), website, address and directions.

What don’t people love about the iPhone 3G?

1. The soft QWERTY keyboard takes some getting used to – especially for those with fat thumbs. And while you can hold it horizontally while surfing the web (to make the keyboard bigger), emails must be typed on the vertical layout.

2. No video recording. What gives? Plus, the 2-megapixel camera is the same as last year’s model (5 megapixels would’ve been nice).

3. No MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) support. You can take a photo and email it to someone but you can’t send it to a friend’s phone with a message.

4. No voice-activated dialling (e.g. “Call Home”), as you can with most other phones. On a related note, there is no voice recording feature (an invaluable tool as a journalist).

5. Google Maps doesn’t give you audio-based turn-by-turn instructions, so it’s basically useless while driving.

6. You can’t copy and paste text on the iPhone, such as a copying some words from a website to the Notes section. With any luck this oversight will be fixed with a firmware update.

7. More memory, please. Rumour has it a 32GB version is in the works. At the very least offer support for expandable memory cards, no?

– Compiled by Marc Saltzman, special to the Toronto Star

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Posted in Entertainment, GTA, Guy Stuff, Music, Technology

A clear choice: plasma or LCD?

July 13th, 2008

LCD or plasma?

Plasma TVs, which use more electricity, can offer a superior picture because they can display truer black colours and have higher contrast ratios than LCD screens.

Choosing between the two technologies may hinge on price and how the TV will be used

It’s an inevitable question when looking for a flat-panel HDTV these days: Will it be plasma or LCD?

It was easier when there were only cathode-ray tubes and choice came down to size and brand. Now, we are confronted with different and confusing technology options. How do you choose between plasmas and LCDs?

Price could be one way.

Plasma HDTVs 50-inches or larger cost less than similar sized LCD HDTVs, but the price gap is closing, especially with the popular 42- to 46-inch sizes.

As for life expectancy, both plasmas and LCDs are capable of running around 60,000 hours, or eight hours a day for 20 years, before half brightness occurs. And they are both now capable of an exceptional 1080p HD resolution.

Plasmas are known to be somewhat of an electricity hog, but Barry Murray, marketing director at Panasonic Canada, feels that tag is a bit unfair.

“Government regulations require plasmas to list the maximum watts used, when, in fact, they consume closer to half that power in real-world conditions,” he says. “Plasmas light each pixel individually, as required, but LCDs always have a backlight running and block the light to produce colours.”

With all this in mind, how do we choose?

Ultimately, it comes down to how you want to use your HDTV.

If you are a videophile looking for the true home-theatre experience, an HDTV plasma might be the way to go.

Generally, plasmas are known for their superior picture performance because they can display truer black colours than LCDs. Plasmas can run a very low level of luminance to create the colour black and have higher contrast ratios than LCDs, producing a more detailed true-to-life picture.

LCD HDTVs are no slouches on picture quality but they still can’t block out enough of the underlying backlight to produce the same level of blacks as plasmas.

Plasmas are also believed to offer smoother and more realistic video motion with quicker pixel refresh rates, but LCDs are quickly catching up.

The new 120Hz refresh technology being incorporated in LCDs is considered one of the biggest breakthroughs in some time, according to Patrick Lapointe, director of marketing for LCDs at Sony Canada.

“Our MotionFlow technology (120Hz refresh) provides smoother motion and seamless action for sports scenes,” he says. “By doubling the number of frames on the screen every second, the eye perceives much less judder (instability) and blurriness than before.”

Viewing angles are also better on plasmas, up to an extreme 160 degrees. At that angle, you would be just about beside the screen with no loss of brightness or colour saturation. Higher-end LCDs like ones from Sony have decent viewing angles and are fine for most family room seating arrangement.

Of course, if you don’t have an HDTV set-top box from your television program provider or a Blu-ray DVD player, you just won’t get the video quality you’d expect. If your TV set-top box or DVD player doesn’t support the new HDMI interface, they probably don’t provide HD video.

If you plan to also hookup a PC/Mac or a game console such as an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, you might want to consider an LCD HDTV.

While plasmas can do an excellent job projecting these, they still have a slight risk of burn-in, a permanent ghostlike image associated with prolonged display of a static image. LCD HDTVs are immune to burn-in so they are the safe bet, but they do suffer from stuck or dead pixels (permanently lit or unlit).

Another reason to consider an LCD is viewing distance. LCDs tend to have a smoother picture in a shorter viewing distance, making it optimal for using a computer or game console with it when you want to get up close. But note that if you are hooking up a computer, you won’t get a decent picture unless it has a DVI or HDMI video card.

– by Tom Katsiroubas of YourHome.ca and the Toronto Star

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Posted in Entertainment, Home & Garden, Movies, Smart Homes, TV, Technology

Next up: Milton Canada Day 2008!

June 22nd, 2008

Milton Canada Day 2008

A full day of Canada Day celebrations in Milton will certainly end with a bang!

With another successful Downtown Milton Street Party behind us, it’s time to look forward to the next signature Milton summer event, Milton Canada Day at the Fairgrounds on July 1st.

First, a couple of thoughts on this year’s edition of the Downtown Street Party….

It wasn’t quite as busy as last year, and there were a few less vendors, but overall it was a fantastic day again! The weather, like last year, was fabulous. The DBIA did an amazing job organizing the event. MiltonSearch.com participated again, offering face-painting at our booth, and from a vendor point of view, it was incredible how easy it was to register and access the area for setup – all thanks to the efforts of the Milton DBIA and their volunteers. A special thanks to Jacqueline Garrard of the DBIA for everything.

The event may have been a little busier last year based on the fact that it was the Town’s 150th Anniversary, who knows. I encourage everyone to mark it on your calendars for next year – the event is a fantastic day to get out and explore what Milton really has to offer — participating vendors (like AJS Filipino Grocery who were located beside our booth for the 2nd year in a row: mmmmmm), local musical talent, downtown businesses and just the chance to stroll leisurely along Main St. and feel the positive energy.

MiltonSearch.com was celebrating our 1st anniversary also, as our site officially launched last year at this event. In honour of the occasion, we’re running 4 promotions which can be found here, which include a kids’ colouring contest, classifieds contest, forums contest and our 2nd photography contest.

Anyhoo, summer is in full swing now, so get out and enjoy it! Next up is annual Canada Day celebration at the Fairgrounds, and here are all the details:

Milton Canada Day 2008 Events & Participants:

Veterans’ Breakfast from 10-11:30am at Victoria Park – open to everyone.

A “Moment to Remember” ceremony at 11:30am at the Cenotaph in Victoria Park, to honour our veterans.

The Veterans’ Parade starts at 11:50am from the Cenotaph to the Fairgrounds.

The Kidz Zone runs from Noon to 7pm featuring activities for kids.

The Teen Zone runs from Noon to 7pm featuring:
- Guitar Hero
- Dance Revolution
- Rock Climbing Walls
- Henna Tattoos
- Giant Sand Hills
- Playdough centre
- Bubble machine

At noon, there will be a Canada Day Message, the National Anthem will be performed by Terry Wheelen and a birthday cake for Canada will be cut.

As well, there will be a Swearing-in Ceremony for New Canadians.

The bands “Sokey” and “District” will perform in the afternoon, followed by “Scarecrow” (a John Cougar Mellencamp tribute band) and “Fleetwood Dreams” (a Fleetwood Mac tribute band) at 7 and 8:30pm respectively.

There are a number of other performers including:

- The Arial Angels
- Martial Arts exhibitions
- K9 Dog Show
- 5 Star Ranch
- Sciensational Snakes
- Mountberg “Birds of Prey”
- Petting Zoo
- Pony Rides
- Steam Era Display
- Remax Balloon

You will also have the opportunity to add a personal message to a banner being sent to Canada’s Olympic team, bound for Beijing, China.

The Amusement Park runs from noon until 10pm, followed by the Northern Lights Fireworks at 10pm.

Oh yeah, and the Beer Gardens and food vendors will be open from noon until 10pm!

For more information and details, we encourage you to visit the official Milton Canada Day website!

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Album Review: Coldplay/Viva la Vida

June 22nd, 2008

Coldplay Viva la Vida
Viva la Vida, although darker, still retains Coldplay’s signature sound

MiltonSearch.com Album Review:

Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends/Coldplay

(3 out of 4 stars)

The cumbersomely titled Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends marks the Oxford quartet’s most public effort yet at contributing some serious substance to their discography, enlisting the help of Brian Eno to put a bit of an unconventional spin on the band’s stadium-filling ruminations on love, death and religion.

The album comes with a few conservative risks that may please the critics, but for longtime, hardcore fans of the band, it’s not the total sonic overhaul that was feared. To me, it proves the band does have some interesting, if not earth-shattering, ideas up its sleeve.

After conveniently downloading the album from Apple’s iTunes (now without the maximum security digital encoding features to allow easier copying between computers and burning to CD’s I should add), my new preferred way to purchase music (life with a busy work schedule and two young children doesn’t often permit time to even make it out to the local music store for such hedonistic purchases) and putting the album through it’s paces, here are my thoughts:

Viva la Vida begins with the tasty intstrumental “Life in Technicolor”, before “Cemeteries of London” provides a little mood with some “Edge-like” guitars, reminiscent of U2’s “The Unforgettable Fire” album.

“Lost!” is a winner, employing a pipe organ and rhythmic percussion along with a signature Coldplay melody, despite it’s use of a lyric like: “You might be a big fish…. in a little pond”. The song also appears again at the end of the album with Martin singing solo on the piano. It’s a great version, but unless your name is Roger Waters or Neil Young, I’m against including songs twice on an album or cutting them in half etc. C’mon, save the solo version for concerts or a B-side album… geez.

Speaking of questionable lyrics, how about “those who are dead, are not dead, they’re just living in my head”? That beauty can be found on an otherwise solid “42″, the fourth track.

“Lovers in Japan” has a great energy and boucny, driving rhythm, followed up by “Reign of Love”, a slower, lower track – Martin has seriously toned down the “falsetto” vocals on their fourth studio album.

“Yes” is another solid, but darker song followed up by a great hidden track, mostly instrumental with a tight, driving beat and blaring guitars reminiscent of New Order which ends on a Neil Young-esque grungy, distorted chord (enough artist comparisons for you?).

“Viva la Vida” has the catchy, anthematic-sound Coldplay has become known for with a fresh twist – some nice violin work. From there, we jump into the first single, “Violet Hill”, an aggressive, head-pounding, fist-pumping tune.

“Strawberry Swing” brings out the “foot-stomping hillbilly” side of the band, while “Death and All His Friends” starts quietly before building into open-armed soccer-pitch anthemics.

Overall, a solid album from the British rockers. It doesn’t appear to be full of obvious smash radio hits for the masses like 2002’s “A Rush of Blood to the Head”, but it has a more refined, cohesive, moody feel, while again, retaining enough of the band’s loved (and criticized) signature sound.

Life-altering? No. Important? Not really. But it’ll do.

What do you think? We invite your comments below.

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Posted in Entertainment, Music