Juego Frio: Coldplay Announces New Album to Have “Hispanic” Theme

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Coldplay have revealed that their new album, currently being recorded by the band in Barcelona, has a “Hispanic theme”… “The sights, sounds and flavours of Latin America and Spain have definitely been infused on this album. The band visited Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Mexico earlier this year,” the band explained on their blog. “Chris [Martin] then came up with the idea of recording in Spain. The music and lyrics have begun to reflect the strengthening Hispanic theme.” (NME.com, 7/25/07)

“Who better than Coldplay,” they continued, “with our spicy echoes of U2, Radiohead, and Travis, to explore these exotic flavours… like, you know, tomatoes.” Singing about flavors has always been a focus of the English band, they say, describing early hit “Yellow” as being “inspired by a paticularly savory paella.”

Rumored song titles on the new album include “Fix You (A Tasty Enchilada),” and “A Rush Of Blood To the Head After Eating This Spicy Hot Pepper.” The album will come in multiple formats including a deluxe edition served with a side of guacamole and sour cream.

Industry experts question whether Coldplay’s mostly white, middle-aged, mashed-potato-loving fan base is ready for such a stylistic sorpresa, but the band insists “the popularity of restaurants like Taco Bell, Chevy’s and Outback Steakhouse proves the record-buying public already enjoys watered-down versions of south-of-the-border favorites.”

“Si, si,” echoed Martin, from under a yard-wide sombrero, “es muy… uh, how to express it… picante!

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

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