Every half-decade or so, an album comes along that affects you so deeply that you get stupidly happy just thinking about it. "Abbey Road" by the Beatles is such an album. "Achtung Baby" by U2 is such an album. "Viva la Vida or Death and All his Friends" by Coldplay, released just yesterday, is such an album.

I don't even know where to begin to describe the musical epiphany this record is. My jaw just dropped when I heard the opening notes of the first track, and my mouth stayed slack until the final chords of the last song melted away.

I know it's not very cool to dig Coldplay, but screw it: I have nothing but respect and awe for these four spindly Englishmen. I bought the special edition of the album, which has the CD packaged with a full-size vinyl LP. That's a record, for those of you under forty. I'm a bit baffled at what to do with the record itself, but the huge, anachronistic record sleeve now sits proudly on my bookshelf.

Whatever you're doing, whatever you're listening to right now, stop. Jump on iTunes and download "Viva la Vida". Then put it on some nice speakers in a dark room, close your eyes, and descend into bliss...