|
Welcome to the sound of Snow Patrol. Of course, they’re not a new band, this is just their first CD to really achieve commercial success in SA. “Eyes Open” is the fourth studio album released under the name Snow Patrol, but the band’s been through a couple of names before Snow Patrol stuck (including “Shrug” and “Polarbear.”) Snow Patrol considers one of their biggest musical influences to be U2, but listening to this album, one can also hear traces of Coldplay and what Keane’s highly anticipated second album should’ve sounded like.
It’s difficult to label Snow Patrol. Somewhat rocky… somewhat alternative… never poppy to paraphrase a beer commercial. But where a lot of typical Brit bands get stuck in a sound and every song on their albums end up sounding very much the same, “Eyes Open” is the perfect example of how one band manages to sound different from one song to the next. There’s the rockier side evident on tracks like first single “You’re all I have” and “Hands Open.” There’s the hauntingly shivers-down-your-spine-side on tracks like “Set the fire to the third bar” featuring Martha Wainwright on guest vocals (rumoured to be the next single) and on “The Finish Line.”
But then there’s the oh-my-goodness-I’ve-not-heard-anything-this-good-in-yonks side as evident on current single “Chasing Cars.” “If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world.” Ah yes. Isn’t that what life’s all about? Looking for that someone to just get down on the ground with you and just share your musings… and forget about the world. In fact, this track is destined to be one of the top 5 songs of 2006.
Recorded in an isolated cottage in Ireland, “Eyes Open” should open quite a few ears to people looking for something refreshingly different (to paraphrase another beer commercial.) Interestingly enough, many of their older songs were songs with titles that did not appear in the lyrics. “Eyes Open” largely bucks this trend.
As Gary Lightbody, lead vocalist sings on “Chasing Cars:” “Forget what we’re told before we get too old.” Make sure you don’t get old before you discover Snow Patrol.
|
