Final Straw
Snow Patrol
The Verdict: Good songs, but limited play time, Snow Patrol’s American debut is still noteworthy.
3 stars out of 5 stars
Back in 1994, a band called Snow Patrol from Ireland formed and released their first album, Songs For Polar Bears, in 1998 and their second album, When It’s All Over We Still Have To Clear Up, in 2001. Both albums brought meager fame to the group, but no recognition in the United States.
After a tumultuous battle with their independent label Jeepster over management of the band, Snow Patrol split and found a new home at Polydor, a mainstream music label in Europe. They released their third album, Final Straw, in March 2004, most of which was written during the battle with Jeepster. That album became widely popular in the United Kingdom and Europe, and now they have finally released it west of the Atlantic. Though Final Straw is a year old, it sounds fresh and new here stateside compared to the current American music scene.
Final Straw is, from the U.S. perspective, Snow Patrol’s debut album, and their most adventurous. They fuse everything from piano-driven ballads and soaring New Wave to punk guitar riffs and catchy British-pop. Lead by their first two singles, “Chocolate,” which plays on MTV-U, and “Run,” which has become a staple on VH1’s Inside Track series, Snow Patrol is set to make it big in the next year with American audiences. It has been compared mostly to Coldplay because of its piano heavy songs about mournful love and the trials of falling in and out of love. But where Snow Patrol differs from Coldplay is in their pop appeal.
Each song on Final Straw is undeniably catchy, and with lead singer Gary Lightbody crooning on the microphone, the listener almost forgets that he’s listening to a rock band. Snow Patrol is very much a rock band, but the way in which they craft their songs makes one think Britney’s and Justin’s producers graced Final Straw as well. But its weak point is that most of the songs on the album are no longer than three minutes. The songs don’t last long enough for the music to develop. So most of the songs end up sounding the same.
Final Straw starts off with “How To Be Dead,” a peppy guitar-strummer that turns into a hard-pounding rocker with a high pitched organ to boot while Lightbody compromises with his lover: “Please keep your hands down/And stop raising your voice/It’s hardly what I’d be doing if you gave me a choice.”
The equally energetic “Wow” finds Lightbody admiring his lover: “With the sun on your face/All these worries will soon disappear/Just follow me now” backed by punk-heavy guitars.
“Gleaming Auction,” Final Straw’s heaviest song, shows the lovers in a quarrel: “You’re the one with the attitude/Don’t try and make me out/To be the root of the evil in/the whole rotten affair,” accompanied by a gliding guitar grind; and in “Whatever’s Left,” Lightbody becomes overwhelmed by his responsibilities: “It’s a feeling I’ve had many times before/I can’t hold the fort so don’t give me more,” backed by virtually the same music as “Auction.”
“Spitting Games” feels like it came straight out of the ska-punk wave of 1996, but it works for some reason as one of the album’s key tracks, even though the lyrics seem trite and sophomoric: “I broke into your house last night/And left a note at your bedside/I’m far too shy to speak to you at school/You leave me numb and I’m not sure why.”
The next two songs on Final Straw are what make the album worth listening to. “Chocolate” makes the listener forget about what the song’s about, which is Lightbody’s deceiving of his lover: “This is the straw, final straw in the/roof of my mouth as I lie to you./Just because I’m sorry doesn’t mean/I didn’t enjoy it at the time.” “Chocolate” cruises on a simple drum beat and five-note piano riff the entire song, which makes it even more mesmerizing.
The extravagant, weeping ballad “Run” is the Snow Patrol’s best moment to date. The contemplative guitars, orchestral fervor of the chorus and Lightbody’s deep, soul-baring vocals glide through the earnest lyrics about Lightbody parting with the love of his life: “To think I might not see those eyes/Makes it so hard not to cry/And as we say our long goodbye/I nearly do.” The song is most likely to become Patrol’s major hit.
“Grazed Knees” quickly turns to Lightbody’s desires of carnal love: “I’m trying not to stare; it’s too late/The blanket’s over there, if you like,” with mellow string arrangements adding to the tranquil mood.
“Ways and Means” showcases Snow Patrol’s finest Coldplay impersonation, while “Tiny Little Fractures” lets Lightbody blow off some steam: “If this is really what you think/How come you won’t look me in the eye/All this crying in your sleep/As I lie awake beside.”
Snow Patrol suddenly switch gears to a flame-waving pondering on the war: “Another soldier says he’s not afraid to die/Well I am scared./In slow motion the blast is beautiful,/Doors slam shut,” with a searing guitar chord to push home the message. Then Lightbody sings about car-seat love on “Same”: “The windshield of your little car is frosted through the glass/The clear heart of air appears as we shiver on the seats,” backed by simple, Beatle-esque arrangements.
Final Straw ends up being a strong record for Snow Patrol, despite the fact the songs aren’t long enough to enjoy fully. Snow Patrol has the potential to be a great pop band if they could realize that catchy piano tunes will only last so long. If they don’t quickly expand their melodious wings, they may end up a one-hit-wonder. Let’s hope not.