Just forget all this present tense

Band who I can’t bring myself to hate – Snow Patrol

I feel an affinity with Snow Patrol. When I used to write about music in London, I got sent their second record and the corresponding singles, and had personal correspondence with their label’s head honcho. They really rose through the ranks as a band – I’ve seen them at the Barfly in London, the day ‘Final Straw’ came out, and, more embarrassingly, supporting the lowly Seafood. Don’t get me wrong, I love Seafood, but it was only 2002 when Snow Patrol were opening for them at the Electric Ballroom.

Because of this, I really can’t hate the band. Their latest album, ‘Eyes Open’, is the biggest seller of the year in the UK, and frankly, it’s a bit rubbish. It’s a poor retread of ‘Final Straw’ with all the same ideas and, apart from the Martha Wainwright cameo, nothing new or exciting to offer. The main single was just a rewrite of the last album’s main single. There’s an awkward shout-out to Sufjan Stevens that really bugs me. And their new bass player looks like Severus Snape.

So it’s the done thing to really dislike them at the moment, but, I don’t think you can fault them for agreeing to have a song used on a popular TV show, and the accompanying ubiquity. Even though I don’t see myself ever buying another record of theirs (although, apparently, Gary Lightbody is now working on a country album with producer Jacknife Lee), I’ll always give them a chance because, well, they were ace. Here’s the newest album’s best song.

(This post did come out of reading this article on the Guardian site)

[download Snow Patrol – It's Beginning to Get to Me]


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