| Product: |
Final Straw - Snow Patrol |
| Date: |
23/09/05 (1036 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: It's sublime - not a duff track to be found
Disadvantages: Nothing whatsoever
This makes the sixth review on DooYoo on this album. What can I possibly have to say that hasn't already been said, and probably far better ? I'm no good at all that technical description stuff - can't tell a bass guitar note from a drum machine. So the answer is quite possibly, I can add nothing. However, it hasn't deterred me from wanting to write a review on it. Quite simply, this album is one of the best I have heard for years so I really wanted to put pen to paper and share it with you.
~ BAND BACKGROUND ~
The band was formed back in 1994, by two young students from Northern Ireland studying at Dundee University - Gary Lightbody (vocals and guitar) and Mark McClelland (bass and keyboards). Originally intending to call themselves Polar Bear, they swiftly renamed themselves Snow Patrol after a threatened lawsuit from ex Jane's Addiction guitarist Eric Avery who had already earmarked the name. Whilst touring in their hometown of Belfast, the duo signed up the third member of their band - Johnny Quinn (drums). A record deal swiftly followed and their first album "Songs for Polar Bears" was released on the newly formed Jeepster label in 1998. A second album followed in March 2001 "When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up". Neither album did huge things chart wise and when the relationship with Jeepster broke down, Snow Patrol moved on. The third album "Final Straw" was two years in the writing and was eventually released by Polydor in 2003. By this stage, the Snow Patrol line up was complete in the form of its fourth member, Nathan Connolly (guitar).
~ FINAL STRAW ~
So really - what's so good about "Final Straw"? Well it was nominated for the Mercury Prize as album of the year in 2004 and it's been described as "Something special" by The Times and "A musical masterpiece" by the Sunday Post. For me it is quite simply a collection of some of the best music I've heard in years. All the songs on the album were written by Snow Patrol themselves, with the lyrics penned by Gary Lightbody.
Lyrically the album is quite dark and repetitive in that most of the songs seem to be about troubled relationships. A lot of the songs are about threatening to leave or arguments with a loved one. Lying and asking for forgiveness is a strong theme through the album, as is the plea for having faith and believing in oneself and each other. However, there is also a strong theme of affection and cherishing through so many of them - assurances of loving and being loved abound. Musically, the songs are for the most part quiet and gentle. None of them are particularly long. The lead singer Gary Lightbody has a clear and distinctive voice, so most of the words are easy to hear and understand in the songs. That said though, some of the songs bleed into each other and it's difficult to distinguish where one ends and the other begins.
~ TRACK LISTINGS ~
[1] How To Be Dead - 4th single - just released
[2] Wow
[3] Gleaming Auction
[4] Whatever's Left
[5] Spitting Games - 1st single - highest chart position = No 23
[6] Chocolate - 3rd single - highest chart position = No 24
[7] Run - 2nd single - highest chart position = No 5
[8] Grazed Knees
[9] Ways & Means
[10] Tiny Little Fractures
[11] Somewhere A Clock is Ticking
[12] Same
* Bonus Tracks *
[1] We Can Run Away Now They're All Dead and Gone
[2] Half the Fun
The CD kicks off with "How to be Dead", which has just been released as the fourth and final single from this album. A superb opening track - gentle and melodic building into a superb keyboard crescendo in the middle. Lyrically it deals with a plea for greater understanding but it's rather difficult to get a handle on what it refers to specifically. Not as strong as previous releases such as "Spitting Games" and "Run", but I wish them well with it in the charts. This track merges into the second track "Wow" which is slightly up-tempo with a great guitar beat and some splendid drumming from Johnny Quinn. Gary Lightbody almost slurs the lyrics in this one but it works well. He's singing about having faith and belief in relationships, summarised by one great line in the chorus:- "If it looks like it works and it feels like it works, then it works"
"Gleaming Auction" is up next and starts off slowly and then builds up into a bigger chorus. Possibly not the greatest track on the album - it's good but not remarkable. "Whatever's Left" has flat vocals against a strong guitar rhythm, building up to a much stronger chorus repeating the words:- "You must know that I'll follow you"
The next three tracks on the CD are the highlights of the album. "Spitting Games" was the first single to be released from the album back in September 2003. This track was re-released in July this year and is the one that started to get Snow Patrol noticed. It has a really distinctive melody and chorus - making it instantly recognisable. It's a superb song all about being too shy to approach the object of one's affection. We've all been there, back at school, fancying someone and being too shy to do anything about it. This song just about sums up all those feelings of self doubt - it's a superb summer anthem really:- "I find it easier to sit and stare", and another line:- "I struggle for the words and then give up"
"Chocolate" is the third single from the album and was released in April this year. Hauntingly clear high vocals from Gary Lightbody sung against steady drumbeat and guitar riff. It's a beautiful song with lovely lyrics:- "You're the only thing that I love / It scares me more every day".
"Run" was the second single from the album released in February this year, and their biggest hit to date. My absolute favourite track on the album, as it's just so haunting. This is a truly moving song and I have decided I would like it played at my funeral. Morbid I know, but the lyrics summarise everything I would like to say if I died and wanted to leave a final message. It starts off with Gary Lightbody singing the lyrics rather slowly (and almost brokenly) and builds into the most emotional chorus imaginable:- "Light up, light up / As if you have a choice / Even if you cannot hear my voice / I'll be right beside you dear". It moves onto a huge instrumental piece and then ends with the final broken voice chorus. Absolute superb - has the ability to make absolute shivers run down my spine.
"Grazed Knees" has a simply sung lyric about having faith in relationships. It's a slower track with a simple guitar rhythm and plaintive violin notes. It moves onto "Ways and Means " - a darker track with a heavy guitar riffs and a background of string instruments. The lyrics are again almost slurred and return to the same theme of believing in a relationship:- "Maybe I can do it / If I put my back into it / I can leave you if I wanted / But there's nowhere else that I can go"
"Tiny Little Fractures" is faster and more upbeat than previous tracks with a heavier guitar riff throughout the song. There's some great guitar and drum playing on this one. It's quite catchy but not particularly remarkable. Next up is "Somewhere A Clock is Ticking " which has some lovely vocals sung in harmony by Gary Lightbody and Nathan Connolly. This is a darker song, which moves into a heavier chorus with the singing almost drowned out by the instruments. Again, not the best song on the album, but it's a pretty enough tune. "Same" has a slow and steady lyric set against a simple keyboard and drum background. It doesn't really go anywhere but it's a pretty, almost ethereal, track.
The next two tracks are the bonus ones which are only available on the re-released version of the album. First up is the rather splendid "We Can Run Away Now They're All Dead and Gone ". It has a steady guitar and drum beat throughout the entire song. The guitar beat/rhythm throughout this track makes it really catchy and memorable. One of my favourites with a great chorus and beautiful sentiment in the lyrics:- "But you are really all that I want in this life / You could be the summer rain on my face"
The album concludes with "Half the Fun". Heavy guitar and drum playing with an almost distorted vocal, which seems to work somehow. It's another one about believing in a relationship, but it's not the best track by any means.
~ BUY OR BORROW IT NOW ~
I love this album a lot - I been listening to for months now, and I'm still not bored with it. It's the sort of album that you discover something new on every time you listen to it. Fans of Coldplay and Keane (and to a lesser extent Franz Ferdinand) will really love this CD. I have to say that you need to listen to it more than a few times to really start to appreciate it - but it really is superb and kind of creeps up on you. You'll find yourself humming the various different melodies forever and a day. A lot of the tracks are melancholy but the upbeat ones more than balance them out. Polydor originally released the album on 4th August 2003 but the re-released version (with the two bonus tracks) came out on 2nd February 2004. It is a superb collection of songs and it comes highly recommended.
~ OTHER STUFF ~
It can be bought online at:-
www.cd-wow.com £7.99 inclusive of postage and packing
www.101cd.com £5.99 plus £1.00 postage and packing
Further information on Snow Patrol can be found on their official website at www.snowpatrol.net
Summary: Quite simply, my album of the decade
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