“Run”
from the album Final Straw
2004
iTunes
Watch the video for “Run” for free at the iTunes Music Store.
Featuring a dynamic fusion of several alternative stylistic touchstones, Snow Patrol’s compositions combine songwriting aptitude with guitar rock’s sharpest strains. Originally from Northern Ireland, Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar) and Mark McClelland (bass, keyboards) first got together in Dundee, Scotland, where they were studying, prior to the addition of John Quinn (drums), who completed the lineup. Signed to the UK’s Jeepster label in 1998, they released their debut album, Songs for Polar Bears, in August of that same year. The record was a large success across the UK, where they also gained a large fanbase for their live show. The British trio graduated soon after, and decided to move from Dundee to Glasgow in late 2000. Their second full-length, When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up, was released in April 2001. Producer Chris Lord-Alge signed on for the release of Final Straw, which appeared stateside in April 2004 on A&M Records. ~ All Music Guide
After several fine import-only offerings, Scottish band Snow Patrol offers up an official American debut that draws from a seemingly endless list of influences including but not limited to Coldplay, Bends-era Radiohead, Travis and any number of droney, mid-’80s shoegazing outfits. Final Straw is an ambitious mix of melancholy ballads and big, lush rock tracks, seeded with samples, strings, feedback and thick washes of guitar. While songs like the grand, gorgeous “Run” are obvious bids for a “Clocks”-like hit, the best tracks recollect frontman Gary Lightbody’s work in his more innovative Scottish supergroup the Reindeer Section. ~ Chicago Tribune
 Snow Patrol |