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Snow Patrol

A Hundred Million Suns

October 24, 2008 | 33 Comments
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Wake up, wake up”, Gary Lightbody begs on new track ‘Lifeboats’. We can’t help but reiterate the same plea (only with more fervour). It’s 14 years since Snow Patrol banded together, two years since their last album, and now they’re back with more grandiose songs of love and
loss. The only problem is, they’re still wolfing down Coldplay’s leftovers like it’s their last supper.

A few facts remain: yes, the album is inoffensively acceptable; yes, their Kleenex-dabbing sentiment is well intended; and yes, no-one would begrudge their mainstream success as undeserved in terms of jail-time spent in indie obscurity. But, haven’t we been here before? The answer is a rousing ‘YES’. As far as the pop-rocking vets’ fifth studio album is concerned, it runs out of steam about as quickly as Tom Chaplin on a hamster wheel.

The checklist is ticked off to precision: romantic balladry for those drive-time ladies; battery-farmed U2 guitars for the fellas; whitewashed production for new fans across the Atlantic (about a decade behind on the uptake, but better late than never), oh, and a spot of Krautrock chin-rubbing for all those who have written them off as mainstream radio-fodder (er, that’ll be us).

It’s all so methodically planned that even standout radio-wave surfer ‘Take Back The City’ and producer Jacknife Lee struggle to stamp fresh life into this mega-selling formula. Don’t get us wrong, they will shift units – just don’t bank on that Mercury.

Kat Lister

4 out of 10

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Comments (33)

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97mde

Oct 27, 2008

...and yet ANOTHER lazy, misguided and awful review wheels off the ageing NME treadmill. Ignore this idiot reviwer, the album is fantastic.

Droog85

Oct 27, 2008

Good Review

Gerbalism

Oct 27, 2008

I don't understand reviews like this! If something isn't broke then why fix it? Eyes Open was the best selling album of 2006 by a mile, why go back to the drawing board when the band know they will shift a similar ammount of copies. The album is by far their best to date, take back the city is poor in comparison to the rest of the album!

billytheshroom

Oct 27, 2008

Just because an album is the best selling doesn't make it any good. Otherwise we'd all be getting the latest Mylie Cyrus album. I think this album sucks, just like most of their other tedious, lighters-in-the-air, balladry guff.

jrox05

Oct 27, 2008

NME begrudging success. Where have i heard this one before. Rubbish review for a great album. Sticks to the same snow patrol formula in fact even better than Eyes Open.

millzymitosis

Oct 27, 2008

I can see all the NME reviewers in the lunch room giggling at just how funny they think they are. Let me be the first to tell you tell you...you guys are hilarious, just hilarious. Thanks for another great review Kat! Say hi to Rebecca for me.

snowpatrol1

Oct 27, 2008

yes the album is amazing you never seem to give credit where credit is due!!!

Soundedd

Oct 27, 2008

I love them, and I might get this tommorow, Kat along with the lady who did the Keane review should be sacked!! Your giving this 4 and shite like Los whatever and Fucked Up high scores!, are you for real? Or are you another snobby journalist who yet again "tries to be different" by hating the popular bands, do yourself a favour love, Snow Patrol sell truck fulls because their great musicians and great songwriters, and the Great British Public appreciate that!

theo28

Oct 28, 2008

really like this . nme is in danger of disappearing up it 's own scenester ass with reviews like this. being popular not always indicative of the mark of satan. sometimes more than five people like the same band at the same time. sorry. heres a big bag of fucking deal with it. theyll sell loads anyway - so fucking what. good luck to em. i would if i had any talent.

tamoratvr

Oct 28, 2008

Each year there is less snow to be found at the poles.....bands on patrol for it are looking for monkeys....or in fact were they always looking for snow in Bogota?

finn78

Oct 28, 2008

This review has it spot on to the letter. Another boring release from a really boring band making really boring music. It sounds exactly like the last one...lifeless. I still cannot believe they got the Mercury prize for such an uninspiring record. Its also no suprise at all that the people on her standing up for this boring record are also Keane fans. If you like either of these bands do not admit to it in public. My mum listens and sings along to Keane in the car on her way to the gardening centre on a sunday afternoon, shes is 61....not really rock n roll is it boyz....Im going to put this record in my mums Christmas stocking just as soon as it makes its way into the bargain bin at Safeways for 3.99...wont have long to wait.

Ghvinianidzigol

Oct 28, 2008

Can't say I agree. I was expecting just what this review tells us when the CD found its way onto my desk - but I was pleasantly surprised. Of course Snow Patrol didn't suddenly turn into avantgarde freakouts - they're doing what they're doing, which is sensitive, rather simplistic songs. But still, I rate this one over "Final Straw" and "Eyes Open" because the songs (on those first few listens) feel stronger, there's more interesting sounds and Snow Patrol, despite all the flaws in their songwriting, keep hitting a nerve with me. Snow Patrol is not the band you brag to like because it makes you cool. You rather sheepishly admit it and I am doing that here. I can't help it - that is a good record. And this reviewer knew what he was going to write before she ever heard a note of it. (Can't stand "Chasing Cars" at all, by the way)

risingsun17

Oct 28, 2008

I find that NME is striving to hard to be the Rolling Stone of yesteryear when Led Zep was harshly reviewed and so forth. Most of these reviews sound like they came from the retarded love child of Lester Bangs (a true critic). But all of this is subjective... I really could care less for this review because I think Ghviandizigol said it well dubbing snow patrol a "guilty pleasure." If I wanted to take it slow with a girl then I would play this in the background. I just wish NME would stop graveling at the feet of Richard Ashcroft and Oasis who are honestly putting mediocre albums on the bookshelves that get played once and no more.

gravey

Oct 28, 2008

NME has never reviewed albums related to how good they are. They've always used some kind of arbitrary rating related to how 'cool' the reviewer thinks they are at the time. Don't get me wrong, I can't stand Snow Patrol - but I could have told you the kind of review this album was going to receive from NME before reading this page.

its_rudimentary

Oct 28, 2008

More bland drivel...4/10 is very generous I'm sure

dr_ross

Oct 28, 2008

The thing that annoys me is that when Final Straw came out it was given rave reviews, then as soon as they became successful people turned against them. This album is arguably better than Final Straw yet it is panned.

MahadyTheLips

Oct 29, 2008

this album is a painfully horrible attempt at garnering critical acclaim to match the fact that as the reviewer here has said it will shift units.of course it will? the whole chasing cars craze took the world by storm really and personally i think this band are the oasis of ireland? totally overrated, sell tonnes of albums, will fill arenas and honestly i cannot bring myself to hop on the same band wagon of loving them same as my peers in the country have. i refuse to until i hear an album that makes me want to listen to it more than once. sorry snow patrol i'm throwing a 4 out of 10 at you as well

Jimmy2605

Oct 29, 2008

its_rudimentary Oct 28, 2008 More bland drivel...4/10 is very generous I'm sureSpot on !!

phil_7000

Oct 29, 2008

I don't agree with this review, the album isnt great, but prob worth a 6 or 7 but i do agree with the Keane one...its just a matter of opinion. What NME scores bands like snow patrol doesnt matter, they have the fanbase and it'll sell hundreds of thousands copies regardless, When lightbody and co are sat on there mountain of cash i doubt they'll be blowing there noses and wiping there eyes on your Â£10.00 notes over NME's 4/10!!! reviews, charts, whatever all a bit irrelevant really if you like it, you like it. It is the same old story from NME though, its like an act who only 3people in London have seen perform are the best thing ever, and established acts who sell out 25,000+ venues are a disgrace and everythnig thy turn out is shit (unless your Arctic Monkeys, hey NME?)

Goughie16

Oct 29, 2008

two simple yet effective words: GIVE UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soundedd

Oct 29, 2008

phil_700 has just about delivered the perfect comment. NME seem to hate the popular bands in Britain, and crap that no one has heard of gets 9/10. I mean NME ask yourself why do Snow Patrol sell more than Fucked Up?

MahadyTheLips

Oct 29, 2008

phil_7000 dont comment again cos honestly that was a ridiculous statement.reviews are what stating opinion is about.snow patrol are honestly bland and incredibly boring.nme arent knocking them just because they have a large fan base or are selling albums. its just an expression of liking or not liking their music.and of course they wont care when theyre blowing their noses in money, but if thats all you think matters then i suggest you seriously re-evaluate exactly what you believe music is about.cos it certainly fuckin aint money pal

jamesscarry13

Oct 30, 2008

soundedd,why do you post your comments on nme when it clearly thinks most of your fav bands are shit(and they are).Kaiser chiefs,keane and snow patrol are shit and have been given shit scores in the reveiws.Why don't you go to a Q site or something because they like all the shitty music you do?

its_rudimentary

Oct 30, 2008

Large record sales do not mean the music is gd..how many times Soundedd, you are such a fool. Go and listen to Keane, Snow Patrol and Coldplay and be a bland wet f*nny..it suits you

me=you=poo

Oct 31, 2008

This is a bad album and this is a good review. I guess some people are going to be hurt by it, because their beloved snow patrol have got a bad review, but if you buy the record, expect to get very bored of it quickly and then realise, it is every bit as bad as NME says it is.

Soundedd

Oct 31, 2008

I would agree its_rudimentary, sales don't mean anything about music, because at the end of the day, nothing is fact, it's just personal preferance thats all. I was simply making a point that people like Snow Patrol. You seem to make out that bands like Snow Patrol and Kaiser Chiefs are by Fact, utter shite, and that no one listens to them. Silly term bland, you should no better being a Metallica fan :p. Jamesscary mate, good point actually, i take it your three favourite bands are Fucked Up, Crystal Castles and Friendly Fires then (Three bands NME Loves).

animal_machine

Nov 3, 2008

why is it that all relatetivately good bands get a sucky review everytime.

BrianJonestown

Nov 3, 2008

'Songs To Make You Gag' is what they should've called it.

idlewildest

Nov 5, 2008

its not in the same league as final straw or songs for polar bears but is still a bloody good album. frustratingly close to being great though!still, lets predict in the coming months poor reviews for the killers, franz ferdinand and any other successful bands due to release albums

uncoolkid

Nov 5, 2008

this does not bare comment.

sealofmadness

Nov 23, 2008

to be fair, The NME have never been fans of Snow Patrol if i remember rightly, giving their other albums quite average scores. But, as the review said, the album is absolutely acceptable and this will be be more than enough for most people who have enjoyed previous albums by Snow Patrol. The NME are trying to big up new music, music that makes us sit up and take interest in what's being played, not something we throw on in the car. True enough, i've not been a huge fan of their recent trends towards dull electronic acts (i'm looking at you crystal castles), but at least they're not content sitting back and saying that the arctic monkeys perfected music and now we should just listen to that forever.

stengaard

Dec 10, 2008

Despite all the bad reviews, the sarcastic comments about the bands commercialized music and hitmachine concept, the comments that they haven't envolved, I have to still say: It's a damn good album - love it.