Snow Patrol aren’t just any old indie rock band. With hits like Chasing Cars, Run, Open Your Eyes and Signal Fire under their belt already, it’s not surprising that we’ve come to expect nothing short of excellence from the Bangor rock group.
Snow Patrol have been lying low since A Hundred Million Suns was released back in 2008. But now their return is imminent. Called Out In The Dark will be the first comeback single to be released this September from their much anticipated sixth studio album, Fallen Empires. What will the boys unleash this time around? Snow Patrol have suggested that a change of direction away from the group’s rock foundations may be in store for us, taking this new album to exciting unknown waters. The Northern Irish band have been working with Grammy award winning music producer Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee in Los Angeles to bring a new dimension to their already wide repertoire.
The forthcoming single is a delightful, electronica infused, powerful gem of a song. Beginning with an underlying, steady acoustic guitar riff that runs relentlessly throughout this track, quickly followed by a dancelike drumbeat which boldly kicks in alongside Gary Lightbody’s distinct vocals declaring, ‘it’s like we just can’t help ourselves cause we don’t know how to back down.’ The song builds momentum and reaches a climax with a striking, textured, electronic heavy chorus, ‘we are listening and we are not blind, this is your life, this is your time.’ Lyrically, it’s rather poetic at times: ‘how the heavens, they opened up like arms of dazzling gold, with our rain washed histories, well they do not need to be told.’ The song aptly ends with the repeating, hypnotic guitar riff and its accompanying drum riff. On a happy note, we are left with the notion of hope and ‘magic’, despite adversity, despite all odds, despite the ‘dark.’
Snow Patrol have delivered again and again, and this taster track has certainly whetted my appetite. Such an unveiling promises more goods to come. ‘We are listening.’
