I can still recall the moment I became a fan of Northern-Irish Scottish indie rock band Snow Patrol. It all started with randomly catching a music video for their 2004 single, "Chocolate." I thought the song was brilliant, picked up their Final Straw album, and I was hooked. Excellent songwriting, great sound, fresh sophisticated indie music - what's not to like? Shortly after, the band hit it big worldwide with their single "Chasing Cars" from their fifth studio album, Eyes Open, and became a household name.
Fast forward to 2018 and Snow Patrol's brand new, seventh studio album, Wildness - a musical masterpiece that's been seven years in the making. The current band lineup consists of Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly, Paul Wilson, Johnny McDaid, and Jonny Quinn. I'd previously heard opening tracks "Life on Earth" and "Don't Give In" from the band's special Record Store Day vinyl release, so I figured that Wildness was going to be a great album.
But, when I got to third song "Heal Me", it was clear that we'd entered 'epic album' territory. Wow - is this track outstanding! Upbeat, beautiful melody, soaring vocals, strummed acoustic guitars, great production and background vocals. There are parts of this song that literally give me goosebumps and make the hairs on my arms stand up. And it happens consistently in those parts. It's apparently a phenomenon termed "musical frisson" (maybe it will happen to you too?). Go figure. This song - and the entire album, for that matter - literally "whispers and roars like an orchestra" (to quote the "Heal Me" song lyrics).
In my opinion, every song on this album is outstanding and single-worthy. In fact, at time of writing, four singles have already been released. Give Wildness a listen if you haven't already - you won't be disappointed. Also keep an eye out for upcoming live performances from the band and promotional videos for all ten tracks on Wildness.
SNOW PATROL "LIFE ON EARTH" (Official Music Video)
For more information about Snow Patrol, visit their official website, follow them on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) and find their music on SoundCloud, Spotify, and iTunes.