Snow Patrol released its sixth studio album, “Fallen Empires,” in North America on Jan. 12.
Hailing from Northern Ireland, the five-man Snow Patrol has received wide-spread success in Europe but are less acclaimed in the United States. The band’s biggest hit came in 2006 with the power ballad “Chasing Cars,” which was featured on the season two finale of “Grey’s Anatomy.” In the same musical vein as U2 and Coldplay, Snow Patrol’s past albums have settled comfortably in the genre of indie rock.
“Fallen Empires” changes course slightly, taking cues from bands like Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem and Passion Pit. Electro guitar riffs, dance beats and techno effects are sprinkled throughout the album, like in “Called Out in the Dark” and “The Symphony.” “The Weight of Love” also incorporates impressive electronic guitar by lead guitarist Nathan Connolly.
The opening song, “I’ll Never Let Go” begins with a distorted electronic pulse, setting the tone for the album: a little heavier than in the past, a little more urban nightlife.
The image of the city is a major theme in the album. The lyrics of “Called Out in the Dark” revolve around the dark streets, while the guitar and bold techno beat belong in a dance club. “Berlin,” “New York,” and “Fallen Empires” also bring to mind large cities, the title track doing so with its frantic beat and low, dark lyrics “razing cities to dust.”
But added electronics haven’t changed the core of the band’s sound. Slower songs like “New York,” “The Garden Rules” and “The President” are present, balancing the new dance beats. And lead vocalist Gary Lightbody still croons earnest, heartfelt lyrics.
The band’s usual power ballad can be seen in “This Isn’t Everything You Are,” which follows the steadily cresting pattern of past Snow Patrol hits, starting out slow and rising to a crescendo. The lyrics are optimistic and comforting, giving hope to someone in a dark place: “Just take the hand that’s offered / And hold on tight / This isn’t everything you are. / There’s joy not far from here / I know there is /This isn’t everything you are.”
“Called Out in the Dark” similarly uses optimistic lyrics in its chorus, pointing ahead to the promise of the future and the ambition young people have: “We are listening and we’re not blind / This is your life this is your time.” “Lifening” follows in the same vein. An earnest, meditative track, it mulls over happiness and “all I ever wanted from life.” Such things include “The joke and then the laugh / Waking up in your arms / A place to call my own.” It’s a song about appreciating what we have and finding joy in the small things in life.
The track “Berlin” brings eclectic new sounds for the band in a different way than the electronic add-ons. Starting with soft xylophone notes and a hard drum beat, the song allows the other instruments to enter as well as the wordless vocals. It and “Broken Bottles Form a Star (Prelude)” are short instrumental tracks, only 2:04 and 1:30 respectively, something the band hasn’t done on previous albums.
Ultimately “Fallen Empires” is a strong album with cohesion. It centers on nightlife, optimistic images of home and love. The bold dance and techno beats add some spice to the band’s previous albums, and the memorable choruses of “Called Out In the Dark” and “The Weight of Love” will be easy to sing along to at concerts. Though Snow Patrol has branched out in repertoire, it still retains its indie rock core.