Snow Patrol – Fallen Empires

Dinner party music for accountants

The inherent difficulty with any critique of Snow Patrol is that no one cares about the facts. Blinkered views dominate – diehard fans will be entirely happy with the Ulstermen’s sixth album, while the naysayers will remain unmoved from their belief that Snow Patrol are irrelevant – merely the peddlers of blustering stadium indie rock for people who once liked music. Moments of the Jacknife Lee-produced album are assured – Gary Lightbody over-emotes particularly well on the maudlin ‘Life-ning’ and ‘The Symphony’ is rightfully pompous – but the uneasy truth is that Snow Patrol are merely background dinner party music for accountants. File next to Coldplay.

4/10

Words by JOHN FREEMAN

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