Snow Patrol

The Profile

Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish/Scottish rock band formed in 1994 at the University of Dundee by Gary Lightbody. After two indie releases, they broke through with Final Straw (2003) and achieved global success with Eyes Open (2006) propelled by “Chasing Cars.” Later albums include Fallen Empires (2011) and Wildness (2018).

Led by Gary Lightbody. Breakthrough with Final Straw and global hit “Chasing Cars” from Eyes Open. Wildness (2018) followed a long hiatus marked by Lightbody’s depression and writer’s block; produced by Jacknife Lee and featuring Johnny McDaid as an official member. Lightbody also worked with Tired Pony alongside Peter Buck.

DeBaser’s eight Snow Patrol reviews swing from skepticism to solid praise. Final Straw divides opinions, Eyes Open gets the big love (hello, Chasing Cars), and A Hundred Million Suns earns maturity points. Fallen Empires nods to electronics, while Wildness is hailed as a sturdy comeback after a long pause.