Snow Patrol
Eyes Open

THE REVIEW

Let's start by saying that Snow Patrol have undoubtedly done a good job when it comes to brit-pop music; with a noteworthy product behind them ("Final Straw"), the Scottish band had to prove themselves to avoid ending up in the oblivion of all those brit/indie-pop groups that preceded them.

Essentially, the album is divided into two parts, a rock one, with prominent guitars and very catchy riffs, and a melancholic-pop section (so beloved by Chris Martin...). On first listening (and not only), it seems like the usual fleeting album of an English group hungry for glory, well, it isn't so, or at least it isn't just that; the songs on this album are indeed catchy from the start, but if listened to and re-listened to, they stay with you, giving you something... some beautiful sensation.

As previously mentioned, the album has two faces: the rock one and the pop one; the first is perceived as soon as the album is inserted into the CD player: "You’re All I Have" is the classic rock song that just makes you want to dance and say, "here, I’ve spent 20 euros for the soul...", but then you change the track and you get to "Hands Open", personally the true gem in the album, an excellent melody that immediately sticks in your head but above all a SONG in the true sense of the word, where the most important thing is to convey something intimate with the words (of course, if you know little or no English, avoid...). Right after this track, a step back, almost saying "we are after all a brit pop group", "Chasing Cars" is indeed a typical pop ballad, very sweet where piano and voice take the lead.

In "Eyes Open" there is also the "cloned" song, as the resemblance of "Eyes Open" with some song from "A Rush Of Blood To The Head" by Coldplay is quite evident. In short, a non-essential album for those who don’t particularly love brit-pop music; but of notable importance for the purists of the genre and those, especially, who seek great lyrics in music.