Like many bands before them, Snow Patrol came about when its members were in college together. Like other bands, they had rough times until they hit it big. Also like other bands, on their newest offering, Snow Patrol is trying pretty hard to sound like Coldplay.
Coldplay, whose sound many say was created when they tried to sound like U2 but didn’t quite get it done, is big but tame, instantly palatable and, at times, very good.
This makes it seem that sounding like Coldplay would be a good thing for Snow Patrol, but the problem is the music can end up being predictable and boring, even if it’s not that bad.
A lot of albums are fine for playing in the background to create an atmosphere for a room but are actually fascinating works when listened to closely. “Fallen Empires” has the latter quality nailed down, but nothing about it sets it apart from the crowd.
“Fallen Empires” clocks in at about an hour long, which would be fine if the album were filled with diverse ideas and sounds that absolutely needed to be heard in one sitting, but that’s not the case at all. If the record was a song or two shorter, it would be a much better product, since the songs run into each other and drag on after a half hour or so.
After only a listen or two, album opener “I’ll Never Let Go” seems to lack excitement and at best is akin to a tame “In This Light and on This Evening” era Editors, similar to the other attempts at intense, rocking songs on this album. After a few listens, however, some nice electro elements become more noticeable and you realize the backing vocals are vaguely reminiscent of the vocal solo in Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig in the Sky.”
Either there’s so much going on in this album that it gets muddled together and gives the impression that nothing is going on — and repeated listens would uncover all of the beautiful intricacies that are actually there — or it is merely a boring record.
Lead single “Called Out In the Dark” will fit right in on the radio, as it is a piece of standard post-Britpop with pop elements everybody seems to love. The track is actually fairly danceable and seemingly tailored for the airwaves. It’s initially catchy but not enduring, so basically, it’s a pop song.
The title track is nestled comfortably in the middle of the track list, which is the perfect place for it because it serves as a pick-me-up from the trench of mediocrity the first few songs have dug. The fast paced guitar, drums and other instruments are grounded by the slowly throbbing keyboard, creating a sense of anticipation that makes listening increasingly interesting as layers of sound are piled onto each other to build into a climax that never really happens. A big, climactic chorus is often predictable, so perhaps this move saved the song from disappointment. Without the lame chorus, the excitement the build-up created lingers in memory instead of the flat apex.
Fans will probably like the album and people who enjoyed “Chasing Cars” will probably like “Called Out In the Dark,” but beyond the title track, there isn’t much of anything a serious listener can invest themselves into.
Like I said, the opening track’s status as a “grower” hints that may be the deal with the rest of the disc as well, but trying to convince yourself that you like an iffy album with a track list as copious as this is not an easy task.
Grade: C+