Snow Patrol – The Forest Is The Path
Where Snow Patrol was a highly productive band in the first decade of the 21st century, the last few years have been a struggle for Gary Lightbody and his bandmates. After 2011, it took seven years for their previous album “Wildness” to be released. That album came out after years of battling writer’s block and Lightbody’s struggles with alcoholism. “Wildness” didn’t resonate as much as their older work, and a year later, they released a redundant album that reworked their past hits. Then came another five-year wait until their new album “The Forest Is The Path,” which is now finally out. In the meantime, drummer Jonny Quinn and bassist Paul Wilson left the band, and Snow Patrol continued as a trio.
With the first three singles that were released ahead of the album, it seemed like Snow Patrol was sticking to their usual formula. The tracks “All,” “The Beginning,” and “This Is The Sound of Your Voice” all start as calm pop songs, gradually building to a climax, while still being radio-friendly enough to fit comfortably into Sky Radio’s programming. Not exactly the most exciting music. So, was the album going to be more of the same?
For the first five tracks, that’s exactly what it seems like. But then, the band surprises us with the sixth track, “Hold Me In The Fire,” an uptempo rock song that harks back to their early days. They’ve still got it. It feels like “Shut Your Eyes” from 2006 but with even more punch. Why didn’t they release this as the lead single? This marks a turning point in the album. The slightly electronic “Years That Fall” keeps the listener more engaged than the first half of the record. In the darker “Never Really Tire,” they show that a song building towards a climax doesn’t always need a grand stadium production. It’s a breath of fresh air to hear Lightbody alone in the piano ballad “These Lies,” as well as in the other stripped-down ballad “Talking About Hope.” Fittingly, the closing title track turns out to be the one where their trademark big production works best on the album, combined with Lightbody singing in falsetto.
This album ends up being their best since “Fallen Empires” from 2011, but it only really takes off halfway through. The first five tracks play it too safe. It’s commendable, however, that they don’t, like their peers Coldplay, desperately try to stay trendy by collaborating with young pop and R&B artists, and instead stay true to themselves. Still, fewer Sky Radio-friendly songs, more punch like “Hold Me In The Fire,” and more sincere ballads like “These Lies” would make a Snow Patrol album feel less like a repeat performance. (6/10) (Universal)
