Review Summary: Cinematic and razor-sharp
I got my first does of
Snow Patrol in 2005 after watching the video for their single,
"Chocolate". Still one of my favorites by the group, the song reminded me of
U2 and a more obvious touch of
Coldplay. The song was sung with heart-felt vocals and not your run-of-the-mill lyrics that were in many songs like this on the radio.
"Run" and
"Spitting Games" were also pleasant and unique. I can remember really looking forward to any new stuff by the band, hopefully written in much the same way. Upon listening to Eyes Open, I know this is the album I've waited for.
The album is full of ballads of love, lost, and the like. And for good reason, as Snow Patrol is very talented and capable of writing them. Gary Lightbody's vocal style is a unique one that carries depth and sincerity, adding to the introspective lyrics that truly seem to be written from his soul. Simplicity is also a tool here, as in the hit single,
"Chasing Cars" . A simple tick-tock riff is used with Lightbody's lyrics to make this one of the more stand-out singles of 2006. The song's progression is similar to
Greenday's "Wake Me Up When September Ends", in the way it climaxes with thundering guitars somewhat abruptly but very hinted at within the song. The mood is still kept, however, and the effect strengthens the song all the more.
"Hands Open" and
You're All I Have" are among the album's more heavier tracks and both carry a common theme. Desperation and hope are all present here, with the writer presenting his feelings in a relatively clever way. One of my favorite lines from
You're All I Have" is a good example of his affection and need, "You're cinematic, razor-sharp, A welcome arrow, Through the heart". A simple line, but a good example of what you can expect.
"Hands Open" is met with a pounding riff and Lightbody follows along with a melody set in the groove.
Sufjan Stevens and his song,
"Chicago" are also well-placed lyric additions to the song. The song has a cheesy, though well-sung, chorus that carries the album's theme and title, "Hands open, and my eyes open, I just keep hoping, That your heart opens."
"Make This Go On Forever" is one of my favorite tracks here. The song begins on piano and moves up to an inspiring chorus that is one of my favorites. The production of the track has his voice layered on top of itself several times here and adds a thunder and awe quality that I probably won't hear again for a while. After a second chorus, the song falls back to a piano and Lightbody finishes the song asking to be saved from the darkness. The song would clearly be great live, and having the fans sing the chorus with him would be awesome and somewhat epic. The song is a grower, and I do highly recommend hearing the track.
"Set Fire to The Third Bar" features a female guest vocalist. The track is good, and having another voice sing with Lightbody adds another dimension of meaning to the song. However, I don't think Martha Wainwright sounds all that good here with Gary. Their voices don't compliment each other that well, making it a little awkward. This makes me feel the song is out of place on the album. Odd choice for a single, and I can see why it wasn't that well-received.
"Open Your Eyes" is my favorite track here. The song carries the album's theme, and is very reminiscent of
"Chasing Cars". The song is layed out in very much the same way, beginning with a calm riff (though a higher tempo) and climaxing into an explosion. The ending is really beautiful, covered with strings, guitars, keyboards, and drums all wrangled into a majestic beast. Gary speaks here of leaving the past behind and to open your eyes to what you really have.
"Open Your Eyes" would have been a great ending, but
"Finish Line" ends on a lower note. The song is ambient and calming, but somewhat depressing. This doesn't take away from the song at all though, and it ends up being one of the most beautiful tracks featured here. The song ends the album with a feeling of not wanting more, but of fulfillment and peace.
Eyes Open is an excellent mainstream release from the Irish boys. I say mainstream, in the fact that they clearly took what made their past singles successful and built on it for a similar effect and accessibility. Still, they did it extremely well and the quality of the album testifies it isn't just another pop record with the best tracks in the front. All through it are notable tracks that contain their peaceful simplicity and atmospheric lyrics that convey the emotions in a positive way. Not all tracks are gold obviously,
"Set Fire to The Third Bar" and the filler-sounding
"Headlights on Dark Roads" disrupt the flow, but in the end, Eyes Open is an excellent record.
