Eyes Open

iTunes Review

Ireland’s Snow Patrol pull off something unusual here. Their second major label release, much like 2004’s Final Straw, goes lush without going limp, arena-bound without sacrificing intimacy. Sonic echoes of Radiohead, U2 and the Jam abound, but singer Gary Lightbody grounds things in subtle touches and soul, commanding these atmospheric pop songs with an engaging sense of foreboding. The opening cut, “You’re All I Have,” roars out of the speakers, but Lightbody never abandons the melody, delicately dropping the notes in sublime resignation. Elsewhere, the band builds ethereal mystique (“You Could Be Happy”) and kaleidoscopic textures (“It’s Beginning to Get to Me”) for maximum effect. Four tracks employ strings; four tracks employ a choir. “Set the Fire to the Third Bar” adds Martha Wainwright to the vocal mix for a duet of candles and piano. With the exception of the likeably overblown “Make This Go On Forever,” nothing is too grandiose. Snow Patrol achieve that rare balance of intimacy and power.