Eyes Open  – Snow Patrol – 2006

First listen?: No

One of those albums that I half expected to have been in the top 40, Eyes Open is yet another album that I’ve had years listening to in the background. Whether that’s festival performances, TV adverts or just blasting out downstairs; Eyes Open is exactly the sort of album that sells well in the UK. Snow Patrol aren’t the most exciting band in the country, Gary Lightbody isn’t even in consideration as one of the more interesting front men, but there’s something quite easy about their version of soft pop rock. Opener All That I Have has crashing drums and a driving guitar riff, but it sets the tone for an album that stays well in its lane. Everything is predictable, from the moments where the bass drops out, to the subsequent build up to a final go through the chorus. It’s typical radio friendly rock, which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing if it wasn’t for the straight faced vocal delivery of Lightbody. His voice is good, it’s just so beige. Even on standouts like Open Your Eyes and monster hit Chasing Cars he’s kind of just there, there’s no electricity in his performance. When it comes down to Eyes Open as an album, the most obvious comparison is still worth making. It sounds like the sort of album people think Coldplay have been releasing for the last decade; lovely in places, familiar and predictable but in the end soulless. There’s just not much here that demands your attention, it’s definitely not a bad album, it’s just a bit dull.

Rating: 5/10

Will I listen again?: No

Best Track: Open Your Eyes is the best attempt at a ‘Coldplay’ moment here.