Product Description

'Final Straw' is the third album from the Northern Ireland outfit Snow Patrol and their first for major label Polydor, after parting company with Scottish indie Jeepster. Mixed with the help of Garret "Jacknife" Lee, the album sees the band play their unique brand of quirky guitar driven indie pop,led by frontman, Gary Lightbody's distinctive voice. The singles 'Spitting Games' and 'Run' are also included.

Track Listing

1. How To Be Dead
2. Wow
3. Gleaming Auction
4. Whatever's Left
5. Spitting Games
6. Chocolate
7. Run
8. Grazed Knees
9. Ways & Means
10. Tiny Little Fractures
11. Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking
12. Same
13. We Can Run Away Now They're All Dead And Gone
14. Half The Fun

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #613 in Music
• Released on: 2004-02-02
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Running time: 50 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Final Straw, third album from Glasgow-based quintet Snow Patrol, is a darker, nastier and altogether bleaker beast than anything they've produced before. These are ostentatiously pop melodies that have been locked up in a basement, blindfolded over night and subjected to gleefully twisted torture and cruelty until they've squealed. The bruised, distorted (yet basically acoustic) "Wow" highlights this methodology best, producing an ugly princess of a song that sounds like U2 from the Achtung Baby era. There's even handclapping over a dangerously fuzzed-up guitar riff on "Tiny Little Fractures". Lead single "Spitting Games" is what the Thrills will sound like in 10 years time if a decade's worth of rock & roll excess takes its toll--it possesses the kind of catchy, fuzzed-up, demented bumblebee guitar hook that most bands spend their careers searching for.

"Chocolate" is more introspective, with its undulating drum pattern and fairy background guitar--"On my knees I'll think clearer...what have I done? What have I become?" croons Gary Lightbody with lethargic despair and weary horror. Less is most definitely more on "Grazed Knees", which sounds like some of Feeder's quirkier and quieter moments, backed up by a stirring, perfectly placed string section. Special mention must go to Garret Lee's production, which drops imperfections, crackles and white noise randomly into the mix to startling effect. Intelligent, interesting, honest, diverse and ever so slightly screwed up--what more could you want from a rock 'n' roll record? --Cortman Virtue

Customer Reviews

Excellent Band
I thoroughly enjoyed Snow Patrol's latest album "Eye's Open" ,but I didn't enjoy the band's 2004 album "Final Straw" quite so much.It wasn't quite up to the high standards of "Eyes Open". That said it is still one of the better albums that I have heard recently featuring excellent songs such as "How To Be Dead", "Spitting Games", "Chocolate" and "Run". A few other tracks on "Final Straw" are good as well but I found the final four or five songs (bonus tracks included) to be a bit of a let down;they all seemed to blur into one.

The only Snow Patrol album worth owning?
Like many reviewers I started off owning "Final Straw" and it's been a constant visitor to the CD player in the car and my home over the last 18 months or so. It really is that good.
In comparison, the 2 albums which preceed it almost appear to be the output of a completely different band, only Gary Lightbody's distinctive vocal rising above the dirge.
The biggest disappointment was "Eyes Open" which didn't take the brilliance of "Final Straw" to the next level.
In short, this album is a masterpiece - the songs are tuneful, well-written, beautifully crafted and the question I think most people would ask is "how can they follow that?"
Well, the answer is "they can't".

Oh I Say!!!
Absolutely fantastic CD. Great songs, great music. Fully merits a five star rating, and to be honest with you, every home should have a copy. It's a shame the lads followed it up with a total...Well you don't need my opinion on that do you. Do yourself a favour though, buy this one and not the new one, OK!!!