Snow Patrol Eyes Open. Release Date : May 9, 2006. Label: A&M. Rating: Easy out. (Screw points. To each his own!) Normally this album probably would have been left alone for a while, not because I don't like Snow Patrol - quite the opposite - but because I just forget what's in the review pile on a daily basis. But the other night I watched the stirring and emotional season finale of "Grey's Anatomy," a show I watch if it happens to be on while I'm flipping channels. I'm terrible with remembering the days shows are on, no matter how much I like them. Anyways, this gripping, heart-wrenching, passionate and dramatic episode near-closed with a familiar voice. I thought, gee this sounds like that Snow Patrol guy. I should listen to the CD and see if it is. So I did. And it is. The first track, "You're All I Have," rings reminiscent of mid-90's Gin Blossoms, both vocally and musically. That's interesting. Will this be the follow-up to new-new-wave, the latest trend in recycled music? "Hands Open" also has a mid-90's rock feeling. Grungey but in a more radio-friendly way, like something that would have been on "Reality Bites" or "Singles." Wow, a Sufjan Stevens reference - way to pinpoint-date the song guys! Anyhow, much like the last album, it seems like they have a 50% success rate. Kind of. The songs that they do well are so unbelievably amazing that they could easily sit in the realm of best-songs-ever. But they are tempered by decent but very normal rock songs. "Chasing Cars" is the one that was on the "Grey's Anatomy" episode and it's astoundingly gorgeous. Simple and light but at the same time heavy! It's a liiiiittle bit corny and it's hands-to-the-sky aspects but for the most part, gorgeous. Pristine enough to ignore that the song soars almost too dramatically. It's one of those things that makes you want to fall into a fantasy world anyhow where everything is dramatic. But then the song that follows is somewhat mundane, if chipper. It's probably the comparison between their otherworldly songs and the rest-of-the-bunch that make the lower half seem so dull. I just figure if they are capable of such magic on half the songs, they should be able to catapult the rest to that level as well. I have to say five songs in the album has yet to capture me even as much as the last one. Everything seems a bit bland and mundane, certainly summery, but lacking much of a charm or hugeness. The voice is still cool, throaty. And there's a neat noise coursing through the chorus of "Beginning To Get To Me." The Childlike opening of "You Could Be Happy" is endearing in a Nutcracker Suite kind of way. Adorable, loving lyrics, ballroom-dancing strings. I'm anxious and thrilled by the escalating sounds in "Make This Go On Forever." It sounds like this could be great. The vocal melody here is cool too. Huge chorus, more loving lyrics. Yeah this is a really cool song. Strings. They know how to get me. "Set The Fire To The Third Bar" has a female accompanying vocal that reminds me of something off an old Ocean Colour Scene disc, or Cerys Matthews. But, it's Martha Wainwright! Neat. In the same way as Cerys Matthews, it's a voice that has an almost clumsy, rustic vibe to it. So that was a unique element... but "Headlights"? Boring! A blah simple strum, nothing interesting at all. What a frustrating band! I'm wistful at the beginning of "Open Your Eyes," since the guitar sounds like something from the last album. I thought there was a song with this title on that album. Maybe it was just a lyric. It sounds like this will explode to something magnificent, but who can tell anymore? Taking its sweet time anyhow. My mistake, it's also a boring song. I'm just waiting for something to happen! Something's gotta happen. Oh now it does. I'm reminded of that Goo Goo Dolls record. Or maybe more accurately like the one that "Iris" was on rather than the new one. Snow Patrol is running the gamut of turn-of-the-decade music. I don't understand - at least on the former disc, the songs, even the less-cool ones, seemed to be carving a very distinctly Snow Patrol sound, and suddenly, it's just a pale wash of vintage tunes. Same deal with the last song - some fun noises and vibe, a feeling like something should just plain happen, but it takes so long I'm losing interest, and then when the climax finally rears its head, its somewhat deflated. "Finish Line" has the lovely low heartbeaty ebb though. For all intents and purposes, it looks like the glittering magic that was hinted at through this band's debut major release has mostly fizzled out. Maybe that's all they had in them. It's an album that still surpasses a lot of what's coming out these days, and it has its sparkling moments - pitter patters of unique sounds fit for a fairy tale - but those stunning full songs have disappeared, save for that "Chasing Cars" one, and even that isn't anywhere near the heights of some of the previous tunes. Song of choice : "chasing Cars" of course. -Andy Scheffler Elsewhere Snow Patrol website Published : January, 2007.