Snow Patrol

You probably haven’t been formally introduced to Scotland’s Snow Patrol, but there is a real good chance you know them already. Combining a knack for British and American rock, this Scottish five piece sounds very familiar - a bit Travis and a bit My Bloody Valentine. With angular rhythms and a crisp fusion of pop hooks, Snow Patrol’s third album, Final Straw, pushes woozy "alternative" rock as edgy as possible without sounding light. Do they succeed?

Led by vocalist Gary Lightbody, the airy vocals are the immediate catch for the Patrol. New guitarist Nathan Connolly ads an ethereal guitar punch, giving the songs an out of body dizzying guitar whirl. Although Final Straw has been out since April, the band can now boast about having the hit songs of "Spitting Games," "Run," and "Chocolate." "Spitting Games" is the most enduring and biting of the three, with its tasty alternative crunch.

Snow Patrol is most powerful when it plows the faster button, while the slower "hits" - "Chocolate" and "Run" sound rather 90’s "Collective Soul." Although all of Final Straw carries a 90’s crunch hook feel, it’s nice to see musicians play what they know and get off on, rather than push a trendy flavor, as seen repeatedly today. For that fact, Snow Patrol succeeds, as Final Straw proves to be a promising launching pad.