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Review: Jack Foley
THERE are those who have cruelly written off Snow Patrol as another
dreary indie act, who are only capable of producing suicide music.
Not so, according to this reviewer, and their success this year
has been long overdue.
Further proof of their ability to be eclectic comes in the form
of The Trip, a compilation album, compiled from the record bag
of Snow Patrol's lead vocalist and guitarist, Gary Lightbody,
which provides compelling evidence of the wide-ranging and extremely
varied influences of the band.
The Trip series, rather like the Another Late Night collection,
is the brainchild of Family Recording, and is notable for not
being bound by any rules.
Hence, each DJ is encouraged to create their own unique compilation,
picking as eclectic a selection of music as possible from tracks
they love, tracks that have influenced them and nuggets that they
have come across over the years. There are no restrictions on
content.
Previous contributors have come in the form of Dirty Vegas, Tom
Middleton and Saint Etienne and all have provided listeners with
a fascinating insight into some great unheard music.
The Snow Patrol compilation is no exception - a double CD that
imaginatively weaves together a mix of styles featuring current
favourites Mylo, Hot Chip, Four Tet and Seelenluft, with some
amazing funk-driven workouts from Bill Withers, Jacknife Lee and
Sex In Dallas.
Gary has also plundered some weird and wonderful tunes on his
travels from Husky Rescue, The Shins, Mum and TV On The Radio,
as well as topping it off with a smattering of Gallic genius from
Alan Braxe and Kojak.
Needless to say, it's a diverse collection, some of which is
excellent, some of which is surprising, and some of which is,
well, not so good.
Yet, no matter what you think of it, there's no denying that
the CD opens your eyes to a lot of different music, some of which
you will want to find out more about, and some of which you might
never hope to hear from again!
It's a measure of Snow Patrol's success over this past year,
however, that they are now able to provide a platform, themselves,
for other people's music, as well as giving their own fans a greater
insight into what has come to inspire them.
The guitar influence is never more apparent than during the likes
of The Duke Spirit's Cuts Across The Land, or Joy Zipper's
brilliant Christmas Song, or even Iain Archer's Does
This Have A Name, yet The Trip is more than just a compilation
of other guitar/indie bands.
Highlights include Husky Rescue's chilled out Rainbow Flows,
which has more to do with Morcheeba than anything else, or Bill
Withers' incredibly funky When I'm Kissing My Love.
Mum's atmospheric Green Grass of Tunnel is another dreamy
slice of electronic chill-out, which neatly offsets the more upbeat
moments such as the Thomas Bangalter/Beastie
Boys splice up of On Da Rocks and Check It Out.
Needless to say, the presence of Secret Machines, Jacknife Lee
and Mylo, also help to lend the album a hip feel, that should
have the in-crowd of music seeking out its delights.
Congratulations to Mr Lightbody, then, for producing a compilation
album that is as rich in diversity and quality, as it is an eye-opening
experience for anyone who thought they had Snow Patrol pigeon-holed.
It should make for one of the more interesting compilation albums
on the market this Christmas, and a really electic listen.
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Track listing:
Disc: 1
1. Low & Spring Heel Jack - Way Behind
2. Emperor Machine - Expanding In Reproduction
3. Sir Drew - My Sex
4. Machines - Everywhere
5. TV On The Radio - Staring At The Sun
6. Dark Room Dubs - Submergible
7. The Knife - Heartbeats (Rex The Dog Mix)
8. Four Tet - Everything Is Alright
9. Alan Braxe/Fred Falke - Love Lost
10. Kojak - You Can't Stop It
11. Smith n Hack - To Our Disco Friends
12. Seelenluft - Feat. Jim Reid - I Can See Clearly Now
13. Secret Machines - Road Leads Where It's Led
14. Mylo - Drop The Pressure
15. Jacknife Lee - Fear Of Nothing
16. Sex In Dallas - Everybody Deserves To Be Fucked (Tomcats In
Tokyo Mix)
17. Feist - Mushaboom
Disc: 2
1. The Shins - Weird Divide
2. Cocorosie - By your Side
3. Husky Rescue - Rainbow Flows
4. Bill Withers - When I'm Kissing My Love
5. Hot Chip - Take Care
6. The Fiery Furnaces - Bow Wow
7. Deerhoof - Milking
8. The Duke Spirit - Cuts Across The Land
9. Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched
10. Joy Zipper - Christmas Song
11. Republic Of Loose - Girl I'm Gonna Fuck You Up
12. Harco Pront - Sleaze
13. Mum - Green Grass Of Tunnel
14. Iain Archer - Does This Have A Name
15. Nina Nastasia - Superstar
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