The Trip created by Snow Patrol
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.
Collections » Songs » Music log » February 2007 Albums » Various Artists - The Trip (Mixed by Snow Patrol)