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Amazon.co.uk Review
It's a disservice to Snow Patrol to compare them to their more successful labelmates, but to say that Songs For Polar Bears sounds like Belle and Sebastian gone grunge should go some way to defining the skewed brilliance of this Northern Irish trio. Snow Patrol do some wonderful things to the conventions of fuzzy new-wave guitar-pop; pare it down into a melancholic hymn on "The Last Shot Ringing In My Ears", hyper-tense it into the caffeine buzz of "Starfighter Pilot", or let it dissipate altogether on the ethereal "Velocity Girl2. Songs For Polar Bears works because it's the polar opposite to club-footed cock rock; an album that sounds warmly empathetic, while others are all too eager to shoot their dull load of guitar machismo. That it's a little overlong is a shame--an earlier EP, "One Hundred Things You Should Have Done In Bed" was concise perfection--but Songs For Polar Bears feels like a tender bandage, while the rest of the world's rockers dully figure that if it hurts, it works. --Louis Pattison
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
83 of 83 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I bought this album after buying 'Final Straw', the band's third album, which got me into Snow Patrol. I decided I really liked what I was listening to, and so I went and bought the band's other two albums - this being one of them.
At first I was sorely disappointed by this album, because to put it simply, 'Songs for Polarbears' is no 'Final Straw' - not by a long way. This album is not as poppy and so I struggled to like this, even after repeated listens. I gave it time and persisted, and after a month or two I've found myself loving this album to pieces - at present, I'm rating this as their best album.
Gary Lightbody's vocals are as gorgeous as ever throughout this album, and the only set-back I see is that they can be a little difficult to interpret - ie. it's hard to listen out for words that he's singing. Nevertheless this is remedied by the lyrics in the sleeve - which is very useful when you find yourself wanting to sing along to the songs.
The tracks that I have to mention are the single 'One Hundred Things You Should Have Done in Bed' (great tune but too short!), 'NYC' (will probably be the first song you like) and my personal favourite, 'Fifteen Minutes Old', which I can't praise enough.
So if you bought 'Final Straw' or you've heard songs off that album, and you're wondering whether or not to buy this album, I recommend that you do. Don't expect fireworks at first, because you'll feel let down. Give this a chance and I almost guarantee you'll be rewarded for listening.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I've done the same as many others, started at Final Straw and worked backwards. - None will dissapoint. As you would expect this one is a little more rough around the edges but is probably better for it. Recommended.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I listened to the album 'Final Straw' and liked it a lot and so I listened to their fist album 'Songs For Polar Bears'which was amazing!!! It is very raw,music and a lot less commercial than their latest album.The music and vocals,in this are great.The lyrics included in the sleve are cool, if a little strange!I loved this album when I first heard it and it grows on you too. Some songs are cheerful and catchy, while others are more thoughtful. Definately my favourite band at the moment! - buy it now, it rocks!!!! :-)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
This album Rocks..... from day one !!
Like a lot of folk perhaps, I am listening to this after all the other great Snow Patrol stuff. As someone said in another review it's raw, however its crystal clear honest music... Read more
Published 6 months ago by C. BERRY
Its Snow Patrol Jim, but not as you know them....
Ok so I love Snow Patrols recent stuff so I started getting a back catalogue of their earlier recordings. Read more
Published on 24 Jan 2010 by Miss Joanne E. Roberts
Great music
Shows the promise of what is yet to come from Snow Patrol, takes a bit of getting into, but well worth the effort.
Published on 18 May 2009 by G. Johnson
Songs for polar bears
This is in my opinion the best Snow Patrol album. It needs about 2 or 3 listens to grow on you, then you will appreciate the beauty of these 14 simple songs. Read more
Published on 26 Oct 2008 by Mott
Raw Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol, when they were raw.
Granted they hadn't been together too long before they released this, but damn it's good! Read more
Granted they hadn't been together too long before they released this, but damn it's good! Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2006 by Straytalk
Jeepster cash in on their old band
Please, just don't buy this. It really is 'reissue repackage repackage' of the very worst kind. Snow Patrol have gone big and everyone loves them. Read more
Published on 15 May 2006 by Mr. A. D. J. Mcculloch
emotional bliss
From the instantly recognisable, funky intro into 'Downhill From Here' to the inspired '100 thing you should have done in bed' this album could almost be Gary Lightbody's... Read more
Published on 11 Sep 2005 by J. E. Barraclough
I love songs that grow slowly on you!!!
I bought all 3 snow patrol albums in a backward order because the latest one (final straw)I loved it so much i played it to absolute death and so needed to get my teeth in to their... Read more
Published on 6 April 2005 by M. Wilding
Love em!!
Having fallen in love with Snow Patrol on my first airing of Final Straw I had to buy the rest of the collection immediately. Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2005 by Ms. A. Black
An Interesting Debut
After purchasing final straw and catching the bad live i thought i would purchase their back catalogue. Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2004 by "neiltun30"
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