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Snow Patrol On World Cafe

January 20, 2012
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Blending melodic, powerful, guitar-driven indie rock with hook-filled pop and Coldplay-style balladry, Scottish band Snow Patrol has become an international sensation with heavy touring, chart-topping albums and beautiful singles. In 2003, Final Straw vaulted the group onto the international music scene. Snow Patrol released Eyes Open in 2006; that collection features the hit "Chasing Cars" and, with millions of albums sold, solidified the band's reputation for anthemic rock.

Just this month, Snow Patrol released its sixth full-length, Fallen Empires. It represents a move away from melancholic, epic rock, both in terms of lyrics and topics. The album features gospel influences in the form of Lissie and the Inner City Mass Choir, as well as inspiration from Arcade Fire and U2. Singer Gary Lightbody explains the album's club beats and electronic guitar riffs, saying, "There's been very little master plan. We allow things to happen as much by accident as by deliberate intention."

Here, Snow Patrol plays live and discusses the new album.

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