Snow Patrol

A critic once said that Snow Patrol's music is triumphantly normal.  The D Man understands what he meant by that unusual compliment.  Indeed, the band's lyrics, soft/loud dynamics, and instrumental textures are decidedly straightforward, enveloped in high production values and instantly radio friendly.  Your Mom likes this music, after all.  But unlike many bands who play in the same space, Snow Patrol does not want to be something they are not.  They make swelling and glossy Britpop for arenas, girlfriends and, yes, your Mom.  Just embrace it.

The D Man first embraced Snow Patrol because of Gary Lightbody's unabashed earnestness.  Listeners and fans can easily tell that he is a soft soul, sincere and pleasant to be around. So it does not hurt that he can flat out sing, with a rich, crystal-ringing voice that can carry his torch songs to the farthest corners of his audience.

Rip, The D Man, and Schwarzy hit the show last night while our wives went to the new Zac Efron movie.  Yeah, this year, the kid from High School Musical got first dibs.  No matter.  The men still had a great time, especially given that the band, fresh from playing large European arenas, brought their big-sounding show to a series of small club dates.  Six albums in, the band can fill an entire set with radio hits and crowd-pleasing fare.  We enjoyed the uplift, the sense of goodness that Lightbody generates with his songs.  You just cannot say that about every show you see.  So enjoy a few highlights.

• "Hands Open." Any song that name drops Sufjan Stevens is all right by me.
• "Run."  A huge song from 2003's Final Straw.
• "Chocolate."  Arguably the band's best song.  Not insignificantly, I listened to it for the first time when I was 25.
• "Called Out In The Dark." The first single from the band's sixth album, Fallen Empires.
• "New York."  Performed a beautiful duet with the opening artist, Ed Sheeran, who, by the way, absolutely owned the stage and slayed his opening set with numbers like this.  He will be taking over America soon.
• "All I Have."  Man, this song just makes me feel good.  Straight ahead true.
• "Just Say Yes."  I just really like this song.  I just do.