SNOW PATROL & THE SATURDAY SONGWRITERS
The Fireside EP
Snow Patrol have never been my favourite band but when an assortment
of releases came into REPEAT Towers to review, I asked our learned
Editor to choose for me. When I found out his selection, I thought
perhaps I could be converted in this case. After all, I had liked
a few of their singles in the past, just not the overplayed radio-friendly
ones. It turns out that I am glad that I gave it a go as The Fireside
EP is actually one of the better things to come out of a dreary lockdown
and shit year that has been 2020 so far. I know – I never thought
that I would say that about Snow Patrol either. I must be hormonal.
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Anyway, despite the rubbish name given to the songs’ co-authors,
(who – unsurprisingly- were fans who contributed to the writing
process each Saturday on Instagram Live), there is indeed a warmth
and community to each track that further displays a freedom from Snow
Patrol’s previously more conventional style. That’s not
to say that The Fireside EP is innovative in its material, other than
how it was written, but outsiders involvement definitely moves it
away nicely from the indie-pop that we are used to from the quintet.
Going a little bit hipster with the on-trend rhythm of ‘Reaching
Out To You’, what follows is much more tender, soothing even.
I guess we all need some of that at the moment. The lyrical content
was also fan-based and focuses mostly on the theme of love, which
sounds crap but it’s really quite pleasant.
In fact, I sheepishly admit that The Fireside EP has left my cold,
bored and very tired heart feeling touched by its subtle beauty and,
as all proceeds go to anti-poverty charity, The Trussell Trust, there
really is no reason why anyone open to the experience shouldn’t
throw on a blanket, snuggle down as the nights get longer and celebrate
that while music cannot bring us together in person at the moment,
there are still ways to connect and forget about the world for a while.
Not even Boris Johnson could ruin the mood.
Anna C
Released 21st August, 2020
