Snow Patrol recently released their highly anticipated album, Reworked. Celebrating the band’s 25th anniversary, it includes 16 songs and runs for an hour and eight minutes.
This is by no means your typical release. With the exception of three brand new songs, the album consists entirely of completely transformed classics.
Rather than simply remix their old music, the hit Irish musicians took each hit song and reinvented it. For the most part, the new sound is more emotional and mature. The band pays homage to each song while still expressing the ways they’ve grown. Each song feels brand new and experimental, putting a modern spin on their already established sound.
Their 2008 song “Crack the Shutters” has gone from upbeat progressive rock to an electronic, almost lo-fi sound. “Run” from 2003 follows suit in Reworked, going from classic alternative rock to a down-tempo, more melodic and somber electronic vibe. By far their most popular song, “Chasing Cars” from 2006 gets a complete overhaul. Once a pop-rock driven love song, Reworked gives the love song a chance to mature alongside its band. It’s become slower, almost haunting, with a bittersweet nostalgia that’s enough to bring tears to your eyes.
In addition to the revamped song selection, Reworked offers three new songs from Snow Patrol. They maintain the old charm of their former music while still offering a refreshing modern sound. They definitely played around with newer styles, as evidenced by “Time Won’t Go Slowly.” This new song is jazzy, dreamy, and ethereal. The lyrics are catchy, lovesick and sentimental. Likewise, “Made of Something Different Now” is an otherworldly, almost melancholic new sound. The lyrics are arguably the most emotionally charged in the album. Finally, “I Think of Home” pays the most homage to the sound Snow Patrol has made popular over the years. Instrumental, melodic, with upbeat nostalgic lyrics fitting of its name.
Overall, the album is sure to please those with a taste for nostalgia and those desiring something new. Each song is perfectly redone, nearly indistinguishable from the originals. Yet, it maintains that classic Snow Patrol sound. The new songs are especially surprising, beautifully written and produced. The music ranges from stripped instrumental to upbeat electronic, providing a wide array of options for multiple preferences. An experimental album to be sure, but one that exceeds expectations. If this is any representation of the future of Snow Patrol, it will certainly be one filled with pleasant surprises.
Rating: 7/10
Top Tracks: Chasing Cars, Crack the Shutters, Time Won’t Go Slowly, Made of Something Different Now
Snow Patrol’s Reworked available on Spotify and Amazon Music
