CD: Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires

The 'terrifying truth' is that Mike's right. Next to this dirge (I just watched the video clip provided) U2 are (well, were) quite the experimenters - at least they were up to and including The Unforgettable Fire (and The Joshua Tree remains a classic album - there's no escaping that fact, as much as we might want to). Beyond those albums, any innovation and experimentation with U2 came from their engineers, producers and other collaborators -certainly not the band themselves (who were too busy living the life of middle aged millionaires with families, and getting hired by PR companies to associate themselves with corrupt and unpopular western political leaders). Snow Patrol are truly evil and the fact they are viewed as acceptable (even 'desirable' by some) is a sign that civilisation is in a state of profound crisis. An evil band is not one that dresses in leather, sings about worshipping Satan, has an inverted crucifix onstage, plays thrash guitars and has semi pornographic album covers. An evil band is one that implies authentic emotion, artistry, soul, stirring music.... when delivering nothing of the sort. Snow Patrol's music consists of a series cues for its demoralised, culturally starved, dead eyed, thoroughly mainstreamed audience to respond to, like dogs to Pavlov's bell. This bit of the song is quiet and sparse and therefore introspective ..... this bit is getting louder therefore implying some stirring emotion rising up..... here's a bunch of contrived images with a sepia effect applied to make you think they are ever-so-poignant, instead of a load of naff nonsense made by some director who normally makes car adverts for a living. Like so many bans today, Snow Patrol don't make music, they make 'content'. 'Content' is the Devil's music! Snow Patrol (a rock band you say?) would work perfectly in a BBC ident - that's how you know they are evil. Put the CD down, close the iTunes store window, walk slowly out of the room and lock the door. Splash some water on your face, go for a walk, do something this weekend that you've never seen depicted in an advert, or a music video. You're better than this. We all are.