Snow Patrol, the alternate rock band gets candid with City Express about their new album Fallen Empires and the journey they embarked while producing one of their most ambitious albumsSitting idle in a friend’s house and sipping coffee while Chasing Cars plays in the background, almost like a whisper, a typical scene of a lazy day. The creators of one of the most popular songs of all time, Snow Patrol recently launched their new album Fallen Empire. According to the group the new album bears a stark contrast to their previous style.Meanwhile City Express caught up with the bands’ fans to know their take on the new album. Paul, a media professional recounts his college days and says that back in college Chasing Cars was like an anthem for him and his group. “We would spend hours listening to songs like Chasing Cars, Its beginning to get me and Make This Go on Forever. From what I have heard their new album has a different flavour to it. I am looking forward to hearing it,” he says. On the other hand Riccha says that she is skeptical of the sound of the new album. “I have liked them for their distinct sound. I am not very sure if I am ready to accept the change,” adds. For better or for worse, the band’s new album is out and according to the members, the response so far has been better than they expected. How did the group get together and how has the journey been so far?Gary: Snow Patrol’s journey has been amazing so far and everything i.e. our band, our music, our albums has come along without much planning. There’s been very little planning as we allow things to happen as much by accident as by deliberate intention.You say that the sixth album is different from the previous ones. How is different?Gary: Fallen Empires has by far been our most ambitious album. For this record, our approach and thinking was totally different. It’s not a concept album but it does take you through a journey. A lot of this record is about my childhood, about growing up in Ireland. It’s about making your own tiny empires around you, then they gradually fall away and lead to the new experiences, the new lives that you live.How has the musical journey been till now?Paul: Our musical journey has been great and the most important thing is that we have always enjoyed ourselves throughout. We had taken eight months off to work on this album. It is by far the longest off we have taken so far. I think after a few years of touring and stuff we sort of needed a bit of a holiday in Los Angeles, and then started writing. But I think Gary had a little bit of a writer’s block, so we sort of jammed for a while in this rehearsal space and knocked out some ideas.We moved into a home in Malibu, which was a design project called the Eagle’s Watch and it was an awesome place, but I think people usually had it for parties and stuff before. Hence it had kind of a good vibe to it. The place was very beautiful. The whole thing was surrounded by glass and you could see the ocean and watch dolphins jumping and whales breeching out of the water and stuff like that. We worked there for like a month and a half and then went to some other smaller studios just to do the rest of the bits and pieces. We had a great time. It was a bit different from recording in the countryside in the rain, nevertheless it was pretty cool. How has the response been so far with your new album?Tom: I think the response has been pretty good actually. Of all the songs in the album, is there one, which you prefer over the rest? Gary: It would probably be the song This Isn’t Everything You Are, which actually came about from a song called React. I feel it’s a song that’s definitely going to please fans of the band. Garrett just stripped away what I was doing on the guitar and put the piano down which just changed the vocal line and everything. It did take a little kneading but in the end it blew our minds away.What inspired you to work on this album and why did you name it as the Fallen Empires?Gary: Our working title was Where we make our home but we felt that something wasn’t just right and no one could remember it. Then we decided on the name Fallen Empires which reflects the empires of your children or the empire of your back garden, make your own tiny empires around you, then they gradually fall away and lead to the new experiences, the new lives that you live.Are you aware of your fan base in India? Are there any plans of touring India?Nathan: Yes we are aware of our fan base in India and would really love to visit India. We will definitely let everyone know when we have plans of touring India.Have you had a chance to stumble upon Indian music? Would you ever collaborate with an Indian artiste?Gary: No we have not really heard any kind of Indian music yet. As far as collaborations are concerned, we haven’t really given it a thought but if something were to come up in the future never say never right. When not working, whose music do you all listen to?Gary: I like listening to Ed Sheeran and ‘Everything Everything’.Quinn: I mostly like listening to alternative rock. I listen to Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth Nirvana, Mud Honey.
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