take back the city

last tuesday i went to a listening party for the new snow patrol album, a hundred million suns, at bar marmont, of the legendary chateau marmont hotel. i got there just in time to grab a drink, meet the publicist, run into a couple of friends, and hear jimmy iovine give a speech about how great the album is and what a fabulous job the band and the producer did, etc.

i was chatting with someone who said the band is in the u.s. associated with grey's anatomy a lot -- i guess b/c "chasing cars" was featured on that show. it's funny to me, b/c i think of snow patrol as a band of torchwood and doctor who, since on different eps i've heard SP songs like "spitting games," "chocolate," and "chasing cars." and maybe others.

anyway. a few days ago i made a playlist of '80s new-wave rock: bow wow wow, madness, greg kihn band, the cars, dave edmunds, rockpile, squeeze, etc. i've been playing it a lot on my ipod on my bitchen new car stereo. so, isn't it funny that snow patrol's new single, "take back the city," totally fits the mood of that playlist? it sounded really good coming out of the speakers super-loud at the bar, and i definitely could hear it blasting in the beast. it reminds me of a cars song, except not as synthy -- but still it's all urban-sleek and kind of bouncy and elastic, and burbly-propulsive, with some really angular guitar moments. and it has a nice blend of romanticism and cynicism while celebrating la vie moderne:

i love the city tonight
i love the city always
it bares its teeth like a light
and spits me out after days

yeah, so that's their flavor-of-the-moment tune, maybe. but the album also has the moodier, more ethereal and pensive numbers they do so well. i liked it as i heard it, but can't wait to get a closer listen. it's out here october 28. and snow patrol will be doing a show in london while i'm in the UK -- on the 27th. i wish i could go! but i'm planning on being in bath that day ... and it's about two hours away from london. that seems like sort of a haul, especially since they'll be in socal later this year. to be honest, i had some issues when i saw them live at the greek in july '07. but i'd still like to see them again.