'It feels like a new era' - Snow Patrol reveal they feel 'reinvigorated' by their new album

Virgin Radio

21 Aug 2024, 08:52

Snow Patrol are set to release their first album in five years, and they have explained how completing the record has given them a “creativity injection”.

With their eighth record, The Forest Is the Path, due to land in September, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Nathan Connolly has spoken to Virgin Radio about the creation of the album, and whether fans will have to wait another five years for the next one.

Speaking backstage before Snow Patrol's headline set at Hardwick Festival 2024, Nathan told Virgin Radio's Stu Elmore: “It feels like a new era.”

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The album, due to be released on 13th September, is produced by Fraser T. Smith, who has worked with the likes of Adele, James Morrison and Stormzy. “This one hasn't even come out yet, but hopefully it won't be as long for new music,” Nathan told Stu. “I think we feel a bit reinvigorated. We had such an amazing time in the studio with this.

“We’ve made loads of records and worked with great people over the years, and but this just felt, with Fraser, like something had changed, a shift, and obviously line-up change, and there's so many things happening and going on.”

The band are now a three-piece, with Jonny Quinn and Paul Wilson having left last year. “We honour our past deeply. But this does feel new.” Nathan said. 

Speaking about Snow Patrol’s 2003 breakthrough album, Final Straw, which was produced by Jacknife Lee, the guitarist told Stu: “It was our first record with Jacknife. And, a bit like I’ve said with Fraser, he was an amazing catalyst for lots of stuff, and really pushed us and brought out stuff that we maybe were indie boys who were afraid to push a big chorus. And he was like, ‘This is a big chorus, let it be one.’  

“It was a great time. We made it in London, and I remember feeling that there was something happening.

“He would bring so much music to us. And we were exchanging records a lot, and his sort of encyclopaedic mind of everything. A lot of stuff we knew, but there was just introductions to different things, and thinking outside our box, where you can get stuck in your ways.”

Final Straw was the first to feature Nathan. He said: “The difference from now to then is, I think I was a little braver and reckless, but knew less. And I think I know a little more now, but I'm actually a little more cautious or selective. But I think that's maybe the excitement or even arrogance sometimes of youth.”

On the impact Final Straw had, he said: “People take it to heart. That's the best thing you can hope for songs or an album.

“It landed at a time and an energy. And that's some things you can't create. You can't time that, it just happens.” 

Back to the present day, the musician looked ahead to the band’s next album, and said he hoped it wouldn’t be a five-year wait. Gary [Lightbody] has been working on songs already, and we seem to have had a sort of creativity injection by finishing this record.”

He added: “I hope it's two years’ time rather than five.” 

Stu Elmore also spoke to The Charlatans’ frontman Tim Burgess at Hardwick Festival 2024. Read their chat here.

Virgin Radio was the official broadcast partner for Hardwick Festival, which took place from 16th - 18th August 2024. Virgin Radio is also the official broadcast partner for CarFest, which hits Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire from 23rd-25th August.