Songs for Polarbears
1998 studio album by Snow Patrol
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Songs for Polarbears is the debut studio album by Northern Irish alternative rock band Snow Patrol, released on 31 August 1998 in the United Kingdom, and 12 October in the United States.[7]
| Songs for Polarbears | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 31 August 1998 | |||
| Recorded | 1996–1997 | |||
| Studio | Chamber Studios, Edinburgh | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 49:49 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Jamie Watson | |||
| Snow Patrol chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Songs for Polarbears | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| NME | 8/10[3] |
| Pitchfork Media | 8.1/10[4] |
| PopMatters | 7/10[5] |
| Rolling Stone | [6] |
The album charted at #143 in the UK, and did not sell well upon its initial release. However, its re-release eventually went Gold in the UK.
Background
The band was listening to a diverse range of music at the time, with the majority of it being American rock like Pixies, Soundgarden and Dinosaur Jr. Other acts included My Bloody Valentine, and Super Furry Animals' first album Fuzzy Logic.[8] All these influences resulted in a musically diverse album that incorporated styles like hip hop, drone, and Pavement-style indie rock.[9] The album title is a reference to the band's previous name Polarbear.[10]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Gary Lightbody; all music is composed by Gary Lightbody and Mark McClelland.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Downhill from Here" | 3:23 |
| 2. | "Starfighter Pilot" | 3:19 |
| 3. | "The Last Shot Ringing in My Ears" | 4:26 |
| 4. | "Absolute Gravity" | 2:45 |
| 5. | "Get Balsamic Vinegar...Quick You Fool" | 3:27 |
| 6. | "Mahogany" | 2:46 |
| 7. | "NYC" | 4:27 |
| 8. | "Little Hide" | 2:41 |
| 9. | "Make Up" | 2:12 |
| 10. | "Velocity Girl" | 4:37 |
| 11. | "Days Without Paracetamol" | 3:32 |
| 12. | "Fifteen Minutes Old" | 3:08 |
| 13. | "Favourite Friend" | 2:46 |
| 14. | "One Hundred Things You Should Have Done in Bed" | 2:11 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 15. | "I Could Stay Away Forever" | 4:28 |
| 16. | "Sticky Teenage Twin" | 2:08 |
| 17. | "Holy Cow" | 1:54 |
| 18. | "When You're Right, You're Right" (Darth Vader Bringing in His Washing Mix) | 3:31 |
- "Marketplace" (3:48) is included as a hidden track after "One Hundred Things You Should Have Done in Bed" on both versions.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Sticky Teenage Twin" | 2:08 |
| 16. | "Limited Edition" | 2:33 |
| 17. | "Jj" | 1:47 |
| 18. | "My Last Girlfriend" | 2:59 |
| 19. | "T.M.T." | 2:51 |
| 20. | "I Could Stay Away Forever" | 4:28 |
| 21. | "When You're Right, You're Right" (Darth Vader Bringing in His Washing Mix) | 3:31 |
| 22. | "Raze the City" | 4:20 |
| 23. | "Riot, Please" | 2:52 |
Personnel
Snow Patrol
- Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums on "Riot, Please"
- Mark McClelland – bass guitar, keyboards
- Jonny Quinn – drums
Other personnel
- Richard Colburn – drums, keyboards on track 2
- Isobel Campbell – vocals on track 7
- Fraser Simpson – guitar on track 11[12]
Charts
| Chart (1998–2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Albums Chart[13] | 90 |
| UK Albums Chart[14] | 143 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date[15] |
|---|---|---|
| BPI (UK) | Silver | 3 February 2006 |
| BPI (UK) | Gold | 15 June 2007 |