Final Straw saw Snow Patrol snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. After a couple of lo-fi flops (released through Jeepster) and years of bitter disappointment, Northern Irish rocker Gary Lightbody was on the verge of admitting defeat and getting himself a ‘real’ job, when anthemic lump-in-the-throat single ‘Run’ – which hit No 5 in the UK charts – helped propel the Patrol out of the indie wilderness and into the big time. Produced by Garrett “Jacknife” Lee, the album featured some of Lightbody’s rawest, most melancholic and emotional lyrics harnessed to crunchy guitars, white noise and eclectic instrumentation. Great songs like ‘How To Be Dead’ and ‘Spitting Games’ blended brilliantly with the introspective ‘Chocolate’. At heart Final Straw was a pop album, but it was a dark, twisted and damaged one. And it made Coldplay seem like a bunch of sissies.

No 23 in 2009, as voted for by over 200 Irish musicians. Up from No 77 in 2004.

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