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Up To Now - Snow Patrol
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Metascore
62 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critics What's this?

User Score
5.6 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 11 Ratings

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10 out of 10
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  • Summary: The two-disc compilation album features three new tracks.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Mojo
    80
    In this 30-track collection marks Snow Patrol as a band backed with some serious songwriting heft.
    All this publication's reviews
  2. All Music Guide
    60
    Up to Now may be somewhat overwhelming for casual listeners - it's quite extensive, with the traditional hits sprinkled throughout a double-disc track list--but there's no better destination for a fan looking to consolidate his collection.
  3. Drowned In Sound
    60
    Hate them all you like, but Snow Patrol have some great songs and enough money now to forget all about the tripe they're currently peddling at their massive group of new fans.

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User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. TheAnastazija
    7
    Snow Patrol is an indie band which tries (and wants) to sell millions and rule the stadium audience, but also to stay strong and independent to carry out their own creative works and ideas, sometimes obscure, sometimes intimate and brilliant. I tend to believe that the latter is the very reason why we got the compilation „Up to now“ - that it was not the pressure put upon the band by their label company to grab few extra bucks following band's latest successes. More the reason because Snow Patrol cannot deliver „Greatest Hits“ just yet, although „Eyes Open“ album can be easily set into Top 100 pop albums of the decade. 15 years of the band is quite a legitimate ground for a band to have a compilation of its own vision. Many will roll their eyes seeing some songs on „Up to now", for those songs some nasty media reviewers will have a field day having their way „Here, that is why Snow Patrol is just an average pop band“. Still, it is hard to believe the band is not aware of flaws of this album, they've only chosen to do it in the way of presenting band's history to a wider audience with all its best and less bright moments. It is actually quite an interesting insight on the band's evolution, an insight on long years of persisting misfortune to make a breakthrough. If it is correct, it's fair to take Snow Patrol as one brave band. In the worst case scenario, the band is flying on its members' egos bigger than Himalayas, in which case the band is doomed for mediocrity for the rest of its life. However, the three news songs on „Up to now“clearly show there will be no polar winter coming anytime soon for Snow Patrol. The first song, new hit-single „Just say yes“ confirms the premise from our introduction - it is a typical school model of a light, soft, commercial but good song obeying all the rules of the Premiership League, the song that will keep the band at the reached level of success until the next (bigger) hit single. The other two are the very essence of the Snow Patrol: band of strong, „small“, intimate, emotional – and if you like - heartbreaking ballads or other music form on the same theme. „Dark Roman Wine“ and „Give Me Strength“ are probably one of the best such songs written by anyone recently. Even if you let them be the songs for „heartbreaking cry babies“, there's no denying sincerity and warmth of emotions pouring out of. This makes them a rarity in the consumer fast-wrapped emotions. When you hear a divine ballads delivered by say, Beyonce or Robbie Williams singing about their bleeding heart as grand as they might be they are much less believable than when Lightbody sings Snow Patrol's masterpieces „Run“ and „Chasing Cars". Still, that shouldn't be the reason why we have both „Run“ and „Chasing cars“ twice on „Up to now“ although the second versions are more acoustic and as much as great. Snow Patrol likes covers. So we have two of them on the album. Strange picks, even if the first one „PPP“ is logical, but the second one is quite a joke - „Crazy in Love“ should have been kicked out of the door before someone has thought of recording it. Fans probably love it, but then again fans love most about their favourite band. Quick preview of „Up to now“ may show though that this compilation is not actually for fans, but an attempt to reveal this other, non-commercial characteristic of the band to the newcomers and wider audience, winning them over. The compilation will probably not entirely reach its goal, for its flaws in choosing some tracks, but those several tiny diamonds they shine bright on 30-track album (including „Set the Fire to the Third Bar“, „Open your eyes“, „Signal Fire“, even their first single ever „Starfighter Pilot“, „Cartwheels“ and „You are my Joy“ by The Reindeer Section, etc.) will give to the newcomers full frame picture of what Snow Patrol really are, not knowing any of the band's previous albums. Within this context there's logic why one of their best works, ambitious trilogy „Lightning Strike“ from their latest, much underrated album „A hundred million suns“ is missing. Tough, too bad it is. „Up to now“ presents enough of quality non-commercial material that there's no doubt whether Snow Patrol manages to be a Premiership player and „does its own way“ at the same time. With few pounds less on their bank account, for sure. The status lots of true artists would die for. To say no more, that is quite an achievement.… Expand
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