Snow Patrol

While previous entries in Universal's Trip series blew the dust off vintage sides from the Universal archive, this volume assembled by Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody homes in on more recent material not too many steps removed from Snow Patrol's own brand of shimmering guitar pop. The approach works for and against the disc's cumulative effect -- while the decision to focus on music from the same spectral frequency results in a cohesive, nuanced listening experience, half the fun of past Trip collections is discovering songs from the farthest-flung corners of the vault juxtaposed in unexpected and often revelatory ways. Though your mileage will vary based largely on your interest in Snow Patrol, adventurous listeners should find some compelling new music here regardless of their particular predisposition, and overall it's a solid overview of the state of alternative rock circa 2004. Highlights include Rilo Kiley's "With Arms Outstretched," TV on the Radio's "Staring at the Sun," and Múm's "Green Green Grass of Tunnel." ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi