OH how we could have done with one of these patrols after three inches of flakes on Friday.

But whatever the weather, vocalist/guitarist Gary Lightbody has one of those voices which is strangely different yet familiar and should take his band a long way to major success.

A lot of comparisons have been made between this four-piece to the majestic Coldplay because of their sluggish melodic songs but they still have a long way to go before they even come close to Chris Martin and his men.

The patrol, who are in the middle of a huge UK tour and are soon to take the Americas by storm, have created an album which is inoffensive to grandmothers and more than audible to the youngsters and so covers a vast spectrum of potential fans.

Final Straw is actually the band's third album so these old hands are adept in knowing what makes a good single.

And Run, the first single off Final Straw is simply a good uplifting song but sadly the rest of the album is lacking in the same punch and vigour, even after a few listens.

Even so, songs like Grazed Knees and Tiny Little Fractures have enough about them to make this album more than worth its money.

MS