Called Out in the Dark

Last updated
"Called Out in the Dark"
CalledOutInTheDark.jpg
Single by Snow Patrol
from the album Fallen Empires
B-side
  • "Fallen Empires"
  • "My Brothers"
  • "I'm Ready"
Released2 September 2011
Recorded2011
Studio Topanga Canyon
(Los Angeles)
Genre Alternative rock, electro-disco, [1] alternative dance
Length4:03
Label Polydor
Songwriter(s) Gary Lightbody [2]
Producer(s) Jacknife Lee
Snow Patrol singles chronology
"An Olive Grove Facing the Sea"
(2009)
"Called Out in the Dark"
(2011)
"This Isn't Everything You Are"
(2011)
Music video
"Called Out in the Dark" on YouTube

"Called Out in the Dark" is a song by Scottish-Northern Irish rock band Snow Patrol. The track was released as the first single from the band's sixth studio album Fallen Empires on 2 September 2011. It was made available both independently and on an EP with three other tracks from Fallen Empires. "Called Out in the Dark" was shortlisted for Meteor Choice Music Prize Irish Song of the Year 2011. [3] A version of the track also exists which is remixed by Norman Cook.

Contents

Background and writing

The song was written by the band's frontman Gary Lightbody and produced by Jacknife Lee, who has worked on their previous three albums. [4] It was recorded in Topanga Canyon in Los Angeles. The single premiered on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show on July 21, 2011 and was released on September 2, 2011. [4]

The song, along with other tracks on Fallen Empires, finds Snow Patrol venturing into dance territory. Lightbody told The Sun : "I've always DJed and dance music has always been a big part of our lives, but it's never really been part of the music. So we just let go a little bit this time." [4]

Composition

Beginning with an underlying, steady acoustic guitar riff that runs relentlessly throughout the track, quickly followed by a dancelike drumbeat which boldly kicks in alongside Gary Lightbody’s distinct vocals declaring, 'it's like we just can't help ourselves cause we don't know how to back down.' "As the kids took back the parks," Lightbody sings, "You and I were left with the streets." [5] The song builds momentum and reaches a climax with a striking, textured, electronic heavy chorus, 'we are listening and we are not blind, this is your life, this is your time.' The song aptly ends with the repeating guitar riff and its accompanying drum riff. [6]

Critical reception

The song received mostly mixed reviews from critics. Mike Haydock from BBC Music wrote that the song "is a pure mistake of style over substance: a song that has the traditional Snow Patrol shape, dominated by Gary Lightbody's vocal, but where the guitars have been binned just for the sake of it, just to try something 'new'. It sounds too try-hard and trite." [7] Priya Elan from NME wrote a negative review of the track, saying that "it is wall-less, minimalist song in the worst sense of the word." [8] He also criticized the chorus, writing that "is perhaps more disappointing than the verses, because it finds the band dropping the football stadium-like anthems for something that is not unlike the fey, coffee shop electronics that could be found on The Feeling's last album." [8] He also commented about the vocal performance of the band's vocalist, writing that "as Lightbody goes into falsetto, he sounds like he's trying to do a blue-eyed, Will Young impression, but ends up sounding far too studied." [8] Neil Ashman from Drowned in Sound wrote that "it would be a stretch to call the splashes of synth colour and buzzing basslines of ... 'Called Out in the Dark' anything more than cosmetic additions to tuneful, but unremarkable guitar pop." [9]

A positive review came from Cherwell 's Susan Yu, who wrote that "it is a delightful, electronica infused, powerful gem of a song." [6] Simon Gage from Daily Star also wrote a positive review, saying that the song "has a slight bounce." [10]

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "Called Out in the Dark" was first released onto YouTube on 17 August 2011 at a total length of four minutes and twenty-four seconds. With a dance choreographed by Noémie Lafrance, it features appearances by Tara Summers and Jack Davenport. Brett Simon directed the music video. [4]

The music video, centered around a video shoot, sees Gary Lightbody (as stand-in), amongst dancers and the singer portrayed by Davenport, make a nuisance of himself on the set of the shoot. Lightbody tries hard to take part in the video and Tara Summers (director) precludes him from doing so. By the end of the video, the dancers are down to their underwear and Lightbody has grabbed a hold of the camera as it cranes out.

Track listing

UK Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."Called Out in the Dark"4:03
2."Fallen Empires"5:20
3."My Brothers"3:32
4."I'm Ready"3:23
German 2-track CD-single
No.TitleLength
1."Called Out in the Dark"4:03
2."My Brothers"3:32
UK 2-track Promo CD-single
No.TitleLength
1."Called Out in the Dark" (radio mix)3:32
2."Called Out in the Dark" (instrumental)4:02

Chart performance

Release history

CountryRelease dateFormatLabel
United Kingdom2 September 2011 [42] Digital download Polydor Records

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snow Patrol</span> Northern Irish-Scottish rock band

Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish-Scottish rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland. The band consists of Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly, and Johnny McDaid ; Lightbody is the band's sole remaining original member.

<i>Final Straw</i> 2003 studio album by Snow Patrol

Final Straw is the third studio album and major-label debut by Northern Ireland rock band Snow Patrol, released on 4 August 2003 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and in 2004 in the United States. The album is notable for bringing the band their first mainstream success outside of their native countries of Northern Ireland and Scotland. In the 14 months following its release, a total of 5 singles were drawn from it. It is the first album to feature lead guitarist Nathan Connolly and the last to feature bassist Mark McClelland.

<i>Eyes Open</i> (Snow Patrol album) 2006 studio album by Snow Patrol

Eyes Open is the fourth studio album by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. Produced by Jacknife Lee, it was released in the UK on 1 May 2006, and 9 May 2006 in the US. It was the band's first album without bassist Mark McClelland and the first to feature bassist Paul Wilson and keyboardist Tom Simpson. Recording for the album took place between October and December 2005 at Grouse Lodge Studios in Ireland, The Garage in Kent, and The Garden and Angel Recording Studios, both in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run (Snow Patrol song)</span> 2004 song by Snow Patrol

"Run" is a song by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol from their third studio album, Final Straw (2003). It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 February 2004 as the second single from the album. The song was conceived in 2000 by frontman Gary Lightbody after an accident he had during a bender. "Run" is described as a Britpop power ballad. It received critical acclaim, and was compared to Coldplay's "Yellow".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocolate (Snow Patrol song)</span> 2004 single by Snow Patrol

"Chocolate" is a song by UK alternative rock band Snow Patrol. It was released as the third single from their third studio album, Final Straw. The music for the track was written by all four members of the band, while the lyrics are by lead vocalist Gary Lightbody.

<i>A Hundred Million Suns</i> 2008 studio album by Snow Patrol

A Hundred Million Suns is the fifth album by Scottish-Northern Irish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. The album was written by Snow Patrol and was produced by longtime producer Jacknife Lee, who has previously produced albums for Bloc Party, R.E.M., and U2. The songs were recorded through the summer of 2008 in Hansa Studios in Berlin and Grouse Lodge Studios in Ireland. The album was released in Ireland on 24 October 2008, on 25 October in Australia, on 27 October in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe and in the US on 28 October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chasing Cars</span> 2006 single by Snow Patrol

"Chasing Cars" is a song by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. It was released as the second single from their fourth studio album, Eyes Open (2006). It was released on 6 June 2006, in the United States and 24 July 2006, in the United Kingdom. The song gained significant popularity in the US after being featured in the second season finale of the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, which aired on 15 May 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Back the City</span> 2008 single by Snow Patrol

"Take Back the City" is a song from alternative rock band Snow Patrol's fifth album A Hundred Million Suns. It was released as the lead single from the album on different dates in October 2008, depending on the region. The lyrics were written by Gary Lightbody and the music was composed by Snow Patrol. The song has positive lyrics, and is about Lightbody's love for Belfast. The song has been officially remixed once, by Lillica Libertine, and it appeared as a B-side to the single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crack the Shutters</span> 2008 single by Snow Patrol

"Crack the Shutters" is a song from Northern Irish/Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol's fifth album A Hundred Million Suns. It was released as the follow-up single to "Take Back the City" on different dates in December 2008 depending on the region, and was the second single taken from the album. The lyrics were written by Gary Lightbody and the music was composed by Snow Patrol. The song was described by lyricist Lightbody as the purest love song he'd ever written. The single was received generally positively by music critics, the lyrics and vocals being praised in particular.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If There's a Rocket Tie Me to It</span> 2009 single by Snow Patrol

"If There's a Rocket Tie Me to It" is a song by alternative rock band Snow Patrol. It is the opening track on their fifth album A Hundred Million Suns, and was released as its third single on 8 March 2009. The music was composed by Snow Patrol, with frontman Gary Lightbody writing the lyrics. The song is a departure from Lightbody's frequent attempts at diagnosing his less positive personal issues, which often focus on his romantic breakups, and instead celebrates a newfound love outside human relationships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Planets Bend Between Us</span> 2009 single by Snow Patrol

"The Planets Bend Between Us" (or "The Planets Bend Between Us (For You)") is a song from alternative rock band Snow Patrol's fifth album A Hundred Million Suns. It was released as the follow-up single to "If There's a Rocket Tie Me to It" on 24 May 2009. It was the fourth single taken from the album. The lyrics were written by Gary Lightbody and the music was composed by Snow Patrol. The song is about Lightbody's beach house in Belfast. The single featured a re-working of the album version and was released as a digital download only. It was later included on the band's 2009 compilation album Up to Now.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just Say Yes (song)</span> 2009 single by Snow Patrol

"Just Say Yes" is a song by Northern Irish alternative rock band Snow Patrol, released as the single to follow "The Planets Bend Between Us" in October–November 2009, depending on the region. The song, produced by Jacknife Lee, is one of the three new songs, and the lead single from the compilation Up to Now. The lyrics were written by Gary Lightbody and the music was composed by Snow Patrol. "Just Say Yes" has its origins as a song written for pop singer Gwen Stefani, who rejected it. Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls was then given permission by Lightbody to record it for her solo debut album, which was later shelved.

<i>Up to Now</i> 2009 compilation album by Snow Patrol

Up to Now is the first compilation album by alternative rock band Snow Patrol. The album features tracks spanning Snow Patrol's fifteen-year music career, including tracks from The Reindeer Section, a side-project/supergroup involving musicians from all over Scotland. The album was released in early November 2009, primarily as a two-disc set and a three-disc digipak format containing one DVD of bonus material. A limited edition heavyweight box was also sold. Three new songs were released on the album. One of these was "Just Say Yes", the lead single taken from the compilation. The solo re-recording of "An Olive Grove Facing the Sea" was released as the album's second single. In Netherlands, Belgium and Finland "Run" was re-released in a version called "Run " in January 2010.

<i>Fallen Empires</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Snow Patrol

Fallen Empires is the sixth studio album by Northern Irish-Scottish rock band Snow Patrol. The album was released on 11 November 2011. The album became the first to feature future member Johnny McDaid, who was credited as guest musician and songwriter in the album liner notes, and would officially join the band following the tour. It is also the last album to feature keyboardist Tom Simpson, who left the band in 2013. American singer Lissie provided additional vocals for six songs on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Isn't Everything You Are</span> 2011 single by Snow Patrol

"This Isn't Everything You Are" is a song by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock group Snow Patrol. The track is the second single from the band's sixth studio album, Fallen Empires, it was released as a digital download on 14 October 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York (Snow Patrol song)</span> 2011 single by Snow Patrol

"New York" is a song by Scottish alternative rock group Snow Patrol. The track is the third single from the band's sixth studio album, Fallen Empires. It was released as a digital download on 20 December 2011 in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3Ball MTY</span> Mexican DJ trio

3BallMTY is a Mexican pop DJ group from the city of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. The "DJ Collective" was formed in 2009 by two teenage DJs – Sergio Zavala, and Alberto Presenda. The name "3Ball" comes from the Spanish word "tribal", which refers to the culture of guaracha tribal music popular in many Spanish-speaking countries around the world.

<i>Inténtalo</i> 2011 studio album by 3Ball MTY

Inténtalo is the first studio album by Mexican group 3Ball MTY. It was released on December 6, 2011 under Fonovisa Records label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Last Time (Taylor Swift song)</span> 2013 single by Taylor Swift featuring Gary Lightbody

"The Last Time" is a song by Taylor Swift featuring Gary Lightbody, taken from Swift's fourth studio album, Red (2012). Swift wrote the track with Lightbody and Jacknife Lee; the latter two are members of the rock band Snow Patrol. A power ballad, the song sees Swift's and Lightbody's characters expressing their perspectives on a failed relationship, torn between heartbreak and forgiveness. The production combines alternative rock and folk over dramatic string instruments and an orchestral background in the refrain. "The Last Time" was released in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2013, as a single from Red.

<i>Wildness</i> (album) 2018 studio album by Snow Patrol

Wildness is the seventh studio album by Northern Irish-Scottish rock band Snow Patrol. The album was released on 25 May 2018. It is their first album with Johnny McDaid as a full member of the band, after his involvement as a guest musician and songwriter on Fallen Empires and participation in its tour. It was also the last Snow Patrol album with longtime members Paul Wilson and Jonny Quinn, who both left the band in September 2023.

References

  1. Chinen, Nate (2012-01-09). "New Albums by 3ballMTY and Snow Patrol". The New York Times . Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  2. "Called Out In the Dark". Allmusic . Rovi Corporation . Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  3. "Search on for Irish Song of the Year". RTÉ Ten. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 2 February 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Called Out in the Dark by Snow Patrol Songfacts". Songfacts. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  5. Nate Chinen (10 November 2011). "New Albums by 3ballMTY and Snow Patrol - Review - NYTimes.com". The New York Times .
  6. 1 2 Yu, Susan (6 August 2011). "Chewell.org | Music | Review: Snow Patrol - Called Out In The Dark by Susan Yu". Cherwell . Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  7. Mike Haydock (18 March 2012). "BBC - Music - Review of Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires". BBC .
  8. 1 2 3 Elan, Priya (22 July 2011). "Snow Patrol, 'Called Out In The Dark' - Review - reviews - NME.COM - The world's fastest music news service, music videos, interviews, photos and more". NME . Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  9. Ashman, Neil (14 November 2011). "Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires / Releases // Drowned In Sound". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on 20 April 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  10. Simon Gage (11 November 2011). "Snow Patrol, 'Fallen Empires'; Daily Express". Daily Express .
  11. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 September 2011" (PDF) (1125). Australian Web Archive. September 30, 2011: 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 18 August 2014.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. "Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  13. "Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  14. "Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  15. "Snow Patrol - Chart History". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  16. "Fallen Empires - Snow Patrol - Awards (Billboard Singles)". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2013-04-24.
  17. "Hitlisten.NU – Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark" (in Danish). Tracklisten.
  18. "Snow Patrol: Called Out in the Dark" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  19. "Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  20. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  21. "Chart Track: Week 36, 2011". Irish Singles Chart.
  22. "Snow Patrol Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard.
  23. "Luxembourg Digital Songs - October 8, 2011". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 30 April 2013.[ dead link ]
  24. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Snow Patrol" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  25. "Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  26. "Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark". Top 40 Singles.
  27. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  28. "Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark". Swiss Singles Chart.
  29. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  30. "Snow Patrol Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  31. "Snow Patrol Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  32. "Snow Patrol Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  33. "Snow Patrol Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  34. "Snow Patrol Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  35. "Snow Patrol Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  36. "Jaaroverzichten 2011". Ultratop. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  37. "2011 MTV EMA - News". MTV.de. Archived from the original on 2012-01-09. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  38. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2011". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  39. https://web.archive.org/web/20120915084445/http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/UKChartsPlusYE2011.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Snow Patrol; 'Called Out in the Dark')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  41. "British single certifications – Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  42. Called Out In the Dark - EP by Snow Patrol iTunes