Up to Now

The album marks the band's 15 year music career. It is a reminder to newer fans that the band had made two albums before Final Straw, before achieving any commercial success. In line with the 15 years they have been recording, the album features 2 CDs with 15 songs on each, with 3 brand new tracks. The band felt it was a good time for such a release as their newer material was heading towards new, unexplored musical styles. According to guitarist Nathan Connolly, the only differences in opinion on song selections among the band members arose on songs from the earliest albums. Forty songs were initially selected, but they realized it would not be practically possible to include all of them. They were whittled down to thirty, some reluctantly. One of these was "Make This Go on Forever". Vocalist Gary Lightbody explained that they did it as to evenly represent all their albums. The final chosen songs are from all five studio albums, past b-sides and rarities, apart from three new recordings. They also felt the song selection should draw all sorts of fans; those who've supported from the start and those who might be hearing about the band for the first time, which was the reason for comparatively less representation of songs from the early albums. Commenting on fans' arguments about leaving singles "How to Be Dead" and "One Night is Not Enough" off the album, Lightbody said that they could not please everyone. Lightbody has made it clear that the album is not a greatest hits record, and has expressed his dislike for such. According to him, the compilation is a way to leave the last 15 years behind, and looking forward to 15 years in the future. The album's title, Up to Now was specifically chosen to indicate the band has more to offer in the future, and that it was not a way of saying goodbye. The band believes that the album signifies a portrait of the band, who they are, "warts and all". Lightbody said it represents the band making a statement, explaining: "We've climbed a hill and now we're looking back and taking in the view for a bit. It's nice to show people that we didn't just arrive overnight". The artwork for the album was revealed on 25 September 2009. ==Promotion==

To promote the album, a competition exclusive for members on the Snow Patrol mailing list was held. Fans wishing to enter the competition had to sign up and answer a question. The competition closed on 9 October 2009 and its winner received a drum skin, signed by all members of the band, as well as a photograph proving its authenticity, taken on the band's North American Tour of September–October 2009. The band also played an intimate, acoustic show at King's Head in Crouch End, London on 4 November. Tickets for this show could only be obtained via two competitions, one organized on Play.com and the other on the band's official website. Both involved answering a simple question. On 8 November 2009, the band released a second application for the iPhone. An online application was also made, where users could manually create their own snowflakes. Singles The lead single taken from the album was the new recording "Just Say Yes", released first in the United States on 23 October 2009 via Amazon.com and iTunes. It was physically released on CD on 30 October and 2 November in Ireland and the United Kingdom respectively. The single was a hit in the Netherlands, topping the Top 40 chart. The second single, "An Olive Grove Facing the Sea" (2009 Version) was only released digitally on iTunes on 4 December 2009. It was also given away as a freebie for a day on the 1st day (26 December 2009) of iTunes' 12 Days of Christmas. In Belgium and The Netherlands the song "Run" was released on 25 January 2010 as the 2nd single of Up to Now. In The Netherlands the song was Alarmschijf on Radio538 in week 6 of 2010. The song entered the Dutch Top 40 on 26 February 2010 and moved up to the number one position on that chart. That makes it the 5th Snow Patrol song that hit on that chart, and the first number one hit in The Netherlands. In Belgium, Wallonia, the song was on the Top 30 of the Ultratop 50, but in Flanders, Just say Yes peaked at number 6 in the Ultratop 50. ==Release==

The album was made available in three formats: • Standard – Two CDs featuring thirty tracks. • Digipak – Two CDs, and a DVD containing documentaries and live footage. • Box set – Limited edition heavyweight box, numbered and wrapped in cloth. Contains three CDs, three heavyweight LPs, two DVDs, a lithograph print by Bradley Quinn and an LP sized booklet. The additional DVD in the digipak format contains the animated film for "The Lightning Strike" and previously unseen live footage. The box-set went on pre-order on 11 September 2009 and was priced at £49.99. The first 100 sold boxes were individually numbered and signed by all band members. The DVDs have no region restrictions, and can be played in any part of the world. The album contained three new songs: "Just Say Yes", "Give Me Strength" and "Dark Roman Wine". Additionally, a solo rendition of "An Olive Grove Facing the Sea", performed by Gary Lightbody was also released through the album. Also featured is the cover of Beyoncé Knowles' "Crazy in Love", which became a hit in the hip hop community. Lightbody felt it would be one of the most sought-after songs on the collection. Lightbody is pleased with "Give Me Strength" and has named it [probably] his most favorite song by the band. The song is about everyone who's "been there", his love for his bandmates, especially Jonny Quinn, whom he considers his big brother. He has said that it was "long overdue". The song is lyrically similar to "Weather to Fly" by Elbow. Lightbody is a huge fan of the band and is "head-over-heels in love" with them. He has credited the band for being the reason for "most of the things [he does]" and does not deny that he may have subconsciously based "Give Me Strength" on "Weather to Fly". ==Reception==

Critical reception towards Up to Now was "generally favorable" according to the review collecting site Metacritic, where it holds a score of 62. IndieLondon's Jack Foley gave it a 4.5/5 rating, and found it "classy". He praised it for not being a generic compilation album, noting the inclusion of the band's lesser known songs. He praised the band's willingness to tread unfamiliar territory (with "Just Say Yes") and found the synth a "nice touch". On national record charts, it peaked at number 5 in the Netherlands and Ireland. In the UK, it peaked at 3. It also reached the top 40 in Switzerland, peaking at number 36. ==Supporting tour==

on 24 November 2009 The band "looked back" by playing a special tour, called the Reworked Tour. The songs were reconstructed using strings, brass and choir. The band visited a south London studio to rehearse the reworked songs. Touring began in mid-November, and continued till early December. The band played without any support act. They took the stage twice between an interval, accompanied by 11 special musical guests, including Iain Archer, members of Belle & Sebastian, Teenage Fanclub and Idlewild. ==Track listing==

• Connolly • Lightbody • Tom Simpson • Quinn • Paul Wilson }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} • Beyoncé Knowles • Rich Harrison • Shawn Carter • Eugene Record }} • Knowles • Harrison • Carter • Record }} • Lightbody • Lee }} • Lightbody • Lee }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • McClelland • Lightbody • Tony Doogan • Michael Brennan Jnr }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} • Lightbody • The Reindeer Section }} • Doogan • Lightbody }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • McClelland • Lightbody • Doogan • Brennan Jnr }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • McClelland • Lightbody • Doogan • Brennan Jnr }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • McClelland • Lightbody • Doogan • Brennan Jnr }} • Connolly • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn • Iain Archer }} }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • Connolly • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn • Archer }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} • Connolly • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • Lightbody • McClelland • Quinn }} • Lightbody • The Reindeer Section }} • Doogan • Lightbody }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} • Connolly • Lightbody • Simpson • Quinn • Wilson }} }} Box set Including the two CDs and DVD, the box set version contains an additional CD and DVD. ==Charts and certifications==

Weekly charts Year-end charts Certifications ==Release history==