It was in the middle of another epic Snow Patrol tour of America that Gary Lightbody found his imagination drawn back to the world of Tired Pony. The band were put together by Lightbody as a sort of Americana road-trip and their 2010 debut was a joyously melancholic love-letter to the States.
Armed with verses, choruses and melodies waiting to be knocked into shape, he pulled the gang back together. Not the easiest of tasks given there s seven of them; Tired Pony s core members are Lightbody, Iain Archer, Peter Buck, Richard Colburn, Scott McCaughey, Troy Stewart and Garret Jacknife Lee, who also serves as producer.
"Ghost of the Mountain" is a powerful, multi-hued sophomore release, a sunshine record documenting bleak times. You ll want to singalong to it; your heart will break when you realize what you re singing about.