Artist: Keane
Album: Strangeland
Genre: Pop, rock, piano rock
Label: Island

Regrettably, I must acknowledge that I’ve never been a particularly huge fan of Keane. That said, the appeal is obvious. Their music is distinctive, imbued with a refreshing, sunny lightness and endearing frivolity that surely enchants listeners too used to hearing overbearing rock songs and auto-tuned pop monstrosities. It feels natural and wholesome, and combined with the boyish and dulcet vocals of Tom Chaplain is an easy sell. The band made a name for themselves by advancing their piano to the role of lead instrument, using distortion and sound effects to make it more expansive than the guitar that underpins so many of their cohorts. This instrument is at the root of their aesthetic and ridiculously pretty sound, ensuring every note has a sparkling, almost innocent charm that’s impossible to resist.

This latest effort comprises the same lush and romanticized piano rock to which fans have become accustomed, and it is largely a very impressive and engaging work. There isn’t much by way of diversity in the tracks, but in sticking to the same sweeping, poppy formula the band members are hardly doing themselves disservice. Strangeland opens with two particularly strong tracks. “You Are Young” is rousing and melodic, led by strong and invigorating vocals. It has a natural freshness and adds careful layers of instrumentation as it evolves to become something a little more magical. There’s a keen nostalgia evident here that lingers throughout many of the tracks; the endearingly idealistic tone and encouraging lyrical sentiment giving the song a gorgeous focal point. “Silenced by the Night” is a little more focused. It anchors itself to a robust bass line so as not to get too lost in dreamy, sparkling keys. Yet this is not to imply they’re without purpose – the piano adds a sublime grace to proceedings and affords the song the same richness as the opening track but with a more vivid, specific centre.

The two after this aren’t quite as pleasing. “Disconnected” is a bit more hushed and intense. Chaplain sings in a lower register and there’s a sense of irony or grimness to his voice that makes this seem more like a lingering love song. It grows into itself and takes on the same soaring intensity as the other tracks, but this costs it in terms of depth. “Watch How You Go” is also a bit meandering. It’s laid-back and loving, with a sweet sentiment and gorgeous choral harmony towards the end. That said, it is somewhat dreary, and struggles to make a defining impact.

“Sovereign Light Café” ought to be a crowd pleaser and is easily one of the album’s best tracks. It’s rhythmic and spirited – a dose of exhilarating, vivacious life that sums up the best aspects of their sound. “On the Road” is similarly jovial and lively. In the presence of particularly soaring vocals and a determined bass line, the piano plays a grounding role here and infuses the song with earthy tones. It is consuming and captivating, peaking with a delightful vocal harmony. “The Starting Line,” another wholesome and rapturous love song, is particularly effective for its marriage of wide-scale pop appeal with some of the band’s more delicate sensibilities. It manages to interweave something intimate and tender with a bolder sound, without overpowering or undermining it. It adds to the beauty instead of marring it – an intricate skill well associated with Keane, and one that does tend to set them apart.

Strangeland’s only downfall may be that it is too content to rest on its laurels. All of the songs are aesthetically lovely, but they do little to push boundaries or expand on the style the band has established. This is fine for the undiscerning fan, but if you want some bolder offerings you may be disappointed. The lushness of Keane’s approach can also tend to obscure their songs, as much as it enhances them. “Black Rain” for instance is beautiful, but befuddled. The vocals are ghostly and elated and a pulsating beat hovers earnestly in the background throughout, but it meanders too much. However, “Sea Fog” must be singled out as a tremendous finale. It’s bare, plaintive, and natural, distancing itself from the two songs which precede it. There’s an echoing backing vocal which adds depth and conscience to Chaplain’s musings, and the wordless vocal lines and lingering piano make it really haunting.

Strangeland isn’t a drastic departure or bold leap forward for Keane, but it does represent more of the exquisitely lovely and soulful music that has made them so popular. For this reason, it should win favor, and it does make for an uplifting listen.

SCORE: 8/10
Review written by Grace Duffy

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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