“I’m going back to a time when we owned this town,” proclaims Keane’s lead singer, Tom Chaplin, on “Sovereign Light CafCB),” the fifth track on his group’s fourth record, Strangeland. In doing so, Chaplin seems to outline the approach Keane takes on the album, which is about as shameless an attempt of a “return to form” as anything you’ve heard in the past decade.
Not that there’s anything wrong with this – the formula Keane employed on its nine-time platinum-selling debut, Hopes and Fears, was clearly a winner, and while that record’s sound isn’t exactly timeless, it’s still reasonably fresh today.
The problem with Strangeland lies not so much in concept but in execution. While Keane’s debut had the consistency to back up its pop melodrama, Strangeland too often expresses vague messages of inspiration, which seem to belittle the listener and overshadow the many strengths the record has.
We’ll start with some of the high points, which generally fall into the album’s more constant characteristics. From its inception, Keane has been blessed with one of pop rock’s best voices in Tom Chaplin, and on Strangeland, the 33-year old sounds as strong as ever, with a majestic sort of precision that never ceases to impress. The backing instrumentals, likewise, are extremely tight, and while the band doesn’t exactly take any huge risks, it’s easy to discern the talents of its members. The production from Dan Grech-Margeurat is similarly razor-sharp, a balanced blend highlighting Keane’s traditional approach while also tastefully implementing some electronic flourishes here and there.
When these elements come together, it proves for a masterful mix and reminds the listener of why this band so quickly rose to the forefront of piano-rock back in ’05. Second single “Disconnected” is the most reminiscent of the band’s original sound, and it works exceptionally well, with the record’s most solid hook and a relatable set of lyrics which Chaplin charmingly brings to life. “Sovereign Light CafCB)” uses an almost Springsteen-esque approach as it attempts – successfully – to tell a singular narrative, with a driving beat and vivid imagery. The results are a track so sparkly it makes Coldplay look bleak, and while it at times borders on the clichCB)d, it proves to be an extremely tough song not to enjoy. Lead single “Silenced By the Night” is also a generally solid bit of pop fare, and though the lyrics seem to be about almost nothing at all (what does it mean to be both “silenced by the night” and “divided by the light?”), the track is bolstered by a powerful piano part and a towering chorus, the latter of which you’ll be humming after just one or two listens.
It’s generally in the song-to-song variables where Strangeland loses some steam, and nowhere is this inconsistency more exposed than in the album’s lyrics – Chaplin may have the voice of an angel, but he’s hardly blessed as a lyricist.
Keane’s first album featured an array of songs that expressed relatable messages with a nuanced sincerity, and met listeners at their level even as Chaplin’s voice soared miles above. On Strangeland, however, Chaplin seems to fall back on vague messages of encouragement that are more irritating (and seemingly insulting) than they are uplifting. Opener “You Are Young,” “On the Road,” “The Starting Line” and “In Your Own Time” are all crippled by this mushy motivation, with lines like “Fearful child, have faith in brighter days,” “When things get bad/You know you’ll have a friend” and “Girl, I still believe in you.” The collective impact of these lyrics is a feeling not so much of hope, but of belittlement. It’s only on late gem “Day Will Come,” which wields a fantastic chorus and clever piano breakdown, that this sentiment is effectively expressed, but this track’s effortless appeal is ultimately weighed down by the weakness of its preceding thematic siblings.
Thankfully, the all-too-consistent schmaltz of the record’s back end is broken up with the one-two punch of “Black Rain” and “Neon River.” “Neon River,” a song as sonically bright as its title may suggest, boasts a surprisingly biting refrain, in which Chaplin chides: “She took the train into the city, but you’re still here.” “Black Rain” is even more of a thematic outlier, with a haunting refrain of: “If you’ve got love, you better hope that’s enough.” Ironically, this one line seems to completely contradict much of the record’s “love conquers all” mentality, but with the song’s haunting melody and gorgeous use of strings, you’ll hardly notice. It is mostly the distinctness of these songs’ lyrical approaches that makes them so utterly refreshing, but even outside of the context of Strangeland, these are two largely solid alt-rock tunes.
At times, Strangeland‘s return to Keane’s roots works well, and fans of the band’s prior work will find at least a few tracks to enjoy. Too often, though, Chaplin’s lyrics seem to talk down to the listener, and the album sometimes feels less like an actually heartfelt piece of work and more like something you’d find in the self-help section at Barnes and Noble.
