Strangeland: Keane’s Brand New World
by Tim Ramos

Let me say this from the get go: I’m not much of a Keane fan. Personally there’s something about the “slowness” in their sound – which is reminiscent in many British alternative bands, actually – that just turns me off.

KEANE band members: Tom Chaplin (vocals/guitar), Richard Hughes (drums/percussions), Tim Rice-Oxley (piano/keyboards/synth) and Jesse Quin (bass).

That being said, I can say with conviction that I respect their music, and their commitment to making it. At the press conference for their ‘Strangeland’ concert in Manila, the band – Tim, Tom, Richard and Jesse - were pretty unanimous in calling their music ‘honest’ and a reflection of their personal journeys in life.

Sure, a lot of musicians say that, but listening to Keane’s music, not only in their new album, but in their previous work as well, the journey is evident. In the kind of lyrics their songs have to the musicality of each album, there is a feeling of going through life.

Citing musical influences like The Beatles, Oasis, U2, Queen and the Pet shop Boys, Tim Rice-Oxley, Keane’s main composer and pianist, says it’s really just about the music.

“We’re not trying to be cool or anything. It’s just about making music we like doing and not so much of creating some grand legacy.”

You really cannot get much more honest than that.

And like life, there are ups and downs, with Strangeland reflecting, this time, the up more than the down. “We were silenced by the night, but you and I, we gonna rise again,” they exclaim in one of the tracks in the new album.

So far, I’ve listened to ‘Silenced by the Night’ and ‘Disconnected’ from Strangeland, and judging by the sound, it is a brand new world for them indeed. And a good one too, I think. I might just listen to the whole album one of these days – honest, earnest, emotionally-motivated music. I like the sound of that.

***A big thank you goes out to MJ Juco and the folks at MCA Music for the chance to attend the press conference and get to know Keane better, and to VerJube Photographics for this guest posting.

KEANE’s Strangeland is out now in CDs exclusively under MCA Music available at Astroplus and Odyssey Music and Video or online via iTunes MyMusicStore.com.ph. More photos from the presscon courtesy of VerJube Photographics HERE.

British alternative rock band KEANE welcomes you into their Strangeland through their Manila concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena this 02 Oct 2012. 

KEANE achieved mainstream success with the release of their debut album, “Hopes and Fears” in 2004. Lead singles “Somewhere Only We Know” is one of the greatest hits of 2004. The album sold more than nine million copies worldwide, and won a Brit Award for Best Album in 2005. In addition, the band also won the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act, voted by listeners of BBC Radio 1. Success continued with their second studio album, “Under the Iron Sea,” which topped the album charts in the UK and debuted at an impressive No.4 on the US Billboard 200 chart. This album marked the transition from piano-driven songs in their first album to more progressive, sophisticated music, again without using guitars. Their third album, “Perfect Symmetry,” explored and moved from their established piano-pop sound to the use of guitars for the first time. 

KEANE’s latest album “Strangeland,” released in May 2012 under MCA Music (Universal Music Philippines) debuted at No.1 on the UK Albums chart. This feat made them one of three bands in UK pop history to have five consecutive Number 1 albums. It’s the first album to feature bassist Jesse Quin as an official member. In an interview with NME.com, lead vocalist Tom Chaplin said, “The album has the vibe of earlier Keane. 2008′s “Perfect Symmetry” was a big self-indulgent and this record felt a bit more like we knew ourselves a bit better and what our strengths were.” Pianist Tim Rice-Oxley added: “We wanted it be less production led and focus on making sure that the songs were great. You write a lot of shit songs to get to the good ones.” Drummer Richard Hughes said, “In many respects, it feels like the completion of a circle. On the album you have songs that draw upon the experiences we used to share as kids, growing up in Battle. You can never really go back, of course. We’re married. Some of us have kids. Once in a while though, after a good day, we’ll go to the local pub and talk about everything and nothing until it’s time to go home. Whatever it is that makes us Keane – that invisible glue – is still there. And you can hear it all over ‘Strangeland’.”

KEANE’s albums are out now in CDs exclusively under MCA Music available at Astroplus and Odyssey Music and Video or online via iTunes MyMusicStore.com.ph 

KEANE is composed of Tom Chaplin on lead vocals / acoustic guitar, Tim Rice-Oxley on piano / keyboards / synthesizers, Richard Hughes on drums / percussions and Jesse Quin on bass guitar.

Since their debut, KEANE’s music has won over the hearts of music fans all over the world, especially those in Manila. Catch Keane Live! in Manila on October 2, 2012 at SM Mall of Asia’s The Arena. Tickets are available at www.smtickets.com or call 470-2222 for more details. Ticket prices are at: VIP A (first 10 rows) 6340, VIP B 4760, Patron 4760, Lower Box 3170, Upper Box 1590 and General Admission 740.

“KEANE Live! In Manila: Strangeland Tour” is brought to you by Trilogy Live and STRO World in cooperation with Dayly Entertainment. Co-Presented by Jack TV and ETC. Major Sponsors: Terranova and Banco De Oro. Official Residence: EDSA Shangri-La Manila. Media Partners: ABS-CBN, MYX, RX 93.1, Mellow 94.7, 95.5 Pinas FM, 96.3 Easy Rock, Business World, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The La Sallian, Pep.ph, ClicktheCity.com, Philstar.com, Manila Concert Scene, Philippine Concerts, MyMusicStore.com.ph, WhenInManila.com, Juice.ph and PinoyExchange.com. Special thanks to: MCA Music (Universal Music Philippines), Astroplus and Odyssey Music & Video.

Leaving you with this videos, Keane’s biggest hits: “Everybody’s Changing” [by islandrecords] and “Somewhere Only We Know” [by KeaneVEVO].

KEANE wanders on a new ‘Strangeland’

KEANE wanders on a new ‘Strangeland’ —- their latest album, that is. Strangeland (2012) is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock band Keane. It is their first full length album since Perfect Symmetry (2008), as well as the first to feature bassist Jesse Quin as an official member. Keane offers a refreshing sound through Strangeland. Helen Lear of The Music describes the new album as, “middle-of-the-road indie-pop”, and “pretty much what you would expect from Keane, but the tempo is noticeably more upbeat and the style more diverse than previous albums. It offers some more fun in a grown-up style that may attract new fans to take a listen.”

Strangeland features sixteen tracks such as the redemptive declamations of “Silenced by the Night”, the spirit-swelling “Neon River”, the bittersweet friendship song “Watch How You Go”, the electronica element of “Black Rain”, the narrative “Sovereign Light Café” and songs which are unmistakably ‘Keane’ like “Disconnected” and “Day Will Come” plus other promising tracks like “You are Young”, “On the Road”, “The Starting Line”, “In Your Own Time”, “Sea Fog”, “Run with Me”, “The Boys”, “It’s Not True” and “Strangeland” —- all of which are absolutely worth listening to. As what Keane drummer Richard Hughes stated, ‘Whatever it is that makes us ‘Keane’ – that invisible glue – is still there. And you can hear it all over Strangeland.’

Keane achieved mainstream success with the release of their debut album, Hopes and Fears, in 2004. The album won multiple awards and was the second best-selling British album of the year. Their second studio album, Under the Iron Sea, continued the band’s success, topping the album charts in the UK and debuting at number-four on the Billboard 200 chart. In May 2008, both Hopes and Fears and Under the Iron Sea were voted by readers of Q magazine as among the best British albums ever, with Keane, The Beatles, Oasis and Radiohead as the only artists having two albums in the Top 20.

Keane’s new album STRANGELAND is out now in CDs exclusively under MCA Music available at Astroplus and Odyssey Music & Video or online via iTunes MyMusicStore.com.ph