cinematic strangeland

Keane are about to return from the wilderness with "Strangeland", their first new music since the "Night Train" EP in 2010.

It's their first, full longplayer in nearly four years since the sound altering "Perfect Symmetry" which saw them replace their delicate, piano led lushness with lots of buzzy synths and clattering drums. I, for one, loved the album and thought it was a bold and necessary step forward for Tim Rice-Oxley and co.

For the new album, it appears the band, now a foursome with the official addition of Jessie Quinn on bass guitar and percussion. And it appears they've returned to the velvety simplicity and cinematic scope of their first two albums. Tom Chaplin's yearning vocal soars above the beautifully produced arrangements and he seems to sing with a greater sense of assuredness and confidence

In anticipation of the album, the band have cobbled together a lovely overview of it and whacked it up on their website. Let's have a peek.



Ooh! That's lovely.

Keane's fourth, studio longplayer will be released on May 7th 2012. The tracklisting is as follows:

1. You Are Young
2. Silenced By The Night
3. Disconnected
4. Watch How You Go
5. Sovereign Light Café
6. On The Road
7. The Starting Line
8. Black Rain
9. Neon River
10. Day Will Come
11. In Your Own Time
12. Sea Fog

As well as the standard CD and digital versions of the album, "Strangeland" will be available as an extended CD with four bonus tracks and a vinyl elpee. Additionally, a deluxe CD/DVD combo will be released which includes the bonus tracks, five acoustic videos and a book packed with photographs as well as, a short story by British author William Boyd. That's a lot cash for fans to drop in one day. It's reminds me somewhat of the days when singles were released in five or six formats. Ah, the eighties. Bless.

"Strangeland" will be available from all fine "shops" on May 7.