Keane
Music that has defined my last decade.
I first heard of Keane while watching a 2005 SNL episode hosted by none other than Paris Hilton. The skits were so-so, but the musical act was incredible. Their music was so honest and emotional. That band was Keane. In the decade since, their four albums have defined my high school, college and post-grad years, with lyrics waxing poetic about the ups and downs of relationships, families, expectations, growing up, finding one’s calling and ultimately, finding true happiness. Their greatest hits album (pictured in the background), sounds like a personal walk down memory lane. Keane songs tend to start solemnly before crescendoing into an incredible climax. Tom Chaplin has one of the best rock voices of the past 20 years, rivaling the likes of Steve Perry with his vocal range and power. The incredible melodies and songwriting from their resident “genius”, Mr. Tim Rice-Oxley, definitely lifts their music above the usual cliched, “down-on-my-luck” music that many bands chase for a cheap hit. A great Keane song is “Everybody’s Changing”, a song that defined my senior year in high school. Just the idea that after June, everyone would be on their individual paths, unlikely to ever return to that building again. “Disconnected” is a great song about estrangement, be it from a friend or a loved one. It perfectly illustrates the frustrations and hopelessness that can arise from a friendship or relationship that has run its course or that has a distant possibility of being on solid terms again.
I find myself listening to their first two albums more than their last two. However, my favorite album by them is “Night Train”. I remember buying this EP at the local, now-defunct “Borders, Books and Music”. They used to have listening booths and this was Keane at their wackiest and most experimental, pushing the limits of the “pop/rock” genre with added elements of electronica. This was 2008. I was in college and the Obama Campaign was defining the lives of everyone in my age group. This idea that anything was possible, even a dance record liked “Spiralling” from the likes of “that” band Keane, seemed to be coming into fruition.
Their fourth album, Perfect Symmetry, continued their experimentation with electronica and the results were awesome! I love “The Lovers are Losing” and “Perfect Symmetry”, the latter which I listened to on a daily basis while in college at UVA. Being surrounded by wealthy people seemingly living “perfect lives”, this song was incredibly cathartic in showing that hey, you can live an imperfect life because perfection is boring and you should always strive to live outside a small, safe box, especially when you’re young. Perfection is impossible and also very boring. Which leads me to their greatest hits album (technically their fifth album), featuring the track “Won’t Be Broken”, a song that spurred me on in my time at NYC. This provided me with the strength I needed to survive and thrive in a brutal, ever-expensive city and showed me that I am tough and can make it on my own there.
Fast forward to 2014 and today. Keane is on hiatus with Tom Chaplin set to release a solo record next year. I haven’t listened to their music since I returned to the suburbs after living in NYC for two years. I can’t wait for their next album, whenever that may be, as well as the opportunity to see them live one day. They’ve defined much of my teens and twenties and I hope they continue to make music that defines my later adult years.
More happy songs please!
