When today’s random song popped up, I had a hard time remembering that English indie rock band Keane ever released an album called Strangeland.
A quick search of the blog revealed my lone post on the 2012 recording, written the year of its release, in which I trashed it as the band’s first misstep after a string of very good albums.
This is the first time I’ve heard a moment of the album in the decade since.
Although Strangeland became Keane’s fifth consecutive #1 album in the UK, it received mixed reviews. A year later, the band went on a five-year hiatus that ended with their most recent release, 2019’s Cause and Effect.
This town was our lovers’ stage
But now you can’t recognise
The streetlights that are daggers to your eyes
You can’t find your bearings
You’re slipping into the ground
The scene has no colour and no sound
Do you still believe in me
After the things I’ve done?
Do you fear for what we have become?
The ground is uneven
We stumble from day to day
But shelter where it’s easy
I know your feet are like lead
But you’ve got to get underway
[Chorus 1]
Drag your heart up to the starting line
Forget the ghosts that make you old before your time
It’s too easy to get left behind
I know you’ve been kicked around
But tie up your thoughts and lay them down on me
[Verse 2]
Each heart is a paper kite
Blown around by the breeze
Love won’t rest ’til it brings you to your knees
Some find it easy
Some will never even know
You think you’ve done your journey
Then you stumble and find
That there’s such a long way to go
[Chorus 2]
Drag your heart up to the starting line
Forget the ghosts that make you old before your time
It’s too easy to get left behind
I know you’ve been kicked around
You wanna be lost and not be found
Let’s take the back way into town
And drink to the bad times
Lay them down on me
[Verse 3]
Girl, I still believe in you
You’re too good to fall so low
We’re gonna find a better life, I know
Things will be clearer
And soon as we make a start
We’ll be that much nearer
We’re too old to just stand here
Waiting to break apart
[Chorus 1]
Drag your heart up to the starting line
Forget the ghosts that make you old before your time
It’s too easy to get left behind
I know you’ve been kicked around
But tie up your thoughts and lay them down on me
On me, on me
Meet Me In Montauk 
And? Has your opinion about this album changed? How is the new record?