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May 9, 2012Frontman Tom Chaplin continues to imbue it all with freshness and wonder making Strangeland an inviting place.
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May 3, 2012What Keane perfects in these stadium-swelling anthems is the meticulous yet ineffable melodic progression that goes straight for the emotional reflex.
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Entertainment WeeklyMay 10, 2012These UK hitmakers reclaim their wimpy-wistful sweet spot in pretty piano-pop tunes. [11 May 32012, p.67]
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May 18, 2012If you're looking for the quartet's usual twist in its sobriety, there's a Sondheim-ian feel to Keane's particularly ardent brand of complex pop melancholy this time out to go with its new sense of directness.
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May 9, 2012Strangeland never really lives up to its mysterious title, as there's nothing on it that doesn't feel willfully nostalgic, but like any good plate of comfort food it satisfies in a way that more adventurous meals never truly can.
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Q MagazineJun 20, 2012Strangeland isn't much of a diversion from their fame-bringing formula. [Jun 2012, p.105]
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Jun 8, 2012While this album will neither shock nor rewrite opinion, there is no denying 'Strangeland' is solid enough.
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May 31, 2012Another accomplished, warm, and welcoming record, one whose open-hearted generosity of spirit ultimately proves hard to resist.
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May 9, 2012Here is the ultra-Keane album, with tinkling, histrionic, arena-ready piano motifs™, soaring, emotive vocals™ and songs called 'Day Will Come', 'In Your Own Time' and 'Silenced By The Night'.
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May 7, 2012There isn't anything as irresistible as "Everybody's Changing" or "Spiralling" this time around, but this is still another smoothly accomplished set.
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May 4, 2012Strangeland feels just a bit by the numbers.
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May 3, 2012Strangeland is a good but not great album that will be enjoyed by fans of classic Keane, who at this point may reluctantly begin to put down their torches and pitchforks.
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May 2, 2012Those glimpses on Perfect Symmetry of something flashier and sexier make this retreat to familiarity a somewhat saddening step backwards.
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UncutMay 2, 2012Generally Strangeland is all too familiar fare. [Jun 2012, p.77]
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May 23, 2012At times it's catchy, but its maudlin ballads and monochrome synth-pop production are also kind of dull.
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May 2, 2012While the positive vibe is admirable, there's just not much substantial to grab on to--and few songs linger after the album's over.
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May 7, 2012Strangeland is drenched in reverb-heavy piano, Chicken Soup for the Soul maxims and moderately maudlin musings about not being young any more.
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May 4, 2012Strangeland marks a sad reversion to Coldplay territory after Keane's tentative experimentation on recent releases.
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May 2, 2012While the melodies are stodgy and predictable, the lyrics don't help a great deal.
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May 7, 2012Strangeland sounds every bit as dated and overblown as the singles from Cher's "rock" phase.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 62 out of 76
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Mixed: 10 out of 76
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Negative: 4 out of 76
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May 10, 2012
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May 8, 2012
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May 15, 2012