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  • New Single! Keane “Silenced by the Night”

    New Single! Keane “Silenced by the Night”


    ''Silenced by the Night''

    My main problem with the British band Keane is the same problem that I have with photographs of autumn landscapes: the prettiness, the infernally unquestionable prettiness of it all. It’s so freaking easy to love what a Keane song sounds like that it almost feels like you’re missing something, like you’re falling for something that somehow isn’t quite real. Like you’ve ridden a fake elevator to the top of a skyscraper and the view from the “observation deck” window isn’t really the actual view, but a projection of the beautiful view you believed you were riding up the “elevator” to see.

    It seems so simple to love a Keane song, and yet my relationship status with the band has always been “It’s Complicated.”

    That said, in the eight years since the release of their very, very pretty album Hopes and Fears, we’ve seen some of their singles – especially the lovely “Somewhere Only We Know” – become virtual standards for their generation. That song didn’t make the U.S. Top 40. Nevertheless, it’s been performed by American Idol contestants, and it was featured in an episode of Glee last year. I hate to admit that it took seeing a very pretty Darren Criss very prettily serenading a teary-eyed Chris Colfer to convince me there’s more to “Somewhere Only We Know” (and, by extension, Keane) than just the pretty.

    Glee Cast/The Warblers – “Somewhere Only We Know” (2011)

    I think Keane themselves have entertained a similar, uncomfortable skepticism regarding their music’s prettiness and after their gloriously moody sophomore album Under the Iron Sea, they’ve done a little sonic wilderness-wandering, trying on some newer edgier sounds on their third album Perfect Symmetry and even collaborating with rapper K’Naan for a couple of tracks on a 2010 EP called Night Train, finding only intermittent success in the process.

    The band is getting set to release their fourth full-length album in May. The album’s called Strangeland, and if its first single is any indication, it seems Keane are making peace with the pretty. “Silenced by the Night” sounds exactly like something off of Hopes and Fears, with sun-dappled keyboard lines, and a soaring vocal by Thomas Chaplin on the chorus. Even thematically, it feels like a sequel to “Somewhere Only We Know,” with lyrics about a guy finding renewed strength and refuge in a relationship, “’cause baby, I’m not scared of this world when you’re here.”

  • American Idol Season 11 – Who Makes The Top 6?

    James Durbin
    Last night, I blogged the performances show with Heejun Han. Okay, I didn’t really, but he was pretty funny on Twitter last night, so I just pretended I did.

    I thought the show was pretty strong with really, only one weak point. And that weak point is little Hollie Cavanaugh. Here was my top and bottom two from last night:

    Top 2
    1. Jessica Sanchez
    2. Elise Testone
    2. Colton Dixon (sorry, I couldn’t decide)

    Bottom 2
    1. Hollie Cavanaugh
    2. Phillip Phillips

    The top 7 start the show performing Pink’s Raise Your Glass. It was kind of a disaster. Even my Droopy Elise wearing some sort terrible green hat that didn’t match the rest of her outfit couldn’t save it.

    Ryno brings up Hollie and Jessica to center stage. Hollie has to be shaking in her boots. He puts Hollie on the right side of the stage. And Jessica goes to the left side.

    James Durbin comes out sounding like Adam Lambert and looking like UFC fighter Josh Koscheck with a blown out blond look. Sadly, there was no Hulk Hogan this time.

    Elise and Phillip are in center stage. Jimmy thinks they both will be in the bottom three. Phillip joins Hollie and Elise joins Jessica. Ryno better not throw us a curveball here.

    Half of Jennifer Hudson is out singing Act Like A Woman, Think Like A Man. It’s kind of a boring performance for her, but Ne-Yo comes out and cleans up. That dude is just good. I’m still looking for Jennifer’s second half. With heels, she’s nearly a head taller than my man. I wonder if David Otunga is in the audience with his bow tie and coffee mug?

    And yes, Jennifer Hudson is skinny.

    Ryno brings up Colton and Joshua and Jimmy says he’s in on both. Joshua goes with Jessica and Elise. Colton goes with Hollie and Phillip. Skylar is the only one left. And she’s the first one who is safe. Ryno swerved us. He stuck Skylar with Colton, Phillip and Hollie, who are the other safe folks. My poor Elise. My poor, poor, Elise. This saddens me.

    Steven thinks they’ll use their save card this week. Um, Steven, you just ruined the suspense buddy. Joshua is safe. Jessica looks absolutely destroyed. Elise is safe! Holy cow. Jessica is so going to be saved.

    In maybe the best moment in Idol history, the judges come up and save Jessica before she gets into half of the first verse of her song and she just looks shocked. She has no idea what is going on. But the best part is that J. Lo shows us a side angle of that badonk and man, that lady will always have it.

    (Fast forward to about 1:57)

    You know what this means next week though. Two people are going home. And since America was drunk last night, we could see two really strong singers go home.

    Hollie doesn’t deserve to be on this show! Come on! Seacrest out!

  • American Idol Season 11 – Who Makes The Top 7?

    Last night was 80s night on American Idol and most of the contestants did well. The judges went out of their way to let the people know that Hollie wasn’t good. I compared her to a child pageant winner on Popblerd, so I didn’t really like her as much either.

    Here were my top and bottom 2 from last night:

    Top 2
    1. Joshua
    2. Colton

    Bottom 2
    1. Hollie
    2. Phillip

    The show starts with Ryno Seacrest introducing Jenny Lo’s new video. I don’t care for the song that much, but as you’d expect, she looks absolutely amazing in the video. And look at that daggone one-piece. Yikes.

    Joshua is sick and says he may black out. Ryno brings Joshua and Jessica to the middle of the stage. Joshua is safe as is Jessica. They were gimmes.

    Some UK group named The Wanted is on stage. What is this, X Factor? At least, they’re trying to bring boy bands back. I’m all for boy bands coming back.

    Ryno continues to bring them up in their duet pairs from last night. It’s Colton and Skyler’s turn to come to the middle. Before telling anyone they are in the bottom two, Ryno brings up Hollie and DeAndre as well. Deandre is in the bottom three. Colton is safe. Hollie is in the bottom three and Skylar is safe. That means either Phillip or my girl Droopy Dog, I mean Elise is in the bottom three. I have a bad feeling for my girl.

    Before we get to see who is the last person in the bottom three, we get a Kellie Pickler and her song, Where’s Tammy Wynette. I think she’s trying to look like a sexier version of Carrie. Too bad she doesn’t sound like Carrie.

    My girl is in the bottom three. Ryno tells Hollie that she’s safe. It’s down to Deandre and Elise. Elise is safe and Deandre is up for elimination. I think Jenny Lo may try and talk the boys into keeping Deandre, but the fact of the matter is, he’s going to be there again soon. No male singer has won this show singing mostly in a light voice or a falsetto, and I don’t expect that to happen now.

    Jenny Lo tried to save Deandre, but she was vetoed. Deandre is going home sweet home. I think that they would only save Joshua, Jessica, Skylar, Phillip, and Colton if they were voted to be eliminated. Elise and Hollie better sing their asses off.