Tear Up This Town

When Keane went on hiatus in 2013, I figured--we all did--that it wouldn't be long. Two years, max. Tom wanted to do a solo album, and how long could that take him?

Turns out, a while. Three years later, he's just getting that released soon (and it's lovely), and everyone's favorite drummer, Richard, announced recently the arrival of his baby son (which sent the Keane fanbase into spirals of delight on Twitter).

So there's been some nice things coming our way from the Keane guys as individuals, but we all miss the collective whole. And then, they went and surprised us this week, when a single was announced. It's a one-song thing--not for an album, but just a song they recorded in January as a favor for a friend of theirs who directed one of their music videos. He's directing the soon-to-be-released film "A Monster Calls," and asked Keane to give him a song for the sound track...so they did.

Maybe it's the long hiatus, or maybe it's the stress I've been under recently, but I am obsessed with "Tear Up This Town." It will be available for sale on the 25th, but until then, fans have been *ahem,illegally* able to listen to it thanks to Keane Spain, and even Richard, on Twitter, has stated that he'd rather fans be able to listen to it, knowing we'll all be happy to actually pay for it as soon as we're able.

For fear of it being taken down, I won't link it here, but I've been pretty much non-stop listening to the link I have for the last few days. It is everything I love about Keane--Tim's incredible songwriting and heart-wrenching lyrics, Tom's glorious voice, and Richard and Jesse driving it home from the rhythm section. The song is so Keane--right back to their earliest days--and so, so lovely, I can hardly stand it.

It gives me hope that Keane is not quite finished.



Do you ever feel like all you want is to go home
To kiss the earth, to weave a way through this storm
Some days I rage like a fire in the wilderness
Some days I only need the darkness and a place to rest

Oh, it takes time
Learning to fly

Tear up this town
Blinking in the sunlight as the walls come down
This fire will burn
Digging for a truth that just can't be found
Don't want your lessons in love
I want to tear it all up