Cover for the Sovereign Light Café single showing the actual Sovereign Light Café in Battle.

First Impressions

We heard Sovereign Light Cafe first on the album Strangeland and we loved it then, and we love it as much now, the song has such a quality not found in many bands anymore today. The song is still not equal to any of the classic singles from the Hopes & Fears era, but Keane are definitley on to something with Sovereign Light Cafe.

Review

The song takes a ride through places and landmarks around the bands first footsteps around their hometown in Battle, East Sussex, evident by the lyrics. The song has that catchy feel we’ve all been missing from Keane songs, especially from the ill fated Perfect Symmetry album. The music video is equally as matched as a Keane classic and takes the road with you. The song has the piano based sounds we’ve been missing from Keane since they got obsessed with guitar rift effects and 80s synths, but all in all Sovereign Light Cafe is a refreshing single and definitely one not to forget.

B-Side ‘Difficult Child’

We were more interested in the b-side when Sovereign Light Cafe was released, and Keane are one of the, now for some reason not many, bands that thankfully offer b-sides with their singles. Difficult Child is an interesting one as it has more country sound to it than most Keane songs, definitely references from Tim Rice Oxley and Jessie Quins ‘Mt Desolation’ days. Unfortunately the songs not that special, its just alright, its definitely a grower, but has the same weak sounding vocals from Tom we thought we were rid of after Night Train, but sadly not. The song does make up for many things by having some pretty deep lyrics about a man working through his life, explaining himself as a Difficult Child who through it all needs that special someone. The song features some rather country sound electric guitar rifts as well which is intriguing for Keane, the songs definitely not a bad one, but for those not big fans of country music this won’t be a song for you, but those who loved Mt Desolation will love this little hidden gem.

Lyrics

I’m going back to the time when we owned this town
Down Powder Mill Lane, in the battlegrounds
We were friends and lovers and clueless clowns

I didn’t know I was finding out how I’d be torn from you
When we talked about things we were born to do
We were wide eyed dreamers and wiser too

We’d go down to the rides on East Parade,
by the lights of the Palace Arcade and
Watch night coming down on the Sovereign Light Café

I’m begging you for some sign, but you’ve still got nothing to say
Don’t turn your back on me, don’t walk away
I’m a better man now than I was that day

Let’s go down to the rides on East Parade,
by the lights of the Palace Arcade and
Watch night coming down on the Sovereign Light Café
Let’s go down to the bandstand on the pier
Watch the drunks and the lovers appear to
Take time, just the stars at the Sovereign Light Café

I wheel my bike off the train,
Up the North Trade Road,
Look for you on Marley Lane
In every building, every street sign,
Oh why did we ever go so far from home?

You’ve got nothing to hide, you cant change who you really are,
You can get a big house and a faster car
You can run away boy, but you won’t go far

Let’s go down to the rides on East Parade,
by the lights of the Palace Arcade
Watch night coming down on the Sovereign Light Café
Stroll down to the bandstand on the pier
Watch the drunks and the lovers appear
Take time, just the stars at the Sovereign Light Café

La la la la la la de da, Yeah,
I’m going where the people know my name

Overview

An awesome second (UK atleast) single by Keane, from their incredible album Strangeland, the band can’t seem to do anything wrong at the moment. Sovereign Light Cafe is an awesome song and one we think you will be singing in our ears for years to come, awesome single Keane.

Available now on iTunes / Amazon MP3 / Zune

 = Such a catchy single about a bands roots, a song that brings back the sound that we all loved from classic Keane, tho not the best b-side.