Keep the Village Alive

During the writing process for the band's previous album Graffiti on the Train (2013), Kelly Jones had written 40 song ideas, 30 of which were recorded and completed.{{cite web|url=http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/products/Stereophonics-GraffitiOnTheTrain-StylusRecords-88488.html |title=Graffiti on the Train |publisher=Piccadilly Records |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022024127/http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/products/Stereophonics-GraffitiOnTheTrain-StylusRecords-88488.html |archive-date=22 October 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=9 March 2014 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/9898329/Stereophonics-interview-with-Kelly-Jones-This-album-is-the-truest-thing-Ive-ever-written.html |title=Stereophonics interview with Kelly Jones: 'This album is the truest thing I've ever written' |last=McCormick |first=Neil |work=The Telegraph |publisher=Telegraph Media Group |date=28 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106142711/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/9898329/Stereophonics-interview-with-Kelly-Jones-This-album-is-the-truest-thing-Ive-ever-written.html |archive-date=6 November 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=9 March 2014 }} With the intention of releasing an album trilogy, the band decided against this idea after Green Day released their ¡Uno! ¡Dos! ¡Tré! series,{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news/stereophonics-dismissed-album-trilogy-after-green-day-project_3548023 |title=Stereophonics – Stereophonics Dismissed Album Trilogy After Green Day Project |work=WENN |publisher=Contactmusic.com |date=11 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017063747/http://www.contactmusic.com/news/stereophonics-dismissed-album-trilogy-after-green-day-project_3548023 |archive-date=17 October 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=9 March 2014 }} instead planning to release another album with ten songs.{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news/stereophonics-twopart-album_1359851 |title=Stereophonics – Stereophonics' Two-part Album |first=Bang |last=Showbiz |publisher=Contactmusic.com |date=7 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014121117/http://www.contactmusic.com/news/stereophonics-twopart-album_1359851 |archive-date=14 October 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=9 March 2014 }} Tracks from these sessions were included in Keep the Village Alive, though these track names are not stated.{{cite web|url=https://www.list.co.uk/article/67941-stereophonics-want-hot-girls-on-rider/ |title=Stereophonics want 'hot girls' on rider |work=BANG Showbiz |publisher=The List |date=27 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220213547/https://www.list.co.uk/article/67941-stereophonics-want-hot-girls-on-rider/ |archive-date=20 February 2015 |url-status=live |access-date=20 February 2015 }} Stereophonics had finished their Graffiti on the Train Tour on 28 November 2013 and in late February 2014 they went into the studio to start working on the album.{{cite web|url=http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/news/stereophonicstour |title=Stereophonics head out on UK Graffiti on the Train Arena Tour |publisher=Premier |date=30 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109195147/http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/news/stereophonicstour |archive-date= 9 January 2014 |url-status=live |access-date=9 March 2014 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151832098535876 |title=Back in the studio – music and screenplay are coming on strong!!! Kelly |work=The Stereophonics Ltd |publisher=Facebook |date=20 February 2014 |access-date=9 March 2014}}

Speaking about "I Wanna Get Lost With You", Kelly Jones mentioned the track is about "wanting to lose yourself personally, and lose yourself with somebody, and then just literally get out there."{{cite web |url=http://www.gigwise.com/news/101693/stereophonics-i-wanna-get-lost-with-you-video-to-premiere-on-gigwise |title=Stereophonics' New Video to premier on Gigwise on Monday |first=Andrew |last=Trendell |publisher=Gigwise |date=17 July 2015 |access-date=17 July 2015}} Jones came up with the melody for "Song for the Summer" while sleeping in the studio after listening to another track for half a day. The next day he wrote the lyrics in a short time and it took 45 minutes to record.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZZJBvQ4jvI |title=Song for the Summer – Stereophonics |publisher=Jo Ostermeyer |date=22 March 2015 |access-date=14 July 2015}} Jones approved the album for mass production on 22 June 2015.{{cite web |url=http://www.triplem.com.au/brisbane/music/news/2015/6/stereophonics-interview-with-ugly-phil-on-homegrown/ |title=Stereophonics' Kelly Jones Chats New Music, Aussie Tours, & Douchey Hipsters With Triple M's Ugly Phil |first=Lex |last=Campbell |publisher=Triple M |date= 23 June 2015 |access-date=17 July 2015}}

After the band decided against the album trilogy, the following album was due to be released some point between the release of Graffiti on the Train and January 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news/stereophonics-twopart-album_1359851 |title=Stereophonics – Stereophonics' Two-part Album |first=Bang |last=Showbiz |publisher=Contactmusic.com |date=7 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014121117/http://www.contactmusic.com/news/stereophonics-twopart-album_1359851 |archive-date=14 October 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=25 July 2013 }} Kelly Jones tweeted in late September 2014 that the album had been mixed and was to be released in autumn 2015 and have new songs released in May.{{cite web |url=http://www.fortitudemagazine.co.uk/music/alt-indie/stereophonics-tease-2015-album/21395/ |title=Stereophonics Tease 2015 Album |last=Derbyshire |first=James |publisher=Fortitude Magazine |date=29 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211221858/http://www.fortitudemagazine.co.uk/music/alt-indie/stereophonics-tease-2015-album/21395/ |archive-date=11 February 2015 |url-status=live |access-date=11 February 2015}} True to their word, it was later announced in May 2015 that a new song ("C'est la Vie") would be released a day later and the album on 11 September 2015.{{cite web |url=http://shop.stereophonics.com/ |title=Stereophonics Shop |publisher=The Stereophonics Ltd |date=11 May 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015}} This harkens back to when Stereophonics' studio albums were released every two years from Word Gets Around (1997) to Keep Calm and Carry On (2009).{{cite web|url=http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4146137-album-by-album--kelly-jones-on-the-stereophonics-back-catalogue |title=Album by Album: Kelly Jones on the Stereophonics' back catalogue |first=Marc |last=Burrows |publisher=Drowned in Sound |date=8 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018032808/http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4146137-album-by-album--kelly-jones-on-the-stereophonics-back-catalogue |archive-date=18 October 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=5 June 2015 }} Between the final mix and lead single release, the band played the opening night of the Teenage Cancer Trust 2015 concert – during this they debuted three new songs from this album: "C'est la Vie", "Song for the Summer" and "I Wanna Get Lost With You".{{cite web |url=http://life.royalalberthall.com/2015/03/24/stereophonics-open-the-teenage-cancer-trust-season-with-some-very-special-guests/ |title=Stereophonics open the Teenage Cancer Trust season with some very special guests |first=Matt |last=Griffin |publisher=Royal Albert Hall |date=24 March 2015 |access-date=5 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713125956/http://life.royalalberthall.com/2015/03/24/stereophonics-open-the-teenage-cancer-trust-season-with-some-very-special-guests/ |archive-date=13 July 2015 |url-status=dead }}

On 17 July Gigwise announced the next single from the album would be "I Wanna Get Lost With You" and they would have an exclusive showing of the band's music video for it on 20 July; a trailer for the video was released on the day of announcement.

The lead-single from the album, "C'est la Vie", was first played on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show and was released the following day.{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/listen-stereophonics-new-song-cest-9230043 |title=Listen to Stereophonics' new song C'est La Vie |first=Kathryn |last=Williams |publisher=Wales Online |date=11 May 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514034046/http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/listen-stereophonics-new-song-cest-9230043 |archive-date=14 May 2015 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.stereophonics.com/music/release/cest-la-vie-single |title=C'est la Vie – New single (available May 12th) |publisher=The Stereophonics Ltd |date=11 May 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513012432/http://www.stereophonics.com/music/release/cest-la-vie-single |archive-date=13 May 2015 |df=dmy-all }} A music video was released the same day on Stereophonics' Vevo channel, it was directed by Kelly Jones with cinematography by John Conroy and stars Antonia Thomas, Aneurin Barnard and Mathew Aubrey.{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a646628/stereophonics-are-back-with-new-album-keep-the-village-alive.html#~pcpU9GQuqOaUxa |title=Stereophonics are back with new album Keep the Village Alive |first=Amy |last=Davidson |publisher=Digital Spy |date=11 May 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015}}{{cite AV media |people=Kelly Jones (Director), John Conroy (Cinematography), Richard Jones, Adam Zindani, Jamie Morrison, Antonia Thomas, Aneurin Barnard, Mathew Aubrey |year=2015 |title=Stereophonics – C'est La Vie |medium=Music Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ5cg0KNKH0 |access-date=11 May 2015}} The second single, "I Wanna Get Lost With You", was released on 21 July 2015{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a659250/stereophonics-unveil-the-music-video-for-new-single-i-wanna-get-lost-with-you.html#~pj0rqaAkGCM3gm |title=Stereophonics unveil the music video for new single 'I Wanna Get Lost with You' |first=Ben |last=Lee |publisher=Digital Spy |date=20 July 2015 |access-date=20 July 2015}} – the music video was released the day before, starring Barnard and Sophie Kennedy Clark. The third single, "Song for the Summer", was released on 27 November 2015 but the music video was uploaded to the band's YouTube channel a month before and stars only them.{{cite web |url=http://www.teamrock.com/news/2015-10-14/stereophonics-unveil-song-for-the-summer |title=Premiere: Welsh rockers release video for third single from number one album |publisher=Team Rock |year=2015 |access-date=17 January 2016}}{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4N8ZeM3LtM |title=Stereophonics – Song For The Summer |work=The Stereophonics Ltd |publisher=YouTube |date=15 October 2015 |access-date=17 January 2016}} "White Lies" was released as the fourth single on 19 February 2016,{{cite web |url=http://www.stereophonics.com/music/release/white-lies |title=Stereophonics – White Lies (single) |publisher=The Stereophonics Ltd |date=19 February 2016 |access-date=21 April 2016}} the music video was uploaded to YouTube a day before, directed by Jones and features the band performing live at one of their December 2015 shows.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoR4Rzn5-pg |title=Stereophonics – White Lies |publisher=YouTube |date=18 February 2016 |access-date=26 March 2016}}

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 6.1/10{{cite web |title=Keep the Village Alive by Stereophonics reviews {{!}} Any Decent Music |url=http://anydecentmusic.com/review/7501/Stereophonics-Keep-The-Village-Alive.aspx | website=AnyDecentMusic? |access-date=4 July 2022}}

| MC = 63/100

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/keep-the-village-alive-mw0002848591 |title=Keep the Village Alive – Stereophonics |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |publisher=AllMusic |year=2015 |access-date=20 September 2015}}

| rev2 = Clash

| rev2Score = 6/10

| rev3 = Classic Rock

| rev3Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://classicrock.teamrock.com/reviews/2015-08-12/stereophonics-keep-the-village-alive |title=Stereophonic: Keep the Village Alive |first=Tim |last=Batcup |publisher=Classic Rock Magazine |date=12 August 2015 |access-date=20 September 2015}}

| rev4 = Drowned in Sound

| rev4Score = 6/10

| rev5 = The Independent

| rev5Score = {{rating|2|5}}

| rev6 = Mojo

| rev6Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Stereophonics: Keep the Village Alive |magazine=Mojo |date=October 2015 |page=96}}

| rev7 = musicOMH

| rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/stereophonics-keep-village-alive|title=Stereophonics – Keep The Village Alive|website=musicOMH|last=Marsh|first=Graeme|date=14 March 2015|access-date=8 March 2025}}

| rev8 = Q

| rev8Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Stereophonics: Keep the Village Alive |magazine=Q |date=October 2015 |page=114}}

| rev9 = PopMatters

| rev9Score = 8/10

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Stereophonics: Keep the Village Alive |magazine=Uncut |date=October 2015 |page=83}}

}}

Keep the Village Alive has received generally favourable reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 63 based on 10 reviews.{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/keep-the-village-alive/stereophonics |title=Keep the Village Alive by Stereophonics |publisher=Metacritic |year=2015 |access-date=26 March 2016}} Jedd Beaudoin of PopMatters gave a four-star review of the album and called it an "impressive yield of ace tracks" while complimenting they sound "as fresh as anything the Phonics have done in the entirety of their career."{{cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/stereophonics-keep-the-village-alive/ |title=Stereophonics Keep the Village Alive |first=Jedd |last=Beaudoin |publisher=PopMatters |date=17 September 2015 |access-date=20 September 2015}} In his review for Drowned in Sound, Dan Lucas praised several of the tracks, stating they "make this the best Stereophonics album since You Gotta Go There to Come Back" while calling the album as a whole a variety of "straightforward piano, [...] rhythms [...] electric and acoustic guitars."{{cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19005/reviews/4149386 |title=Stereophonic – Keep the Village Alive |first=Dan |last=Lucas |publisher=Drowned in Sound |date=15 September 2015 |access-date=20 September 2015 |archive-date=16 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016061503/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19005/reviews/4149386 |url-status=dead }}

In a mixed response for Clash Music, Luke Winstanley summarised the album as "enjoyable and solid, if unadventurous rock record anchored, as always, by that tremendous voice."{{cite web |url=http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/stereophonics-keep-the-village-alive |title=Stereophonic – Keep the Village Alive |first=Luke |last=Winstanley |publisher=Clash Music |date=14 September 2015 |access-date=20 September 2015}} Senior Editor for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine declared the opening track "comes crashing out of the gates" but summarised "the power trio still trades on the hybrids of Coldplay and U2". In a much less enthusiastic review, Andy Gill from The Independent regarded Kelly Jones' writing "bereft of inspiration [...] with insipid lyric clichés".{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/stereophonics-keep-the-village-alive--album-review-10496382.html |title=Stereophonics, Keep the Village Alive – Album review |first=Andy |last=Gill |work=The Independent |date=11 September 2015 |access-date=20 September 2015}}

{{clear}}

{{track listing

| all_writing = Kelly Jones

| title_width = 400px

| total_length = 40:35

| title1 = C'est la Vie

| length1 = 3:41

| title2 = White Lies

| length2 = 3:57

| title3 = Sing Little Sister

| length3 = 3:27

| title4 = I Wanna Get Lost with You

| length4 = 3:50

| title5 = Song for the Summer

| length5 = 2:56

| title6 = Fight or Flight

| length6 = 3:42

| title7 = My Hero

| length7 = 3:48

| title8 = Sunny

| length8 = 4:20

| title9 = Into the World

| length9 = 4:04

| title10 = Mr and Mrs Smith

| length10 = 6:50

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Deluxe Edition (Disc two) – {{nobold|Bonus Tracks}}{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keep-Village-Alive-Deluxe-Edition/dp/B00XCGPA36 |title=Keep The Village Alive [Deluxe Edition] |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |date=11 May 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015}}

| title_width = 400px

| total_length = 27:29

| title1 = Ancient Rome

| length1 = 4:41

| title2 = Let Me In

| length2 = 4:28

| title3 = Blame (You Never Give Me Your Money)

| length3 = 4:43

| title4 = You Are My Energy

| length4 = 3:58

| title5 = You're My Star

| note5 = acoustic 2015

| length5 = 5:24

| title6 = I Wanna Get Lost With You

| note6 = acoustic 2015

| length6 = 4:15

}}

;Notes

• "You're My Star" was originally released in 2008 on Decade in the Sun: Best of Stereophonics.

{{col-begin}}

{{col-break|width=40%}}

;Stereophonics{{cite AV media notes |title=Keep the Village Alive |others=Stereophonics |date=2015 |type=Deluxe CD |publisher=Stylus Records}}

• Kelly Jones – lead vocals, guitar, piano
• Richard Jones – bass guitar
• Adam Zindani – guitar, backing vocals
• Jamie Morrison – drums

;Additional

• Sam Yapp – drums (tracks 1, 8)
• Javier Weyler – drums (bonus tracks 1–4)
• Mikey Rowe – Wurly (track 5)
• Jim Lowe – additional Hammond (track 1), programming
• Neil Cowley – additional piano (track 2)
• Tony Kirkham – additional piano, Hammond (tracks 7, 10, bonus track 6)
• Rosie Danvers – cello (bonus track 5)
• Helen Hathorn – violin (bonus track 5)
• Emma Owens – viola (bonus track 5)
• David Arnold with Kelly Jones – orchestral arrangements (tracks 5–9)
• Nicholas Dodd – orchestration

{{col-break|width=60%}}

;Technical

• Production – Kelly Jones, Jim Lowe
• Engineering – Lowe
• Mixing – Craig Silvey
• Studio Assistant at ICP Studios – Paul Edouard-Laurendeau
• Mastering – Greg Calbi

;Orchestra

• Leader – John Bradbury
• Violin section (tracks 5–8) – Eos Chater, Dorina Markoff, John Bradbury, Johnathan Strange, Oli Langford, Christina Emanuel, Tom Pigott-Smith, Jackie Hartley, Peter Hanson, Ralph De Souza, Johnathan Rees, David Woodcock, Debbie Widdup, Natalia Bonner
• Viola section (tracks 5–8) –Reiad Chibah, Julia Knight, Sue Dench, Nick Barr
• Cello section (tracks 5–8) – Nick Cooper, Chris Worsey, Adrian Bradbury, Frank Schaefer
• Tuba (tracks 6, 8) – Pete Smith
• Bass trombone (tracks 6, 8) – Roger Argente
• Tenor trombone (tracks 6, 8) – Andy Wood
• French horns (tracks 6, 8) – Phillip Eastop, Mike Murray, Corinne Bailey, Martin Owen
• B♭ Trumpet (tracks 6, 8) – Daniel Newell, Jason Evans, Andy Cowley, Amos Miller
• Violin (track 9) – Eos Chater
• Cello (track 9) – Gay-Yee Westerhoff
• Viola (track 9) – Nick Barr

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|award=Gold|artist=Stereophonics|title=Keep the Village Alive|relyear=2015|certyear=2015|id=13417-1691-2|salesamount=194,559|salesref={{cite news|url=http://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/official-charts-analysis-camila-cabello-ascends-to-singles-summit/070374|title=Official Charts Analysis: Camila Cabello ascends to singles summit|last=Jones|first=Alan|work=Music Week|date=3 November 2017|access-date=12 November 2017|url-access=subscription }}}}

{{End}}

{{col-end}}

;Notes

{{notelist}}

;Footnotes

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150518070511/http://www.stereophonics.com/music/release/keep-the-village-alive Keep the Village Alive] at Stereophonics.com

{{Stereophonics|state=expanded}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2015 albums

Category:Stereophonics albums