... Although they stormed into the charts with their debut album "Hopes & Fears" in 2004, they'd actually been around for nearly ten years beforehand, forming way back in 1995. They've been described by one source as "Radiohead covering Aha". Reassuringly, Keane claim their name has nothing to ... Read review
It's perhaps inevitable that Keane's debut album, Hopes and Fears, will draw numerous ... more
comparisons to Coldplay. Like them, Keane were discovered by indie label Fierce Panda, who released a single ("Everybody's Changing"). And, like Coldplay, Keane also do a fine trade in catchy and heartfelt indie-pop, all bruised verses and soaring choruses. But though their sound is sure to please fans of Coldplay and Travis, the reality is that Keane manage to sound that little bit more delicate. This could be down to the band's relatively unusual make-up: rather than guitars, the trio use a piano. At its best, Hopes and Fears is reminiscent of Bends-era Radiohead and singer Tom Chaplin's voice is closer to Thom Yorke's falsetto then Chris Martin's cracked whine. On tracks such as the hit single "Somewhere Only We Know", they manage to squeeze an epic-sounding poignancy from their stripped-down sound (a lot of this is due to the album's superb production). Across 12 tracks, all this slow-burning melancholy skates a bit close to self-indulgence and you can't help but wish they'd rock out a bit. But Hopes and Fears is still a remarkable and surprisingly mature debut album from a young band with a bright future. --Robert Burrow
Postage & Packaging:Free! Availability:Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item....
It's perhaps inevitable that Keane's debut album,Hopes and Fears, will draw numerous ... more
comparisons to Coldplay. Like them, Keane were discovered by indie label Fierce Panda, who released a single ("Everybody's Changing"). And, like Coldplay, Keane also do a fine trade in catchy and heartfelt indie-pop, all bruised verses and soaring choruses. But though their sound is sure to please fans of Coldplay and Travis, the reality is that Keane manage to sound that little bit more delicate. This could be down to the band's relatively unusual make-up: rather than guitars, the trio use a piano.At its best,Hopes and Fearsis reminiscent ofBends-era Radiohead and singer Tom Chaplin's voice is closer to Thom Yorke's falsetto then Chris Martin's cracked whine. On tracks such as the hit single "Somewhere Only We Know", they manage to squeeze an epic-sounding poignancy from their stripped-down sound (a lot of this is due to the album's superb production). Across 12 tracks, all this slow-burning melancholy skates a bit close to self-indulgence and you can't help but wish they'd rock out a bit. ButHopes and Fearsis still a remarkable and surprisingly mature debut album from a young band with a bright future.--Robert Burrow
Postage & Packaging:Check Site. Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
It's perhaps inevitable that Keane's debut album,Hopes and Fears, will draw numerous ... more
comparisons to Coldplay. Like them, Keane were discovered by indie label Fierce Panda, who released a single ("Everybody's Changing"). And, like Coldplay, Keane also do a fine trade in catchy and heartfelt indie-pop, all bruised verses and soaring choruses. But though their sound is sure to please fans of Coldplay and Travis, the reality is that Keane manage to sound that little bit more delicate. This could be down to the band's relatively unusual make-up: rather than guitars, the trio use a piano.At its best,Hopes and Fearsis reminiscent ofBends-era Radiohead and singer Tom Chaplin's voice is closer to Thom Yorke's falsetto then Chris Martin's cracked whine. On tracks such as the hit single "Somewhere Only We Know", they manage to squeeze an epic-sounding poignancy from their stripped-down sound (a lot of this is due to the album's superb production). Across 12 tracks, all this slow-burning melancholy skates a bit close to self-indulgence and you can't help but wish they'd rock out a bit. ButHopes and Fearsis still a remarkable and surprisingly mature debut album from a young band with a bright future.--Robert Burrow
Postage & Packaging:Check Site. Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Superb debut album - catchy tunes and moving lyrics Disadvantages: Rather mournful in places
~~UPDATED FEBRUARY 2007~~
Despite all their recent fame and glory, there was no overnight success for Keane. Although they stormed into the charts with their debut album "Hopes & Fears" in 2004, they'd actually been around for nearly ten years beforehand, forming way back in 1995. They've been described by one source as "Radiohead covering Aha". Reassuringly, Keane claim their name has nothing to do with the former ... ...female acquaintance who was inspirational to them in their formative years. Keane are without a guitar player and use the mix of keyboards, vocals and drums to create their music. The band is made up of Tim Rice-Oxley (31) on keyboards, Tom Chaplin (27) vocals and Richard Hughes (32) on drums. Originally from Battle in East Sussex, they used to rehearse and record in a little old room in Tim's parents' house.
Despite all their recent fame and glory, there was no overnight success for Keane. Although they stormed into the charts with their debut album "Hopes & Fears" in 2004, they'd actually been around for nearly ten years beforehand, forming way back in 1995. They've been described by one source as "Radiohead covering Aha". Reassuringly, Keane claim their name has nothing to do with the former Manchester United midfielder; rather they take their name from a female acquaintance who was inspirational to them in their formative years. Keane are without a guitar player and use the mix of keyboards, vocals and drums to create their music. The band is made up of Tim Rice-Oxley (31) on keyboards, Tom Chaplin (27) vocals and Richard Hughes (32) on drums. Originally from Battle in East Sussex, they used to rehearse and record in a little old room in Tim's parents' house.
The road to fame and glory was not easy for Keane. Tim Rice-Oxley and Dom Scott formed the band in Battle in 1995 and they invited Richard Hughes to join them as their drummer. In 1997, they became a four-piece band when they were joined by singer Tom Chaplin, as the others all decided they couldn't sing. The following year they moved from Battle to London in order to try and get a record deal. The next couple of years saw them release a couple of singles on their own label Zoomorphic and play as support at a Chesney Hawkes concert. In 2001, Dom left the band due to their lack of success and "musical differences". The following year, they released two singles on the Fierce Panda label "Everybody's Changing" and "This is the Last Time". Following the success of the latter, they were offered an astounding 21 recording deals by various record companies. In 2003 they signed a deal with Island Records and released the single "Somewhere Only We Know" in February 2004. This was followed by the re-release of "Everybody's Changing" in May 2004.
The best known tracks on this album are of course the four that were released into the charts that year "Somewhere Only We Know", "Everybody's Changing", "Bedshaped" and "This Is The Last Time". Indeed, in 2004, it was rather difficult not to turn on the radio and hear one or other of them being played. Many Keane tracks now remind me of that rather long hot summer spell we had in July and August of that year. All the songs on their debut album were written by Keane themselves.
The album kicks off with the rather splendid "Somewhere Only We Know". It's a superb opening track with an evocative and repetitive piano backdrop which climbs to an explosive crescendo. You've heard it once and you're humming it all day long, believe you me. It has simple but evocative lyrics about finding some peace and tranquility in a familiar place. This one is particularly emotive if you turn the volume up loud (especially if it's your birthday, and you feel like you're getting on a bit in years….."Oh simple things where have you gone? / I'm getting old and I need something to rely on / So tell me when you're gonna let me in / I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin").
Next up we have "Bend And Break", with a great jaunty keyboard and drum backdrop. These are flawlessly matched by Tom Chaplin's superb vocals, which are sung with voice breaking emotion. It's a rather catchy track - uplifting and memorable. You're then bought down emotionally by "We Might As Well Be Strangers", a slower more mournful song. This track sounds a little like Radiohead in the beginning, but it soon swells to the crescendo chorus that dominate many Keane tracks. The lyrics suggest a failed love affair. This is a song that really could make you cry big time if you're going through relationship problems ("We might as well be strangers in another town / We might as well be living in a different world / We might as well").
"Everybody's Changing" always makes me want to cry, as it was released at a time in my life when we'd just received some rather upsetting family news. Everything in my life went topsy turvy for a while, and the lyrics really did sum about the uncertainty I was feeling about the future ("So little time / Try to understand that I'm / Trying to make a move just to stay in the game / Trying to stay awake and remember my name / Because everybody's changing/ And I don't feel the same"). At one stage you couldn't turn on the TV or radio without catching this playing. It's another excellent keyboard backdrop of repetitive notes that really do get into your head. Emotional lyrics, superlative vocals and crescendo chorus - a truly memorable record. This is the sort of record that should have been snapped up as the soundtrack to a film.
The next two tracks are slower and more somber; "Your Eyes Open" is a pretty enough tune but it's not particularly memorable and it's not one of my favourites. The same could be said for "She Has No Time", which tells the sad tale of a failed love affair. Lovely vocals, but they do sound a little bit like Radiohead again, especially at the beginning of the song, which is a little emotionless. However, the song is saved by a typical crescendo Keane chorus, which injects some of the missing feeling into the song. Things go up a tempo next with "Can't Stop Now". Big piano sounds dominate this track - it's upbeat and the emotion shines through in the lyrics. This track amply demonstrates the keyboard skills of Tim Rice-Oxley to a tee. The same cannot be said for "Sunshine", which I always tend to skip past. It's rather a strange one - a little bit airy-fairy and hippyish. This track is really not one of their stronger moments. It's a pretty enough lyric about protecting and sheltering, but it really doesn't go anywhere. It just sounds like a 1960's/1970's flowers in your hair type track.
"This Is The Last Time" is another well known song, and a fairly atypical Keane track in that it starts slowly and builds to a crescendo. It's all about saying goodbye and leaving, and it's sung with gut-wrenching emotion. Another memorable and catchy tune with superb keyboard backdrop. The sort of song that could easily become an anthem if you're in the process of breaking up with someone. Similarly, "On A Day Like Today" tells another story of a failed love affair ("But I could never seem to say / The things I needed to / on a day like today / No other words would do"). Keane once again demonstrate their first class lyrics and vocals by really expressing their emotions in their songs. A slow track sung with real feeling - Tom Chaplin's voice almost cracks with emotion. A real tearjerker with outstanding piano backdrop. This one is best listened too loudly so you can really wallow in the emotions and music.
"Untitled 1" is a bit like "Sunshine" in that it doesn't really do anything for me. It opens with a simple piano rhythm and drumbeat, but the vocals lack feeling and they end up sounding a bit Radiohead again. It sounds a bit space age and hippyish - I could see them launching into the age of Aquarius halfway through this one. It's definitely not one of their finer moments - maybe that's why they haven't named it.
The album concludes with the rather splendid "Bedshaped", and it really is a superb conclusion to a first class album. It has that catchy piano backdrop again with a slow start building into a blinding chorus. Chaplin really knows how to drain the last drop of emotion into the lyrics here with superb vocals and excellent keyboard accompaniment ("Don't laugh at me / Don't look away / You'll follow me back"). Lovely stuff, and my all time favourite Keane track….though I'd love to know exactly what "bedshaped" means…..
Full track listing:-
[1] Somewhere Only We Know (highest chart position = 3 in February 2004) [2] Bend And Break [3] We Might As Well Be Strangers [4] Everybody's Changing (highest chart position = 4 in May 2004) [5] Your Eyes Open [6] She Has No Time [7] Can't Stop Now [8] Sunshine [9] This Is The Last Time (highest chart position = 18 December 2004) [10] On a Day Like Today [11] Untitled 1 [12] Bedshaped (highest chart position = 10 in August 2004)
I still like this album a lot - in fact I've been consistently listening to it on and off for the last two to three years now. It's a superb collection of songs. Most of the songs are short. They mostly have simple lyrics and repetitive choruses. There are few clever instrumental sections - just excellent vocals and well-sung songs. After ten years of struggling to be heard in the music industry, I think that Keane really did earn their success, and I hope they continue to write and produce such good music for many years to come. It's true they do sound a little like Radiohead in some of the slower songs, but this is perhaps due to the fact that Tom Chaplin sounds somewhat like Thom Yorke in voice. Musically, their songs are more tuneful and not so "off the wall". However, I fail to see where the Aha comparison comes in as I have yet to hear a track that sounds anything like Aha…….can anyone else? This is a superb collection of songs and contains something for everyone. If I had to make any criticism at all it is that some of the songs are a bit mournful and unhappy, but they're never sung without gut wrenching emotion. I really do think that Keane did the hard graft on their ladder to success and that they're here to stay now.
Universal Island Records released the album on 10th May 2004. It can be picked up rather cheaply now due to it being several years old.
Online it can be bought at: www.amazon.co.uk £6.97 or from Amazon marketplace from £2.99 www.cd-wow.com £6.99 www.101cd.com £5.95
Further information on Keane can be found at: www.keanemusic.com or www.keane.at
In February 2005, Hope and Fears won the best British Album award at the Brits (as well as the award for Best British Breakthrough Act)
Advantages: Polished, well-crafted Disadvantages: Too polished, too well-crafted
The music press are always keen to suggest that the latest band to appear on their radar is the 'new' version of the last vaguely similar band that came along, thus Bloc Party become the 'new Franz Ferdinand', the Bravery (yukkk) become the 'new Killers' and this little mob from East Sussex, Keane, have the unfortunate tag of the 'new Coldplay', unfortunate given that they find themselves in the shadow of The World's Biggest Band (give or take U2 ... ...shoegazing. Keane are vocalist Tom Chaplin, keyboardist Tim Oxley-Rice and drummer Richard Hughes. Note the lack of a guitarist. That'll be important later. The three look rather unremarkable and most unlikely rock stars, with the rosy-cheeked Chaplin looking like a choirboy who has been dragged out of the church and made to do fifty laps of the running track. You'd never catch them in tight Levi's and black eyeliner, much more likely an Oxbridge ...
Ryan74 26.07.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hopes And Fears - Keane
Advantages: majority if the songs are really good Disadvantages: a couple of weak songs
I first stumbled upon Keane when i was travelling back home from college on a coach of which radio 1 was on and they played 'Everybodys Changing'. The very melodic notes caught my ear as well as the wonderful verses of which i wanted to known more about the band and i did this by buying the album. My risky purchase was a successful purchase.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The band Keane first formed in 1997 although they released their ... ...will hopefully be due more successful albums from them in the future!
The band are made up of three members and these are as follows:
Tom Chaplin : Vocals
Tim Rice-Oxley : Piano
Richard Hughes : Drums
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are twelve tracks on the album altogether and these consist of :
1. Somewhere only we know:
This is a medium paced song which starts off with a piano playing very melodic notes blending in with ...
Siobhany 05.08.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hopes And Fears - Keane
Advantages: brilliant lyrics, Chaplin's vioce Disadvantages: no extras
Who are Keane? This three piece from Battle are, Tom Chaplin on vocals, Tim Rice-Oxley on piano, keyboard and bass, and the gorgeous Richard Hughes on drums. The name “Keane” comes from Rice-Oxley’s nanny, Cherry Keane. Keane were brought to my attention as my partner told me about their stunning first chart success “Somewhere only we know”. Since then Keane have exploded onto the music scene with fans including, radio ones Jo Whiley and Jonathan ... ...Chaplin’s fantastic vocals, heart felt lyrics, (all written by the band) and the fact that they don’t rely on the use of guitars to really get their songs going. Keane have recently been on a small tour around the UK and when I saw that they were playing in my hometown of Bristol, I just had to get tickets. Keane well and truly blew me away with their incredible musical talent and now I couldn’t wait for their much anticipated album; but could Keane’s ...
spoilt_little_br 21.05.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hopes And Fears - Keane
Advantages: Easy listening, great tunes, superb vocals Disadvantages: I'm getting bored of this already
...for sheer, uncompromised musical pleasure, Hopes and Fears is a wonderful album. This is without a doubt my top summer recommendation. But don’t think that I’m going to write an entirely glowing review. Oh no.
I do worry that the effect of Hopes and Fears won’t be a truly long-lasting one. Already, the Keane effect is starting to wear off on me. I think this is partly due to the fact that there is nothing striking or demanding ... ...listen to, but it’s also very easy to grow accustomed to and I’m not sure that the album will become a timeless classic. For many listeners, the album would lack the bite or edge that they look for in music and whilst you might enjoy listening to this on the radio, you probably wouldn’t go and buy the whole album. Dare I say it, I am already a little bit bored with it.
Overall, I like the album a lot and “Hopes and Fears” ...
LostWitness 02.06.2004 (07.06.2004)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hopes And Fears - Keane
Advantages: great songs, great voice Disadvantages: could get stale quickly?
I’ve had many musical discussions about who is better; Nirvana or Pearl Jam, Blur or Oasis, Suede or Strangelove, Hundred Reasons or LostProphets, Muse or JJ72... During our weekend away, our conversation turned into a discussion about whom everyone preferred; Keane or Snow Patrol. It seemed to me that if nine people at a barbecue could have a discussion about it for an hour or so, then it was likely to be something the rest of the country was discussing ... ...certain – perhaps because they are both being touted as the ‘new Coldplay’, perhaps because they’ve both been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, or maybe just because they both have top ten albums. As I’ve been listening to both for the last month on my way to and from work, I thought the fairest way to finally decide who I liked better (as if I really needed to decide) would be to do reviews of them both.
My first comment is unfortunately a ...
pesky33 20.08.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hopes And Fears - Keane
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
Value for Money
Similar reviews »
Reviews which might be of interest for "Hopes And Fears - Keane"
Advantages: Very well compiled album, great band, great music Disadvantages: Not uplifting
If I need to put on some relaxing music whilst lounging in the sun, or I need to chill or want something emotional to suit the mood, then I need look no further than Keane's first album, entitled 'Hopes and Fears'. It is an album combining melodic piano music with a light rock style. It never gets heavy, but the tempo changes on a regular basis throughout the album, enough to keep me listening all the way through.
The band formed back in 1995, yet their first album was not released until 2004. This, to me, speaks of dedication and experience. They are not a band who has only just started and then released their first album in too hurried a format.
'Hopes and Fears' boasts some big success singles, such as 'Everybody's Changing' and 'This Is The Last Time'. Power Ballad tracks like 'We Might As Well Be Srangers' are also present ...
Advantages: More variety than Hopes & Fears Disadvantages: No absolute killer material
Lots of promising new bands have fallen at the "difficult second album" hurdle in recent years - Starsailor, The Strokes, Stone Roses to name three (actually can't think of anymore, but there are loads everyone says) - so when Keane release this follow up to the much-loved Hopes and Fears, many listeners will be expecting the worst.
Keane are ok. Their first album established them at the top of the second tier of pop-rockers - just beneath the stadium filling U2, Radiohead and Coldplay, but comfortably ahead of the rest. And if this second album is anything to go by, then that is exactly where they will stay.
The obvious outstanding worldwide smash hit that was Somewhere Only We Know on the first album is missing here, but UTIS makes up for this with a far more sophisticated lyrical and musical approach as evidenced in Try Again ...
Advantages: Each song is totally independant of the others Disadvantages: Hard to follow on from
A great album. It couldn't be a better addition to their discography. More grown up than Hopes and Fears, yet it still has that great Keane feeling. This is going to be very hard for Keane to follow on from. Some of the songs do take a bit of getting into as they are not all easy listening, but they do all have a great meaning to them and you can listen to words and be reminded of some time in your life, something that happened or that someone special. All the songs are instantly recognisable as being a 'Keane' song, yet they are all totally independant of each other and each one makes you feel totally different thoughts and feel different emotions, than the others did.
Overall, the album is fantastic, even down to the pull out album sleeve, with the magnificant art work. Each part of the art work on the sleeve pull out referes to ...
Product Information for "Hopes And Fears - Keane" »
Product details
Title
Hopes And Fears
Performer
Keane
Genre
Rock & Pop
Sub Genre
Alternative
Release Date
10/05/2004
Recomended Retail Price
10.99 GBP
Original Release Year
2004
Label / Distributor
Island / Universal Music
Engineer
Andy Green
Producer
Andy Green; Keane
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
602498665732
Additional notes
Album Notes
Often compared to countrymen Coldplay and Radiohead, the UK-based trio Keane plays a similarly majestic, sweeping blend of pop-informed rock music. Fueling the comparisons is the fact that lead vocalist Tom Chaplin makes heavy use of the same kind of Jeff Buckley-esque falsetto and emotion-filled wails favored by Chris Martin and Thom Yorke. On HOPES AND FEARS's epic tracks such as "She Has No Time," however, Keane takes the more dramatic elements of the aforementioned bands' sounds and magnifies them, creating piano- and synthesizer-driven cinematic soundscapes dripping with quiet heartache and existential angst. In addition, Keane incorporates minimalist trip-hop beats, which, in combination with Chaplin's strong pop melodies, evoke a male-led Portishead jamming with the Raspberries. One of the most sonically atmospheric groups of the Britpop scene, Keane ignores the notion of traditional guitar-based rock music in favor of something altogether quieter, yet equally as intense.
Album Reviews
Spin (p.100) - "Keane's exceedingly pretty piano-based debut cruises fairly close to Coldplay attitude." Mojo (p.116) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[T]here's plenty to keep the eyes welling up for a good 45 minutes..."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Somewhere Only We Know
2.
Bend And Break
3.
We Might As Well Be Strangers
4.
Everybody's Changing
5.
Your Eyes Open
6.
She Has No Time
7.
Can't Stop Now
8.
Sunshine
9.
This Is The Last Time
10.
On A Day Like Today
11.
Untitled 1
12.
Bedshaped
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
18/05/2004
Compare Hopes And Fears - Keane to other similar Rock & Pop »
![River Is Wide, The [Remastered] - Forum (The)](http://imagesb.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/251/prod_small-6006251.jpg)
