How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Good
Value for Money
Advantages:
Proper grown up music - the cd inlay even has all the lyrics
Disadvantages:
Don't play if you're feeling sad . . .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Who ?
Just three guys making great music: Tom on vocals, Tim on electronic piano and Richard on Drums.
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I’m always wary of people gushing about how great something is, the natural cynic in me will always approach with caution. However, I am pleased to agree with those who bought Coldplay, Travis and Franz Ferdinand because I have them too. Keane’s style is different but the quality of their tracks is evident.
Summary of Tracks
Upbeat: Bend and Break, Everybody’s Changing; Cant Stop Now; This Is The Last Time; Your Eyes Open;
Mid-tempo: Somewhere, Untitled 1;
Downbeat / sad: We Might As Well Be Strangers; She Has No Time; Sunshine; Bedshaped
Our man is having a wistful stroll through a lush meadow searching for his lovely lady and asking her plaintively to go ‘somewhere only we know’. However, his admission that he’s ‘getting old’ and needs ‘something to rely on’ is perhaps not the best profession of love.
That aside, this is a heartfelt track, melodic, upbeat and sad.
2. Bend and Break (3:40)
Higher tempo than ‘Somewhere..’ this is another tale of the poor bloke having a hard time with the missus. He’s got fears of breaking, suffocating, but still plans a rendezvous with her when she wakes up. He says he’ll meet her ‘on the other side’ and ‘in the light’ – read into that what you may.
This has shades of darkness, however the song is delivered in such an upbeat manner you could be forgiven for bopping around the living room to it.
3. We Might As Well Be Strangers (3:12)
A lament for love that has bloomed and died too quick, or perhaps it’s the slow-puncture of a long term relationship:
‘We might as well be strangers in another town we might as well be living in a different world’
Down-beat and a tad mournful. This is the time when you know something is doomed to failure, yet you don’t quite have the courage to end it.
4. Everybody’s Changing (3:35)
Just before you reach for the razor-blades, ‘Everybody’s Changing’ kicks in for a thankful change of pace. Our man is still troubled, his other half is clearly pained to be in his presence, and he’s quite clearly feeling out of kilter:
‘So little time Try to understand that I'm Trying to make a move to stay in the game I try to stay awake and remember my name’
Again, a happy beat is a bizarre companion to these anxious lyrics.
5. Your Eyes Open (3:23)
This has a similar beat to ‘Everybody’s Changing’ and buried away in the background is the faint but distinctive sound of birds tweeting!
This seems to be tale of the-morning-after-the-night-before, where our hero has had a liaison with some minx. He’s nafffed off though, and complains about her frosty manner:
‘Morning comes and you don't want to know me anymore And it's a long time since your heart was frozen’
By now you should be getting used to enjoying the tracks that celebrate our man’s misery, don’t feel guilty, just enjoy it.
6. She Has No Time (5:45)
The tempo comes down by several notches. Softly spoken words slowly build to a gently ascending chorus:
‘She says she has no time for you now’
I think this is the saddest track, but believe it just steers away from the maudlin category. I’m now feeling protective of this man, and want to shield him from those that stomp a stiletto on his heart. Poor love.
7. Can’t Stop Now (3:38)
Finally, our man puts himself first and says sorry love ‘I have to go…I’ve got troubles of my own…I’m too tired to talk.’
A bouncy intro and chorus melded with gentle verses = feelgood misery!
8. Sunshine (4:12)
A delicate pitter-patter piano gives way to tender reflection. The role of protector is taken on, ‘I hold you in cupped hands / And shield you from a storm’.
Catchy and rousing. There is confident assertion when he belts out, ‘This is the last time…Your one last line’. Meet No-More-Mister-Nice-Guy. Enough already of the selfish cheating harpie. I was cheering for him at the end!
10. On a Day Like Today (5:27)
One of my less favourite tracks because it feels a bit self indulgent and wretched, and it’s over 5 minutes long! Goodness, get some Prozac…
11. Untitled 1 (5:36)
Electronic plinking and foot-tapping bass precedes shimmering vocals.
One of my favourites, which of course has tormented lyrics, ‘An empty face and empty bones’ There is also a preoccupation with the after-life, ‘I’ll see you on the other side’
12. Bedshaped (4:38)
I was in two minds whether this should be in the ‘Tad Mournful’ or ‘Downbeat / sad’ category. I think it straddles both. ‘Bedshaped and legs of stone’ are one of the several bizarre lyrics but somehow Keane manages to pull it off.
Conclusion
Quality tracks if a wee bit sad. I’m very happy to have bought it. 8.5/10
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