Hopes And Fears - Keane > Reviews > Bedshaped no1!!!!

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money

Advantages:	Good songs !
Disadvantages:	Not many flaws at all !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Keane for me is a cross between Starsailor and maybe Travis. Set in a class of their own the band releases "Hopes and Fears", when this album came out I didn't actually know of them, I had heard a few of their songs due to release on single. But other than that I was at a loss.

Track Listing

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 I
12. Bedshaped

"Everybody's Changing" was Keane's debut single from this album, admittedly I did like the song and was eager to hear more from them. The second release was "Somewhere Only We Know". I heard this track when watching Big Brother (it was on the BBLB reunion) "Somewhere Only We Know" is about a land, a place that is somewhere that only a few people know of. It was an immensely fitting track to be played at a reunion and captured the housemates best moments. Sweet....lol This made me totally love the track as the words were sooooo fitting and just got me thinking. Their next release was "Bedshaped". This one I didn't actually hear...Kinda disappointing. Well anyway I saw that it was out in the top 40 so I set about getting a copy of it, and to my amazement it was 10 times better than the amazing "Somewhere Only We Know"! I couldn't understand why this hadn't been advertised more, or played more on radio or music channels, it's truly superb!!! Well that's Keane's releases from this album to date.

SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW

This track starts off guitar and drums and it's a nice slow but steady beat and rhythm to it. "I walked across, an empty land, I knew the pathway like tha back of my hand, I felt the earth beneath my feet, sat by the river and it mad me complete" As explained above, this is a special type of play that only a group of friends or maybe two lovers know of. The same slow, soft beat is continued throught the song. This one has to be my second fave from the album, until I heard "Bedshaped" it was definetly my favourite!!

BEND AND BREAK

This is a rather fast track in comparison to "Somewhere Only We Know". The start is again primarily a drum and guitar beat. When the singing starts I'm immediately reminded of Travis, not entirely sure why, it just seems their style! "If only I don't bend and break, I'll meet you on the other side, I'll meet you in the light. If only I don't suffocate, I'll mett you in the morning when you wake" Althought more up beat than "Somewhere Only We Know" it is in parts still a slow song.

WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS

"I don't know your face no more, or feel the touch that I adore..." This song is extremely slow and I think it's of a break-up and obviously forgetting about someone, so you start to even forget what the look like. Or perhaps that it is he is still in love with his partner but they are drifting apart and so the tirle !we might as well be strangers". This like most of Keane's songs still hold that smae slowish drumbeat.

EVERYBODY'S CHANGING

Keane's first release.....On hearing this I did like it but in comparison to their other releases it's not their best song. This song is particularly quick and really up beat, an extremely quick drum beat gets your ears immediately interested. "So little time, try to understand that I, try to make a move just to stay in the game, try to stak awake and remember my name. Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same."

YOUR EYES OPEN

This song has a rather paculiar start to it, kind of strange noises, reminds me or recorded rainforest noises. Bazzare I know!!! That's just me. This one starts off extremely slow and soft but soon the drums get quicker and the guritars perk up a little and this becomes one of Keane's quicker trakcs. "I don't know you and I don't want you" are my favourite lyrics from this track.

SHE HAS NO TIME

This track has another "different" start... It's almost like a lulaby with soft string being plucked on maybe a guitar, it's soft and soothing. Then you hear another beat, which leaves it sounding quite eery and then the singing starts. "You think your days are uneventful, and no one ever thinks about you, she goes her own way, she goes her own way...." This track I like, the lyrics are totally thought provoking, it's amazing!

CANT STOP NOW

The start to this track is fantasic, a loud quick rhymic drum beat alongside guitars!! "Can't stop now, I've got trouble of my own, cos I'm short of time, I'm lonely and I'm too tired to talk...." Another thought provoking track, gotta love it!!

SUNSHINE

I LOVE THIS TRACK LOL!! Starts off a slow beat, keyboard keys being tapped away into this soft slow beat. Starting off extremely solow it soon picks up beat by the first chorus. There is a range of different instruments used through out this song, really worth a listen. "Out of everyone, can anyone find their home".

THIS IS THE LAST TIME

There is no introduction to this song before the lyrics start, perhaps a second or two of music but you don't really get to focus on that as the lyrics start pretty much immediately. This is not one of the greater tracks from the album,. "The last time, you fall on me fore anything you like...and yes make everything alright, you fall on me for anything you like" This track is quick and primarily a fast drum beat keeps the song going, but its not one of the best.

ON A DAY LIKE TODAY

A slow drum beat makes the introduction to this track make me think of a Boyzone song or something, but puttting that aside the song starts and once the singing has started you pretty much forget the Boyzone beat. This track is extremely slow and again not one of the better ones.... Not entirely sure if there is lyrics from this song that stand out for me :o(

UNTITLED 1

I copied this album to my Mini Disc, using Sonic Stage and so that puts all the track names on for me, so when I looked at my little LCD screen and saw untitled I immediately thought s""" this hasn't copied over right :o( It was only looking at the album cover I noticed my mistake! This song is kind of slow but still keeps an up beat rhythm at the same time, strange. Again no impressive lyrics to speak of from this.

BEDSHAPED

For me, the BEST track of the album and I had to go and discover it mysef as there was no proper advertising to speak of :o Starting off slow and eery, almost a wailing sound before the drums and piano start on their beat. Still slow but a steady and soft beat once again. Still not really sure what the underlying message of this track is, but the lyrics are good and the track is just fantasic!. "Don't look away. You'll follow me back, with the sun in you eyes and on your own, bedshaped and legs of stone."

Favourite tracks in order are

12 Bedshaped
1 Somewhere Only We Know
4 Everybody's Changing
2 Bend and Break
8 Sunshine

Most of the others are good, any that I didn't like well you'll know by now :o)

Overall the album is of good quality and there is many thought provoking tracks, definetly one to check out if you have heard one of Keane's releases and like it, cos the album is of similar quality and throughout. If you have heard a Keane song and weren't too keen on it, then for you it's one best left on the shelf!

Happy listening, and thanks for reading
PlaceboFan x