Keane - Hopes and Fears (2004)

 


I remember when I was recording some demos with my band around 2004/5 and the studio engineer was banging on about Keane's album being marvelously produced. Apart from that we all heard their singles on the radio and to be honest I didn't take a liking to it then but listening to the album today for the first time I must say that despite being frontloaded with the hits at the beginning gets a good flow going and I can see why a lot of people have praised this album. Tom Chaplin's vocals are very good if not amazing and the problem for me with the three-piece is that they are too low key, a bit too perfect, which makes the music quite boring.It's definitely a light kind of pop and the lyrics are not terribly deep but they don't need to be with this type of music. Yes there are some similarities with Coldplay but not having a guitar makes the songs less hook driven and quite a lot more introverted. There are some similiarities with 90's chill out music which I have never been into.


Having said that I see that I have the US edition of this album as the track-listing is different and is missing a song, 'On A Day Like Today', but as my chosen song I will put Sunshine because I liked it's lilting nature. This is basic pop and is great to have in the background whilst you are writing a review. As far as the review goes, my mother says it's not bad music, but I will say to that, it's ok but perhaps not something I will be playing again anytime soon. I'm glad it's over.




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