Hopes and Fears

Hopes and Fears Artist: Keane
Label: Umvd Import
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 602498666852
EAN: 0602498666852
ASIN: B00022FPN8


Release Date: 2004-06-29

Hopes and Fears


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Britpop Britpop
Categories | British Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Rock Rock
Categories | Imports | Stores | Music

Tracks:

  1. Somewhere Only We Know
  2. This Is the Last Time
  3. Bend and Break
  4. We Might as Well Be Strangers
  5. Everybody's Changing
  6. Your Eyes Open
  7. She Has No Time
  8. Can't Stop Now
  9. Sunshine
  10. Bedshaped

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Hopes for "Fears".......2004-09-06

British mope-rock is alive and well, as Brit-pop trio Keane makes their debut with "Hopes and Fears." Strong, soaring vocals from Tom Chaplin are backed up by some solid piano-based pop and rock. Despite constant comparisons to Radiohead and Coldplay, Keane shows plenty of promise.

It starts off with a strong piano solo in the quiet "Somewhere Only We Know," followed by a stream of catchy pop like the thoughtful "Everybody's Changing" and the shimmery "Bend And Break," and gossamer ballads like the melancholy "We Might As Well Be Strangers" and soaring "She Has No Time." It wraps up on a strong note with the plaintive "Bedshaped."

If any British band breaks the rock mold, it seems to be labelled as a Radiohead/Coldplay wannabe. On some superficial levels, Keane sounds rather like those bands. But it manages to remain a bit apart, rocking a bit harder and sounding a bit more straightforward and simple. It's hard to truly classify Keane as really being pop -- the lack of guitar and the prevailing piano seem to edge its catchy melodies closer to classical pop.

The first thing to know about Keane is: No guitarist. Don't let it scare you -- the mix of rippling piano and gentle percussion are enough to make their melodies catchy without electric riffs. At the same time, they take some musical risks. Psychedelic piano-pop? Believe it or not, Keane does that.

Tom Chaplin's vocals are the strongest point of Keane's lineup; his solid, high soars along with the shimmery music. At times his vocals get a bit TOO high, like when he sings the title line of "She Has No Time," but most of the time he manages to sound like a heartbroken guy exorcising his breakup demons. The songs themselves aren't terribly complex or insightful, but they can be quite poignant: "And if you have a minute why don't we go/talk about it somewhere only we know?/This could be the end of everything/so why don't we go/somewhere only we know?"

Music Album:

  1. Mighty Rearranger ~ Robert Plant & the Strange Sensation
  2. Long Time No See ~ FM
  3. Still Not Getting Any... ~ Simple Plan
  4. Kickin Mental Detergent ~ Various Artists
  5. Don't Drink His Blood ~ Howard Hello
  6. Every Place Is Home ~ Justin Vollmar
  7. Experience ~ Micki Free
  8. Perseverance ~ Woodenhead
  9. You Were the Last High, Pt. 2 ~ The Dandy Warhols
  10. Sepheryn: The Definitive Collection [Ray Of Light] ~ Curtiss & Maldoon

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

We ~ Wycliffe Gordon, Eric Reed

Live at Ronnie Scott's ~ Carmel

Schlaf Schlemmer, Schlaf Magritte ~ Franz Koglmann

Changing Rhythm

Music of Chance: Jeff Gardner Plays Paul Auster ~ Jeff Gardner, Ingrid Jensen, Rick Margitza, Drew G

Live from Paris and Conakry ~ Miriam Makeba

Euro Amante ~ David & the High Spirit

Solistenparade ~ Willy Berking

Pizza, Burger, Chicken Party ~ Various Artists

Danses De La Renaissance ~ Ballie Ballet Tida Ballare