Album Review: Keane - Night Train (4/5)

Perfect Symmetry, while a decent album, failed to connect with the public, generating only one top 40 hit in Britain. I liked the album's turn toward '80s synth-pop, but missed the elegant piano pop-rock of their first two albums. Here then is Night Train, an eight-track EP that finds the band experimenting with different sounds, perhaps trying to find themselves a new voice.

After the seemingly pointless instrumental opener "Horse Lights," (which to me doesn't set up the album or the next song) "Back in Time" is the first proper song. It's got an ominous melody and guitar--a rarity for the band. I'd like it better if the maniacal keyboard effects during the chorus didn't drown out the rest of the song.

Then there's "Stop for a Minute," which despite sounding like a grab for the OneRepublic sound, manages to be quite a great pop song. It's been in my head a lot lately, although I still find K'naan's rap at the end to be a bit out of place. "Clear Skies" gives us the biggest dose of guitar ever from Keane, with an acoustic one prominently featured among the layers of keyboard, bass and beats (including claps). It's an interesting song; different for them.

"Ishen Denshin (You've Got to Help Yourself)" sounds very much like '80s-style Pet Shop Boys pop, bumping along with its jaunty synth bass beat. It also features Japanese female vocalist Tigarah. All this shifting duty at the mic even gives another Keane man besides Tom Chaplin a turn at lead vocal. Yes, that's keyboardist/songwriter "Tim Rice-Oxley" doing the duty on "Your Love," another '80s-sounding synth-based pop song, although moodier and darker than "Ishen Denshin."

"Looking Back" uses a really cheesy sample--the theme from the movie Rocky--but I think it actually works really great in this upbeat piano-based song, which also features rapper K'naan. "My Shadow" is probably the most traditionally Keane-sounding song here, a lovely piano ballad that nicely closes this mini album.

While a full new album might have been nice, I certainly don't mind getting an EP if it means the band is focused on producing their best work, and Night Train lives up to the quality of previous Keane material. It doesn't hit any dizzying heights, but I do like the band's willingness to push themselves into some new sounds while still showing a knack for what they do best.

Best: Stop for a Minute, Looking Back, Your Love, My Shadow

Best of 2000s: Keane - Under the Iron Sea (4.5/5)

Keane almost fell apart around the time of this album. That there was trouble brewing is evident its overall darker tone and louder sound when compared to their ebullient debut, Hopes and Fears. Under the Iron Sea succeeds with a sound similar to its predecessor and strong songwriting. In particular, "A Bad Dream" is my favorite song Keane has recorded yet--a gorgeous and moving ballad about a soldier's wartime despair. The album opens with the rather experimental "Atlantic," followed by hit single "Isn't It a Wonder," an upbeat track much peppier than anything on their debut. "Put It Behind You" is another upbeat standout, not too dissimilar from a Hopes and Fears track ("Bend and Break"). Although their third album didn't nearly impress me as much as their first two, I'm hopeful they have another great album in them. Best: A Bad Dream, Atlantic, Isn't It a Wonder, Nothing in My Way, Put It Behind You, Leaving So Soon.

Best of 2000s: Keane - Hopes and Fears (5/5)

In the spring of 2004 I fell absolutely in love with this album. I remember listening to it constantly during a vacation to the Outer Banks. You know you're really going to like an album when your favorite song keeps changing as you listen to it more. Sure the piano pop/rock of "Somewhere Only We Know" sets the tone, but then the more upbeat "Everybody's Changing" gets to you, then the longing of "We Might As Well Be Strangers," then the album's most energetic cut "Bend and Break" has to be your favorite. In short, there's very little I don't like about this album. It's about as strong a debut as a band could hope for, and so far, Keane has yet to outclass it. Was it gimmick to make rock music that didn't include the most "rock" instrumental of all? Perhaps, but Tim Rice-Oxley plays the keys with both more joie de vivre and healtfelt tenderness than many guitar players could ever hope to. Coldplay got a lot of attention for putting piano in the forefront of their mix, but they mostly play just simple chord combinations, while Keane's piano melodies are more complex. Brilliant pop at its best.

Best: Bend and Break, Somewhere Only We Know, Bedshaped, Everybody's Changing, We Might as Well Be Strangers, Your Eyes Open, This Is the Last Time

Album Review: Keane - Perfect Symmetry (4/5)

The dreaded sophomore slump hit Keane pretty hard. It wasn't the music that suffered--Under the Iron Sea, while not as good as Hopes and Fears, was an accomplished album--but the band itself, with drug addiction and creative differences threatening to tear it apart. It was a shock to behold from such a seemingly mild-mannered group of guys, but such is the narcotic influence of fame.

By all accounts lead singer Tom Chaplin is clean and sober now, and the band has a renewed spirit. It's certainly evident on Perfect Symmetry. While Iron Sea had a similar albeit darker sound to Hopes and Fears, the album finds the band taking new directions, incorporating '80s new wave influences and (gasp) guitar.

"Spiralling," clearly influenced by David Bowie's "Let's Dance," leads the set with a confident strut. Tim Rice-Oxley's piano arrangement is still here but combined by a heavy synth bass line. It's brasher than we're used to hearing the band, which has been plagued by detractors' accusations that they are boring and too quiet (to which I read they once suggested, why not turn up the volume then?). "The Lovers are Losing" is musically more similar to their previous work--melodic, piano-driven pop rock, although this time there are guitars in the mix as well.

"Better Than This" is an odd track. It has a folksier sound owing to the handclaps and banjo (synthesized I believe, as there is no banjo listed in the liner notes). The '80s synths and drum machine beats come out on "You Haven't Told Me Anything." While I do love "Spiralling," neitehr of these two tracks really grab me. Perhaps I'm missing the good ol' Keane?

Not to fear, "Perfect Symmetry" is as lovely as ever a traditional Keane track--mid-tempo with a sharp piano refrain backing the soaring chorus. They tack on a sing-along at the end, the choir and Tom declaring "I dream in emails, worn out phrases." While I like the song, the ending is a bit over the the top. "You Don't See Me" is more understated and also lovely, and again has a particularly good piano part.

"Again and Again" moves the tempo back up and brings back some '80s-sounding synths into the big melody. The band catches its breath briefly in the middle before releashing the full onslaught of synths, piano, and guitar at the end. Stuart Price co-produced this track, along with "Black Burning Heart," which finds Tom in earnest belter mode. His influence on these is very slight--neither feels like a Confessions on the Dancefloor retreated like the album he produced last year for Seal did (will be interesting to see what he does with the Killers next month).

"Playing Along" is another odd one. It feels rather slight until it releases a brief volley of raspy electric guitar, but then goes back to its plodding melodic self. Then there's another burst and the song surges with Tom singing "I'm going to turn up the volume 'til I can't even think." It's about shutting out the world, but I can't help thinking is also a slap to those Keane detractors I mentioned earlier. "Pretend that You're Alone" is sort of...jaunty I guess is the word, throwing in saxophone--a Keane first. They wrap it up with tastefully restrained "Love is the End"--a predictable finale.

So here's the rub. I can't say I love this album, which is sad, since I've been such a champion of the band. Hopes and Fears was my favorite album of 2004--I loved it and listened to it constantly. And I liked Under the Iron Sea a lot, particularly "A Bad Dream," which I listen to all the time. I can't find fault with Perfect Symmetry--it's a great album--but it's not going down as a personal favorite. Despite their experimentation, which I applaud, much of this feels very familiar without being as interesting as what they've done before. There's no "Everybody's Changing" or "A Bad Dream" to really grab hold and make me feel the music. I feel like I'm breaking up with them, while urging "it's not you...it's me."

Best: Spiralling, Perfect Symmetry, The Lovers Are Losing, You Don't See Me, Again and Again

Fall Music Preview - October

Album of the Month: Keane - Perfect Symmetry (10/13) They've been around since just 2004 and already Keane are poised to release their third album. They fell prey a bit to the dreaded sophomore slump for Under the Iron Sea--great album, but not as successful as the band's debut Hopes and Fears, the UK's second best-selling album of 2004. Known for their piano-backed guitarless pop/rock, the first singles from this album, "Spiralling" and "The Lovers Are Losing," already point to a new and exciting direction, heavy with synths and even featuring electric guitar.

Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (10/6) Oasis's career has been a bit rollercoaster. Lately its been on the up though, so I'm hopeful this, their seventh album, will be really great. Last album, Don't Believe the Truth, gave us the great singles "Lyla," "The Importance of Being Idle," and "Let There Be Love," and this new album has already produced an upbeat first single, "The Shock of the Lightning" and the dark album cut currently offered by iTunes "Falling Down."

Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns (10/27) Until 2004, Snow Patrol were a little-known band. Then their third album Final Straw produced a major UK hit, "Run," and then their fourth album Eyes Open, which was the best-selling album in the UK in 2006, produced an even bigger international smash, "Chasing Cars." The album's first single, "Take Back the City," gets its UK radio premiere next week.

Kaiser Chiefs - Off with Their Heads (10/13) Another band that had a bit of a sophomore slump (although they did hit #1 with "Ruby") is back for album number three. This time they've enlisted hot retro soul producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse) to steer their sound in a new direction. First single "Never Miss a Beat" is a great start.

Pink - Funhouse (10/27) Pink is back with her fifth album. It's first single "So What" finds the singer in her usual punkish pop/rock vein, and already it's a massive hit, debuting in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the Australian ARIA chart this week. Max Martin, who helmed her last album's two major hits "U + UR Hand" and "Who Knew" produces the track.

Chris Cornell - Scream (10/14) Timbaland produced--no joke. First single "Long Gone" is, as expected, a bit reminiscent of OneRepublic's "Apologize" from last year. From Nelly Furtado, to Justin Timberlake, to Madonna, Timbaland is positively the hottest producer in popular music right now, if not this whole decade. Struggling has-beens everywhere are selling their souls to have him produce their next hit, although he doesn't seem to be as good at launching new artists (see Nicole Scherzinger).

Bloc Party - Intimacy (10/27) The British indie band offers their third album. Already available as a download, the CD gets its release in late October with a few bonus tracks. First track "Mercury" sounds a lot like their previous stuff.

High School Musical 3 Soundtrack (10/20) With the Disney gang hitting the big screen for outing #3, this is sure to be one of the best-sellers of the year, considering that HSM1 was the best-selling album in the US for 2006 and HSM2 was #2 for 2007.

Sugababes - TBD (10/20) The 'babes stumbled a bit with their fifth album Change, which scored only one major hit (the #1 "About You Now") and became their first album not to have a fourth single. The jury's still out on first single "Girls," which features a lot of horns.

John Legend - Evolver (10/28) Soulful R&B singer John Legend puts out his third album. First single "Green Light" finds him teamed with Outkast's Andre 3000, exploring a more modern sound than we've heard from him before. Then there's the more traditional "If You're Out There," which he performed at the Democratic National Convention.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor - TBD (10/27) Her fourth album, with songs produced by Calvin Harris (including the Cathy Dennis-penned first single "Off and On," which is on her myspace page) and Freemasons. After the underwhelming performance of her third album, Sophie needs a hit.

Peter Bjorn & John - Seaside Rock (10/6) Swedish Indie band that had a hit last year with "Young Folks" offers their fourth album.

Razorlight - TBD (10/27) Not much info on this yet, other than it's possibly coming in October.

Other:

Anastacia - Heavy Rotation (10/27)
Ludacris - Theater of the Mind (10/21)
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping (10/6)
Hoobastank - Untitled (10/14)
Boyzone - Greatest Hits (10/13)
Jennifer Lopez - Greatest Hits (10/27)
Sarah McLachlan - Closer (greatest hits) (10/7)
Katie Melua - The Collection (10/27)

Keane's "Lovers Are Losing"

Here's a YouTube posting of Keane's new single, "Lovers Are Leaving," the first official single from Perfect Symmetry. It's pretty good, yeah? "Spiralling" has grown on me so much though that it's hard to say which I like better. I'm really hopeful this new album will be fantastic.

Singles Roundup

Jan 15-22 release reviews:

A Bad Dream - Keane (5/5). iTunes says I've heard this almost 40 times now, and I still love it. Hands down the most beautiful song Keane has recorded. It still gives me chills. It starts with a ghostly, mechanical sound, like that of an approaching airplane--fitting, given the song is about a disillusioned, lonely fighter pilot. Tom's vocal, the piano, the bass synthesizers blend together effortlessly here. I can't say enough about how much I love this song.

"Too Little, Too Late" - Jojo (4.5/5). Ah, Jojo. This was a huge hit in the U.S. a few months ago, and it looks like it's going to do well in the U.K. too. This is one of those pop songs that manages to hit all the right notes: A catchy, on-key vocal, a lush guitar/strings instrumentation, and a knockout chorus. Jojo, who recently turned 16, deserves credit for taking the high road and turning out a mature pop album for her second disc. From interviews I've heard, she sounds pretty serious too, which is a nice change.

"Perfect (Exceeder)" - Masons vs. Princess Superstar (4.5/5). I don't know why, but I adore this. It's a total rip of the production of Bodyrox, but I like it so much better than that song. I like the '80s swagger meets sharp '90s house sound with '00s production sheen. Great club track and fun vocal too. I guess this is a mash-up of Princess Superstar's "Perfect" and Masons' "Exceeder," neither of which I've heard on their own, so to me at least, this sounds totally natural.

"Starz in Their Eyes" - Just Jack (4.5/5). This is a fun song. Reminds me of of "Starry Eyed Surprise," since the titles sound similar, but his voice sort of does too. It's sort of Lily Allen-ish with a dose of club production. Hard to categorize, but definitely interesting. BBC named Just Jack in their Sound of 2007 poll--a list of 10 up-and-coming musical acts they think will be big this year.

"I Luv U" - Ordinary Boys (4/5). This is just a nice, simple rock ballad. My favorite from them so far. Whistles, acoustic guitars, strings, and the like.

"Famous Last Words" - My Chemical Romance (4/5). Another great single from My Chemical Romance. Not as over the top as Welcome to the Black Parade, but a solid power rock song. The strong chorus, albeit somewhat short, is what makes it really work.

"Golden Skans" - Klaxons (4/5). These guys also made the Sounds of 2007 list. Check out the weird video. This is a pretty good song, with a good, standard rock arrangement of electric guitar, piano, drums, bass, and vocal. Kind of reminds me of the Editors, but not as proficient. A good breakout single

"Annie, Let's Not Wait" - Guillemots (4/5). More electronic than you'd expect, this is probably their best single yet. Pretty upbeat and the lead singer's got a good voice. Strange percussion, but it fits.

"Thinking of You" - Norah Jones (3.5/5). Norah Jones is really more of an albums than a singles artist. So while I'm excited about a new album from her, the single is pretty good but not amazing. This is the kind of soulful, mellow pop we've come to expect from her that's certainly moved more than a few albums.

"Calm Down Dearest" - Jamie T (3.5/5). Sounds like a sloppy version of the Streets. It's got a good beat, but the singer isn't that likeable. The chorus rescues it though, it's pretty good.

Keane 4th Under the Iron Sea single

"A Bad Dream" showed up on the upcoming releases schedule for a Jan. 22 release. Yay! This is my favorite song on the album and I would've been very disappointed if it hadn't been released. Given the relatively poor chart performance of "Crystal Ball" and "Nothing In My Way," I wouldn't have been surprised if there wasn't a fourth single. Keep your fingers crossed it holds.

Gwen + Keane = ?

Robin alerted me to the fact that Gwen Stefani is collaborating with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley for her upcoming second solo album, The Sweet Escape, due December 4. Read it about in NME.

Interesting match-up. Gwen's electro pop of Love.Angel.Music.Baby doesn't on its face mesh well with Keane's melodic pop approach, particularly since her biggest hit was the all-beats-all-the-time "Hollaback Girl." Still, I always preferred her songs like "Cool" and "Serious," which sounded more like something Kylie would've done in the late '80s. Tim's a master songwriter, so I'm sure it will be good.

I heard the album's first single, "Wind It Up," on Radio 1 today. Interesting and weird. I need to hear it more before I can form a definite opinion. Listen to it here.

Worried about Keane

So, I have this terrible nagging feeling that Keane is going to break up. Just as "Is It Any Wonder" begins climbing the U.S. Hot AC radio charts, Tom (of all people) goes into rehab, and the band postpones and then cancels their U.S. dates. Meanwhile, no UK follow-up to "Crystal Ball" has been announced, and "Crystal Ball" didn't chart that well anyway, coming in at #20 (their lowest ever). The song's plummeted on the airplay chart too. Bad signs all around, particularly since the band has openly discussed that they had a lot of problems even making this second album.

Album Review: Keane - Under the Iron Sea (4.5 / 5)

Every band has its resident genius. Chris Martin clearly fills that position in Coldplay. In Keane it’s Tim Rice-Oxley, the band’s songwriter and principal musician (he does everything except sing—that’s Tom Chapman’s gig—and drum—that duty goes to Richard Hughes). Yet unlike Martin, Rice-Oxley is content to exist in frontman Chapman’s shadow like an anonymous puppetmaster. Maybe that’s a stretch, but Under the Iron Sea is a testament to Rice-Oxley’s melodic genius and represents a solid attempt by the band to stretch it’s creativity beyond just making beautiful songs. That it doesn’t quite succeed makes it all the more endearing for having tried.

Hopes and Fears, Keane’s 2004 album, was a remarkable debut achievement. Every song was a winner, particularly the first 5 tracks, and the act was notable for substituting piano completely for guitar as the backbone of their uplifting rock melodies. For Under the Iron Sea, the band decided to go with a concept of sorts—darker, moodier works. There’s still a lot of the same kind of music on this disc as their first album, but many of the tracks resonate with darker, richer attempts, drawing from U2, classical music, and the war for inspiration.

“Atlantic” opens slowly with a minute of slowly building instrumentation before the Tom Chapman’s boyishly sweet vocals kick in. It’s a far cry from the top 40 pop of “Somewhere Only We Know,” the opener from their last album. “Atlantic” is dark and moody, swirling with long synth chords and . And then it takes a beautiful turn toward brighter pastures—one of my favorite moments on the album is right here as Tom sings “I need a place that’s hidden in the deep…” as Tim’s chord structures change underneath. It’s quite moving and beautiful.

Keane then turns up the volume nobs—way up—for second track “Is It Any Wonder?” the loudest, rockiest song they’ve recorded yet. Is that electric guitar we hear? No! Keane does NOT do electric guitar. It’s actually electric piano that Tim modified with effects pedals to sound almost like guitar. While Keane’s first album drew many obvious comparisons to Coldplay, and the second disc does too, this track is pure U2 legacy. A smashing choice for the album’s lead single.

Next up is “Nothing in My Way,” which covers more traditional Keane territory we are used to hearing, Tim’s beautifully structured piano- and synth-driven melody under Tom’s emotional vocal. If the piano chords sound vaguely familiar, it’s no accident. Rice-Oxley has said this song was inspired by Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” and the influence is there, albeit subtly. It’s a great song too, one of my favorites on the album. Followed by “Leaving So Soon,” another strong track.

Track 5 though is the real clincher. Every time I listen to it I get chills, and it grabs me from its first initial synth notes. “A Bad Dream” tells the story of a disillusioned airplane fighter pilot who feels alone and tired—“guess I’m not the fighting kind” he says. The song opens with some low rumbling synth cords—reminiscent of the sound of far away WWII-era fighter planes. It’s a remarkable song on so many levels. It’s achingly beautiful—the most beautiful song Keane has recorded. It’s also a subtle, yet extremely effective way to comment on the Iraq war. Rather than throwing out anger and diatribes against governments and politicians—the old standby method that has renewed the interest of some rock musicians of late—Keane express their POV by telling a simple story of one man in the war who doesn’t want to be there. It’s sad and beautiful and moving. I hope it gets released as a single, as I would LOVE to see the video.

“Hamburg Song,” so titled because it was written in Hamburg and they could think of no other moniker, is a simple ballad that is saved from tedium by its beautiful bridge of rich chords that sounds like it could have come from a Chopin composition. “Put it Behind You” cribs from Hopes and Fears’ “Bend and Break,” and while enjoyable, isn’t as good as its antecedent.

By this point in the album, the concept seems to break down. Sure, some of the tracks were darker, but songs like “Put it Behind You” and “Crystal Ball” are more like business as usual for Keane. The second half of the album also brings its one true disappointment, the title track “Iron Sea.” This is an 2½ minute instrumental track of high-feedback synths. People either really like or dislike this composition, and I’m afraid I fall into the latter camp. It just doesn’t do anything for me and it feels really disconnected from the rest of the album. There’s no transition being made, as the dark piece sits between two of the album’s poppiest numbers. Strangely, on the American version of the album, “Iron Sea” isn’t given its own track placing, but sits right after “Put It Behind You” as the last 2:48 of track 7. Bizarre. Things pick up again with “Crystal Ball,” this album’s “Everybody’s Changing,” a great upbeat traditionally Keane song.

The last three tracks of the album are okay, but don’t really hold my interest. “Try Again” plods along rather quietly before an injection of strong piano and synth chords after the second verse, making it sound almost like the band’s first single. “Broken Toy” sounds vaguely retro/jazzy and is very piano-focused, but a little too long. “The Frog Prince” finishes the collection in true Keane style, and even surprises with a somewhat unstructured middle section.

Under the Iron Sea is a worthy follow-up to Hopes and Fears; overall, it’s not as consistent as their first album, but its high points are truly remarkable, particularly “A Bad Dream,” “Atlantic” and “Is It Any Wonder?” The band has talked openly about how it almost fell apart between these albums; hopefully they can keep it together to deliver album #3 by 2008.

New Keane Web site

Keane has updated their official Web site and it's much cooler now. In case you need a reminder, Under the Iron Sea is out next Monday, June 12th (June 20th in the US).

Singles Reviews

Is It Any Wonder? - Keane (5/5)

Keane's first single from upcoming Under the Iron Sea retains the bands tight piano-driven sound, but amps it up louder and faster than anything we've previously heard from them. "Is It Any Wonder?" also features electric guitar, which was completely absent from first album Hopes & Fears. While upbeat and thoroughly enjoyable, this song has an undercurrent of the political--namely disillusionment with one's leaders (i.e. Blair and Labour). Quite quite good.

Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado Featuring Timbaland (5/5)

Wow! I liked Nelly Furtado's "Turn Off The Light" and "Try," but nothing she's put out comes close to being as enjoyable as this single. Promiscuous plays out like a flirtation between its two horny performers--Canadian pop singer Furtado and American rapper Timbaland. The relentless beat underscores a happy fusion of hip-hop of '80s electro. It's not unlike a lot of what Gwen Stefani's last album was about, but it manages to be much more enjoyable. I think we have our summer of '06 hit.

Everybody's Gone to War - Nerina Pallot (5/5)

Politics has become a recurring theme in recent pop releases, none more so than in Nerina Pallot's "Everybody's Gone to War," a mid-tempo, pop/rock number that's chock full of great lines and hooks. "I've got a friend--he's a pure-bread killing machine...I think he might be dead by Christmas." Sounds dark--and it is--but it works. The British single begs easy comparison to KT Tunstall, but still delivers an effective and enjoyable pop tune.

I'm With Stupid - Pet Shop Boys (4.5/5)

I used to be big Pet Shop Boys fan, but for the last few years, they haven't been that interesting. This could change with their forthcoming album, Fundamental. "I'm With Stupid," its first single, reaches back to their late '80s/early '90s sound that made their albums Behaviour and Very their best. In doing so, they've put out their best single in a very long time. It's also quite political, as a reference to the relationship between Blair and Bush.

Up All Night - Matt Willis (4/5)

Former Busted member Matt Willis delivers a great pop single, charged with pulsing '80s keyboards and electric guitars. The Busted sound rarely did it for me, but this is great fun.

I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker With Flowers in My Hair - Sandi Thom (4/5)

Sandi Thom is a British pop artist whose fame was self-generated by becoming one of the early internet-only broadcast artists. Now she's got a legit release, a short, sweet, pop number with nostalgia for '69 and '77--when "revolution" was in the air. Ignore the obvious error that punk rockers have dye and gel--not flowers--in their hair. This is a fun first release.

Rollling Stone on Keane

Kudos to Lady R's blog for alerting me to this great Rolling Stone article about Keane and their upcoming album, due for U.S. release June 20.

Read the article here. FYI--Check out the picture of the band: Tim Rice-Oxley is the one in the middle. He's looking better and better everyday, plus, as the article makes clear, he's the band's principal songwriter. What an amazing man.

Keane's New Single - "Is It Any Wonder?"

I'm listening to Keane's new single "Is It Any Wonder?" for the first time! I'm very excited to finally hear it. Wow! It kicks off with electric guitars, which were completely absent from their first album. I wonder who's playing it. They're definitely rocking out a lot more now. The piano is still there, but just under the melody this time, instead of central. I like it. Still sounds like Keane, but with a new direction too.

Keane's New Album

Cannot wait!

Keane Preps New Album

Keane's Web site announced the title and tracklisting of their forthcoming album this week. Under The Iron Sea will be released June 12 (June 20 in the US). It is the follow-up to their debut album, Hopes and Fears, which was the second best-selling album in the UK in 2004 and the winner of that's year Brit Award for best album. The album's first single, "Is It Any Wonder?," will be released May 29.

Under the Iron Sea tracks:

1. Atlantic
2. Is It Any Wonder?
3. Nothing in My Way
4. Leaving So Soon?
5. A Bad Dream
6. Hamburg Song
7. Put It Behind You
8. The Iron Sea
9. Crystal Ball
10. Try Again
11. Broken Toy
12. The Frog Prince

Keane's Rice-Oxley Looking Good

Tim Rice-Oxley has always been my favorite member of Keane. He's their principal songwriter and piano/keyboard player. IMO, the most talented of the group. He's also the best looking, and it looks like he's trimmed his mop of hair of possibly slimmed down a bit (all that touring must be a great diet, looks like hard work). Go here, select "gallery" and pic #16.

This month's Q Magazine affirms that Keane's new album will be out in May. Although annoying that they get compared to Coldplay so much, it's been described as their Rush of Blood to the Head--darker and more expansive than Hopes and Fears.