Keane: Hopes and Fears CD Track Listing

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Keane Hopes and Fears (2004)
Originally Released May 25, 2004\nHybrid SACD Released December 7, 2004\nDualDisc Edition Released December 7, 2004\n\nRolling Stone, June 10, 2004\n"Keane reconfigures the high-romantic aesthetic introduced by Radiohead and mainstreamed by Coldplay as the launchpad for a serious hookfest" \n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: The English music press can never let anyone be. They're always quick to hail the next big thing and, in this case, the next big Coldplay is Keane. Lowgold briefly held that title upon its debut release in 2001, but U.K. critics rushed to give that crown to someone else just because that's what they like to do. Keane didn't ask for it, but perhaps it's the overall majestic presentation of the band's debut album, Hopes and Fears, that does it. That and the fact that the Sussex trio doesn't rely on a formula of lilting melodies and feverish guitars to carry the weight of the album. Keane haven't positioned themselves to be kings of anything, let alone the next Coldplay. They sound nothing like Chris Martin and Co. Sure, Coldplay's biggest hit to date, "Clocks," included only pianos, and they released the Safety EP on Fierce Panda, which is also Keane's label, but those are the only things Keane have in common with Coldplay. Alongside their beautiful, emotive dalliance of instrumentation is one thing that'll separate Keane from all the rest, and that's drive. The band's heartfelt ambition on Hopes and Fears is right there. It's impossible not to reach for it, really. Lead vocalist Tom Chaplin's rich vocals are as vibrant as any choir, and songs such as "This Is the Last Time," "Bend and Break," and "Can't Stop Now" reflect Keane's more savory, dramatic moments. Confidence bursts throughout, and for a band that has been around seven years and has never released a studio full-length album until now, achieving nearly epic-like status is quite impressive. Keane obviously have the songs and they have a strong voice leading the front; however, Tim Rice-Oxley (piano/keyboards/bass) and Richard Hughes (drums) allow Hopes and Fears to come alive with glamour and without the sheen of slick studio production. Even slow build-up tracks like "Bedshaped" and "We Might as Well Be Strangers" are just as passionate, if not more so, than some of the bigger numbers on the album. Some might find Keane's debut a bit stagy, or too theatrical at first, but that's okay. Listening to "Somewhere Only We Know" alone a few times is more than enough to convince you that Keane stand next to Coldplay, challenging them, and it's a respectable match at that. [Universal released a bonus DVD edition loaded with extras.] -- MacKenzie Wilson \n \nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nIt's perhaps inevitable that Keane's debut album, Hopes and Fears, will draw numerous comparisons to Coldplay. Like them, Keane were discovered by indie label Fierce Panda, who released a single ("Everybody's Changing"). And, like Coldplay, Keane also do a fine trade in catchy and heartfelt indie-pop, all bruised verses and soaring choruses. But though their sound is sure to please fans of Coldplay and Travis, the reality is that Keane manage to sound that little bit more delicate. This could be down to the band's relatively unusual make-up: rather than guitars, the trio use a piano.\n\nAt its best, Hopes and Fears is reminiscent of Bends-era Radiohead and singer Tom Chaplin's voice is closer to Thom Yorke's falsetto than Chris Martin's cracked whine. On tracks such as the hit single "Somewhere Only We Know," they manage to squeeze an epic-sounding poignancy from their stripped-down sound (a lot of this is due to the album's superb production). Across 12 tracks, all this slow-burning melancholy skates a bit close to self-indulgence and you can't help but wish they'd rock out a bit. But Hopes and Fears is still a remarkable and surprisingly mature debut album from a young band with a bright future. --Robert Burrow \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nHopes for "Fears", December 6, 2004 \nReviewer: E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) \nBritish 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. \n\nIt 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." \n\nIf 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. \n\nThe 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. \n\nTom 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?" \n\nKeane needs to distance itself more from the other Brit-mope-rock bands before it can blossom into greatness. But in "Hopes And Fears," they have succeeded in the basics: bringing forth some beautiful, sometimes heartrending music. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nLess is More... A Lot More, March 30, 2005\nReviewer: Rosie Kerkhoff (IN) \nVery simplistic, yet they pull it off with flying colors. Very few bands can do what Keane has accomplished. They use few frills, no bells and whistles, but the music touches your soul without boring you to death. Keane has done what is probably the hardest thing to do do in the music business: make great simple music. The subtle things Keane does is where the genius lies: the "archaic" use of a piano, the timing and articulation of the vocals, and the magic behind their heartfelt writing. They seem too young to be able to express emotions the way they do through music. They seem like young Walt Whitmans. Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the one traveled by Keane. Most of the time sappy, sentimental music is painfully boring, but Keane is a much needed exception to the rule. The best way to describe Keane: poets with instruments. \n\nI used to think the vocals should be more refined. But when I listened to it again, the pitchy spots set up the times when the notes are truly nailed. The singer seems to be making an emotional journey and when he finds his emotional sweet spot he holds on for all its worth with a very pure sounding note. Pretty smart: sad or agitated times sound stressed while times of hope or recognition sound beautiful. Everybody's Changing & Somewhere Only We Know are great examples. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nThe little band that could, March 16, 2005\nReviewer: Eddie Konczal (Monroe Township, NJ USA) \nAnother fresh musical breeze has blown in across the Atlantic from the British Isles. Keane is a three-piece Brit-pop outfit that to some extent follows in the footsteps of bands like Radiohead, Travis, and Coldplay. However, while influenced by their predecessors, Keane fashions a gentle yet full-bodied sound that's all their own. This is earnest, sincere pop/rock, delivered without a hint of cynicism. \n\nThe uniqueness of Keane's sound results partly from their decision to dispense with guitars completely. The songs certainly don't suffer from the absence of a guitarist. Keane's heavy reliance on piano invites comparisons to Coldplay, while their aggressively mellow approach places them in the same vein as Travis. However, Keane's style is more delicate and pop-oriented than Coldplay's, and their songwriting is less tentative than Travis, who always played their cards too close to the vest for my taste. Perhaps Keane's greatest asset is the bold simplicity of their approach. Their sincerity allows them to achieve the big chorus or crescendo without sounding blatantly commercial or overly derivative. \n\nKeane delivers soaring ballads, up-tempo pop rock, and smooth midtempo numbers with equal facility. Upbeat, catchy tunes such as "Bend and Break," "Everybody's Changing," and "Can't Stop Now" grab the listener immediately; you'll find it impossible not to sing along after the second or third listen. Exquisite ballads like "Somewhere Only We Know" and "Bed-shaped" achieve lofty and romantic heights, avoiding sappiness and sentimentality by a hair's breadth. For variety, Keane slides into a late 70s-style soft rock sound (10cc and Gary Wright come to mind) on the atmospheric numbers "Sunshine" and "Untitled 1." \n\nSinger Tom Chaplin sings beautifully and passionately in both full voice and falsetto. Keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley resists the temptation to fill the guitar hero's role, instead providing solid chordal support with a few tasteful excursions into synth leads. Drummer Richard Hughes delivers steady rhythms throughout. \n\nKeane aren't as ambitious as some of their contemporaries, and this is not a particularly challenging set of songs. But that's OK: they aim to please, and they succeed in doing it. "Hopes and Fears" is an auspicious debut and one of 2004's most pleasant surprises. \n\nAlbum Credits\nAndy Green, Producer\nJames Sanger, Producer\nKeane, Producer\n\nAlbum Notes\nKeane: Tom Chaplin (vocals); Tim Rice-Oxley (piano); Richard Hughes (drums).\n\nOften compared to countrymen Coldplay and Radiohead, the UK-based trio Keane plays a similarly majestic, sweeping blend of pop-informed rock music. Fueling the comparisons is the fact that lead vocalist Tom Chaplin makes heavy use of the same kind of Jeff Buckley-esque falsetto and emotion-filled wails favored by Chris Martin and Thom Yorke. On HOPES AND FEARS's epic tracks such as "She Has No Time," however, Keane takes the more dramatic elements of the aforementioned bands' sounds and magnifies them, creating piano- and synthesizer-driven cinematic soundscapes dripping with quiet heartache and existential angst. In addition, Keane incorporates minimalist trip-hop beats, which, in combination with Chaplin's strong pop melodies, evoke a male-led Portishead jamming with the Raspberries. One of the most sonically atmospheric groups of the Britpop scene, Keane ignores the notion of traditional guitar-based rock music in favor of something altogether quieter, yet equally as intense.
This rock cd contains 11 tracks and runs 45min 31sec.
Freedb: 900aa90b
Buy: from Amazon.com

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