Keane
Under The Iron Sea

THE REVIEW

I feel it is only right to include this positive review to counterbalance the one already submitted that barely gives a "barely adequate" rating to the album in question, so that one can better decide which side to take.
The Keane were immediately categorized as Coldplay imitators, even though in their home country they haven't exactly received the same accolades and certainly less than abroad. Perhaps this is because bands in the long wake of Chris Martin and company have sprung up at every corner in the last 4-5 years, but also because Mr. Tom Chaplin can try as much as he wants to play the role of the frontman that suits him, but with his teenage face that managed to sneak into a pub dodging security and grab the first glass of beer that came under his nose, he will hardly make the Gwyneth Paltrow of the moment swoon.
The fact remains, however, that Keane is a great band that has placed a debut album among the best of recent years, with all the tracks in the right place, sticking to you like pitch (in this, I would say we are on par with Coldplay), creating their own precise distinctive feature, unlike the numerous other pop groups that were said to always resemble each other too much (Snow Patrol, Embrace, Hope Of The States...).

So we arrive at "Under The Iron Sea", the dreaded second album where you shouldn't try to deviate too much from what you've sown with the first, but neither propose photocopy tracks that get you labeled as someone who always tries to re-propose what worked well
once: well, Coldplay were fantastic with their "A Rush Of Blood To The Head", but I believe Keane were no less, also having the advantage of being able to experiment with the incorporation of the guitar (or at least something that sounds damn close to the guitar) creating that deviation from the sound of the first album that brings a little bit more grit.

The tracks on this album contain all the elements that characterized their debut, namely the catchiest pop-rock ("Is It Any Wonder?", "Crystal Ball") but also that feeling of electronic dissonance that brings the sound closer to the Radiohead area ("Atlantic", "Try
Again", the final part of "Put It Behind You").
There are also tracks that need to be digested little by little ("Nothing In My Way", "A Bad Dream", "Try Again", "Broken Toy"), but they have what it takes to bring Keane into the Olympus where the "usual" Coldplay now stand, with whom I like to continue making comparisons, and for whom at the release of "Rush" I had the same sensation that they wouldn't enter my heart as with the first album, but gradually the tracks on that album continued to dig to reach the core and I do hope Keane succeeds in the same endeavor.

Now Coldplay are in a position where they can no longer deal much with themes of humility, misery, and misfortune from atop their billions, and indeed the fatigue was evident in their latest album. We shall see what will happen to Keane on that occasion, in the meantime, we can continue to feel the sensation of a "Rush of blood to the head under the iron sea".

P.S.: Tom Chaplin doesn't have the same physique du role as Chris Martin, but in terms of stage presence, he is certainly not the last to arrive: watch how he incites the crowd and holds the stage during their Live 8 performance.