Keane's new album - Under the Iron Sea; worst album ever

Tell us what you really think

Actually Im glad you spoke up; I'm new to Keane, and now am thinking of spending the money elsewhere (still on music of course, what else is there?).

Is it just me or is every british band with music critic hype turn out to be vastly over rated? I remember when they all said Kings of Leon was supposed to be the next Rolling Stones..(I'm not kidding). I don't think I made it all the way through the disc once.
I don't get the whole Coldplay thing, though I admit I am not qualified to comment on them, as I have only heard them on the radio.
I did like the first Darkness album.......the first one.
Oh and don't get me started on the Australian band Wolfmother. I bought the self title...oops. my bad

I don't know about worst album, but it is pretty drab and has little replay value. The lead singer's voice sounds slightly different than the first album. Of course it is once again compressed to the nines.

Aren't the Kings of Leon from Nashville? They don't do anything for me.

As for Coldplay, even my wife can't listen to them anymore after seeing how horrible they were live. I never could listen to them, although a few of their tunes are pleasant.

oops
Yeah I was going off the top of my head. But it does seem like a bunch of british bands over being hyped beyond reason or logic (to me at least).

I can see why you thought they were British. They do have that "sound."

Not to change the subject, but in the interest of making enemies whenever possible...I also don't understand the appeal of Dave Matthews Band. Although that is no reflection on their drummer. I don't hate them, I just don't get their appeal. Its like people think he's the greatest acoustic guitarist ever. Try Tommy Emmanuel instead....trust me.

Everyone perceives things differently, but my wife really felt that the lead singer sounded strained and the songs just came across as lifeless. Also having seen performers like Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Muse, Jane Monheit, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray and Maceo Parker with me, she also felt that the band had no stage presence and that nothing about their musicianship was particularly memorable.

I think they are a solid band with more musicianship than your average rock band. Nevertheless, I don't listen to them either. I'm not a fan of the lead singer's voice nor the overall "bouncy" feel of their music.

It's funny, I thought the songs I heard on the radio from Hopes and Fears were sub-Coldplay bed-wetter music.

But I've heard the first single off the new album (actually seen the video on VH1 about 4 times now with the Rube Goldberg contraption), and I was impressed. I looked at that video and said-- those guys look familiar, wait, that's Keane, isn't it? Is it?

The song is beefier, more muscular and fuller (hey-- guitars!). Then, when I saw an interview with the band and found out that song was about the War in Iraq, it added a new layer for me and I went back and listened anew. in that context, that song is just about as good an example of a subtle "protest song" you're likely to hear these days in the current environment where you have to fly subtly under the radar. It never directly references anything, it's not a polemic, it just takes a young person's perspective (basically powerless and confused and scared) and focuses on the *feelings* the war generates (paranoia, and especially "betrayal") instead of doing Neil Young-styled literal diatribe against it (Hey, I'm as against the War as anyone, but I'd be bored by Neil's album, so even though a fan, I haven't bought it and won't.). To me, it's much more nuanced and timeless as a result, and more effective to boot. In this time, while to some, it may appear a cowardly way to address the issues (it has no answers), but really, how else can you attack these issues today without getting banned, barred, censored or shot down? Well done!

Anyway, I'm actually probably gonna buy it as a result.

I don't think that's guitar, it's prolly keyboard that sounds like guitar. The booklet says that the keyboardist played keyboard and bass guitar only, no mention of electric guitar.

Anyways, I think that it is a pretty fine slice of pop art.

This is EXACTLY how my wife and I feel. Ironically I really dig X&Y, but overall I think their music is just okay with a few great ones mixed in, and certainly live? No thanks, not after seeing some fo their DVD's. The guy can't hold a note and the shows seem boring. This is after watching 2 shows and an MTV special.

i think comparing Under the Iron Sea and Hopes and Fears is like apples to oranges, they're completely different albums. the new one is much more introspective, lyrically and musically; while the debut was very anthemic.

i like Under the Iron Sea, it's definitely a grower. most of the album has a sneering, spiteful undertone to it with the main topic being how keyboardist/writer Tim felt about his world view and the working relationship with frontman/singer Tom... the band almost broke up after the success of Hopes and Fears.

oh, and there's no guitars again on this album, Tim plays a bass guitar though, although that's quite impossible when they play live.

however... like someone said it's compressed to the gills, the mixing on this is horrible. shame, since IMO i felt this is a solid set of songs.

as for Coldplay, Parachutes was brilliant, half of Rush of Blood was a borefest, X&Y was better but Chris sounds tired and lazy. i've seen them live and while the band plays very well but again, Chris isn't a very good singer... and sounds worse live.