Customer Reviews

Under the Iron Sea

5 star:		(130)
4 star:		(40)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Keane’s first album “Hopes and Fears” went eight times platinum in the UK and scored gold in the USA, thanks to huge hit ballads like “Everybody’s Changing”, “Somewhere Only We Know” and “Bend and Break”. This follow up album changes the formula completely, and although a great effort musically and lyrically, it doesn’t have a similar number of radio-friendly pop songs like its predecessor. If this will affect sales will soon be known, but fans of the group will continue to be impressed by their sheer musical genius, the songs this time being heavily infused with electronica for a darker sound than ever before. Sounding more like Enigma in places, with large spoonfuls of U2 and Queen thrown in for good measure, this album isn’t as instantly likeable like the first, but grows on you after a few repeats.

First single and lead off track “Atlantic” has an incredible drum effect running through it and some terrific lyrics – “And if I need anything at all / I need a place that's hidden in the deep / Where lonely angels sing you to your sleep / Though all the world is broken”

Second single and track “Is It Any Wonder” is the song most likely to succeed on radio, especially with its political theme, commenting on the contributions of the British to the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Pet Shop Boys also have a similar (but more irreverently outspoken) track on their album “Fundamental”, and The Dixie Chicks take on the matter is also well known.

The best track on the album in my opinion is “Nothing In My Way”, a ballad inspired by Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” and composed by Tim Rice-Oxley, the band’s piano man. This track sounds most like the Keane of “Hopes and Fears” vintage, and is the one I’ve been repeat playing. Another wicked ballad is “Leaving So Soon?” which is followed by “A Bad Dream” another war themed track, this time based on a poem by W. B. Yeats. “Hamburg Song” is a rather long acoustic track, and then comes “Put It Behind You” a straight up rock track just for fun.

The group describes their album as “a sinister fairytale-world-gone-wrong” and this theme comes through clearly on the creepy instrumental “Under the Iron Sea” which sounds like a funeral song from a fantasy movie. Not one of my favorite tracks, I’m afraid, but would fit in very nicely in a “Lord of the Rings” type soundtrack.

Another future single is “Crystal Ball” the track which gives us the album title and a very catchy chorus, and this takes us to the last three very long tracks “Try Again”, “Broken Toy” and “The Frog Prince” these three accounting for almost 15 minutes of the album. The first two are for relaxing only, but the last track wakes you up gently for the grand finale.

This album may not beat the commercial success of the debut album, but the excellent and innovative music, crisp clear vocals and intelligent lyrics make it a stand-out anyway.
Rated: 4.5 stars

Amanda Richards, June 20, 2006

Simple, energetic, and sonically impressive, Under the Iron Sea is the kind of album that hearkens back to an era where music wasn't about pretentiousness and style or about making money with a relentlessly commercial sound. Keane goes the opposite direction, making the album they wanted to make, full of elegantly simple but incredibly engaging songs and delivering a record better than 95% of the fluff on the market today. Simply stated, this is one for heavy rotation.

Keane's contemporary influences can be clearly heard on this record, with shades of U2, Radiohead, Manic Street Preachers, and Ben Folds Five heard on various tracks. While paying homage to those influences, Keane still manages to create a sound that is all their own. Tom Chaplin's vocals are emotional and ethereal, blending perfectly with Tim Rice-Oxley's elegant piano, and Rich Hughes does a fine job anchoring the tracks with his steady drumming. From the opening track Atlantic's potent piano melodies, which defies the traditional verse-chorus-verse song structure, to the energetic tracks Is It Any Wonder and Nothing In My Way, the record flows with an exciting and uplifting energy that has already made it #1 on the British album charts.

Crystal Ball with its beautiful chorus is probably the best track on the record, while A Bad Dream and Try Again are the kind of hopeful and anthemic songs Coldplay would kill to write themselves and that flow gorgeously. The album as a whole is a sonic gem, with layers of instruments that embellish and accentuate the simplicity of Chaplin's vocals and Rice-Exley's melodies. This record is light years better than anything U2 or Coldplay has done in recent years. Although some feel this album is darker thematically than Hopes and Fears, I find it exactly the opposite. Though containing lyrics of loss, loneliness and longing, these tracks are surrounded by beautiful and uplifting melodies. Under the Iron Sea is a less commercial album than Hopes and Fears; the tracks are more intricate and deeper on this record, and therefore it takes a bit longer to appreciate. After 2 weeks on heavy rotation, the depth of the CD continues to amaze.

Co-produced with Hopes and Fears' Andy Green, Under the Iron Sea demolishes the commonly held belief in the sophomore slump. This is the kind of album most bands wish they could deliver, full of fresh, intriguing, and resonating songs that stand up to multiple playings. On their website, Keane remarks they needed to make a record that was going to make them feel alive again. With Under the Iron Sea, Keane has made a record that makes us feel alive again. Brilliant work, and hands down one of the Top 5 records of the Year. Highly recommended.


A.G. Corwin
St Louis, MO

This is easily my favorite disc of the year, possibly the decade! I am an "old school" listener who prefers everything from Britain that has been recorded and exported in the past 40 years. Keane released this brilliant album that very well may take its place at the top of the pile of my stack. I simply have not stopped playing it!

English bands seemed to have lost track of making good music. Not so, with Keane. "Iron Sea" surpised me on many levels. First of all, follow up albums usually fall short of the debuts. This moves far ahead of the first. "Iron Sea" is both solid and deep. (No pun intended!) Fantasy images are used liberally, Crystal Ball is my favorite. Frog princes and ogres make appearances.

Every track is memorable. Grammys take note, here is your album of the year. Tom Chaplins vocals soar! It is hard to believe that musically this is a trio. No Guitars. It is skilled beyond my ears to hear this. This album great on many levels! The last track sums it up as fairy tales do come true. This is music for the Harry Potter generation and beyond!!!

Keane's HOPES AND FEARS won the Best British Album at the Brits, and got them attention even in the US when they got nominated for Grammy's Best New Artist (not an easy feat for a British band). It isn't easy at all to follow up such massive success. And here coems Keane's sophomore effort - UNDER THE IRON SEA. But does it match up to HOPES AND FEARS? If you went head over heels for HOPES AND FEARS, then chances are you had been waiting impatiently for the release of this one and would have the CD spinning right now. What if you do not own HOPES AND FEARS, or did not like it (which I find a little shocking)?

UTIS is essentially a rock record, leaning towards alternative. The CD opens with "Atlantic", which features a killer beat (albeit sinister sounding) that sets the tone for the rest of the CD. About 2 minutes and a bit more into this song, the melody completely takes on a new route, switching from melancholic and dangerous to almost angelic and peaceful. This, in my opinion, is sheer brilliance. We could go deeper by trying to analyze what message Keane is giving (a light among darkness?) but that's better left aside for now.

First single "Is It Any Wonder?" comes next. Once again, great beats - and no - THAT is NOT guitar; it is 'distorted piano' - a completely new sound that Keane has invented. This song is ferocoius, it rages forward like a full-speed train - and that's good. We have not heard anything like this from Keane before, and I'm glad they are not sticking to ONE formula (the one that worked in HOPES AND FEARS).

One of my favourite songs on the CD, "Nothing In My Way" is very poetic, and the "addictivity level" is at its peak when the song breaks into the chorus. You'll find yourself chanting along to it in no time at all. I'm also very keen on "A Bad Dream", catchy chorus, good beats and all. I believe the song that most are crazy about is "Crystal Ball" and I'm not surprised at all. This was the first song that jumped out at me and grabbed my attention on first listen - and I still like it. Very singable, very likeable - think "This Is The Last Time" and "Bend And Break" from HOPES AND FEARS. Nevertheless, Keane has not completely abandoned its piano stylings on this record - "Hamburg Song" features complete piano without frills. Peaceful and mystifying.

Having said all that, occassionally I do miss tracks like "Bedshaped" from HOPES AND FEARS. It's not completely absent on UTIS, but very little traces of such songs are to be found. Based on this, UTIS is a solid record and a great listen, but it does not evoke the general feel and melancholy of HOPES AND FEARS. Rather, UTIS ends up sounding rather urgent, as if it were a message of warning, and is undeniably much darker than HOPES AND FEARS. You can tell that Keane have had no desire to match HOPES AND FEARS at all, but rather let their creativity and surroundings take them to a place where genuine music and lyrics are born. UTIS is a remarkably excellent effort. And did I mention the great artwork for the cover? (The cover actually folds out into different layers of what lies UNDER THE IRON SEA - very clever, in my opinion).

The verdict? You should buy UTIS. Great melodies, thoughtful lyrics, crisp voice, immaculate production. It's one of the best CDs to hit the shelves this year.

Liam F.
26 June 2006

I am not a fan of Keane. In fact, I hated their first album and did not notice when the second album released. However, after hearing "Is It Any Wonder?" on the radio (about 200 times) I thought I would check it out. The sound seemed to have more edge; it captured more of a rock feel, and I liked that. Not to mention, I don't know who can't relate to the lyrics of "Is It Any Wonder?" these days.

I ordered the album and when it came I popped it into my stereo and sat down. I listened to the whole CD. Then I listened to it again. I was dazzled by the intersecting rhythm lines, key changes, the poor lyric scansion that seems to rhyme even though it shouldn't, and the tenor of Tom Chaplain's voice. This album has depth. It encompasses a sound that has been established by the Beatles and has evolved up through bands like Cold Play and Radio Head; Yet it has a little irreverence, giving it a feeling of angst that makes it more interesting to listen to. It's industrial enough to sit in the "Rock" section of your local record store, yet it's still technically a "Pop" album.

I highly recommend this album. It truly is a fresh sound and feel. It will appeal to rock folks, as well as pop people. If I were on the panel for album of the year I certainly would've voted for this one!

This is a masterpiece of one kind! You'd think some average teenager at thirteen would be more interested in the more modern immature trend of music (take Gwen Stefani's LAMB for instance..ugh), but that kind of music just isn't my thing. Keane has a wider variety of instruments in this album, with the keyboard (of course) still being the main attraction. The music is playful, energetic, mature, and full of catchy lyric notes. Both of Keane's albums' have done extremely well, and I can't decide which of the two is better! If you're looking for something close to Coldplay, you shouldn't pass this up!

I have to admit that I thought Keane was "poor boy" Coldplay, but after buying this album I have concluded that I am stupid. This album is so unlike Coldplay. This is one of the few albums I own that I will actually listen to in its entirety. I was way off...

After a band makes a classic album for their debut, it's usually hard to measure up to that. But with Keane's sophomore album Under the Iron Sea, they proved that sometimes such a thing IS possible.

One listen to "Is It Any Wonder" should signal that the band's sound is a little different, which is due to Tim's having switched to the use of the electric piano and synthesizer for the most part (there's only so much you can do with an acoustic piano). And he and Richard still excel in backing up Tom's vocals, as shown in standouts like "A Bad Dream", "Broken Toy" and "Atlantic". "Leaving So Soon" is another example of when Tom really lets his vocals soar, and "Crystal Ball" (the song that inspired the album's title) is another one of those cases where the lyrics look a little corny on paper, but the way they're sung makes the song a highlight.

The only worry that comes with two flawless albums in a row (especially if they're an artist's FIRST two albums) is that maybe the third album will crash and burn; or maybe the band themselves will try too hard to measure up to the earlier success. At any rate, Under the Iron Sea is a high quality album that you should never get tired of.

Anthony Rupert

This review is aimed at the reader who liked Keane's first album and who is reading these reviews because they just haven't heard much or about Keane's second one, UTIS.

That described me, about a year ago. I absolutely loved "Hopes and Fears," but wasn't sure how much staying power Keane could have within the confines of their instrumentation. Strangely, though the reviews here were mostly positive, they deterred me from buying UTIS. The general impression given by the reviews was that the second release was good, not as spectacular as the first, not as catchy, maybe a bit different due to its release during a period of conflicts within the band.

So I didn't buy UTIS. What a mistake. I only recently received it as a gift and now realize what I've been missing for oh these many months.

Is it as good as the first one? That's awfully lofty company - the first album was an instant classic, 11 good tracks, 6-7 of them *extremely* good, and the first five in a row on the album absolutely fantastic. Packed with the catchiest hooks we've heard in many a year.

But I may like the second album even more. There's a greater depth and cohesion to it, and there is certainly much more versatility in the sound. On some of the pieces you'll swear you're hearing guitar (The Edge's guitar, to be precise.)

But mostly, the second album has an emotional intensity to it that only "Somewhere Only We Know" matches on the first one. There are four tracks on it that truly blow me away: "Nothing In My Way," "Hamburg Song," "Crystal Ball," and "Try Again."

"Hamburg Song" and "Try Again" are both gorgeous ballads, sung beautifully by Chaplin. Don't listen to these songs if you are in a relationship that is falling apart; they'll kill you. Hell, I'm happily married, in my 40s, with family, and they set my mind back to tragic relationships of long ago. "Try Again" may be Chaplin's finest vocal performance on either album.

"Crystal Ball" is the generally considered most infectious tune on the record, but I find "Nothing in My Way" the most durable and haunting.

I've heard Keane compared to Coldplay, which I find ridiculous. Yes, singers in both bands sometimes have a breathy delivery, and the music is sometimes quietly powerful. But the similarities end there. We haven't heard any pop singer as accomplished as Chaplin for years, and certainly no other current pop band matches Keane's gift for melodic songwriting, not even close. The comparisons really degrade the unique quality of Keane's craftsmanship.

And craftsmanship really is what it is all about on this record - well, craftsmanship and therapy. Keane does the little things that turn good songs into great ones. "Crystal Ball" has an OK verse, a very fine chorus, but becomes a truly excellent song only because the bridge between the second and final choruses is so powerful (writing a decent and sufficiently distinct bridge must be one of the tougher challenges in pop songwriting). "Nothing in My Way" also leaps from good to great because of the way the second chorus is followed by an intense closing coda not heard at any previous point in the song.

The thoroughness of the craftsmanship means that there are truly great moments in the songs that otherwise would rank behind the best ones: "A Bad Dream" is a fine song, but the blend of Chaplin's voice with the synthesizers in the bridge creates a surprising dollop of momentary magic. "Leaving So Soon" knows that its biggest punch comes with Chaplin's falsetto in the chorus, so that chorus is postponed a ways into the song to be more climactic.

I understand that Rice-Oxley does most of the writing for Keane. I also understand that the band nearly dissolved during the making of this record. What a tragedy it would be if that happened; Chaplin's voice needs Rice-Oxley's music, and vice versa. Each of the two has an indispensable collaborator that they should work to retain as long as they can.

I can't say this record is better than the first one, but I find it grabs me even more tightly; there are no throwaways on this record, at least not for me. I find it more intense start to finish than "Hopes and Fears" (which, by contrast, delivers 5 amazing songs up front but has a few weaker ones just before the end.)

Best of all, it's a body of work wonderfully distinct from their first album, and it nourishes hopes that more greatness may yet be to come.

I first saw Keane on Saturday Night Live and the next day went and got Hopes and Fears, OH DELIGHTFUL CD! When I saw this CD was coming out I felt both anticipation that it COULD be even better, or it might be the sophomore slump many bands experience after having such wild success with their debut. I listened to it through the first time and thought, "pretty good", then the second, third, fourth and fifth time it got better and better and pulled me "under". I love this new CD. I have over 25000 songs in my itunes library from CDs etc... This one has gone right to the top of most listened to on my ipod. I cannot wait to see what the boys come out with next!