Keane's Under the Iron Sea: A Review

When the first Keane album, Hopes and Fears, was released in 2004, it shone as something new and unique; a rock album without guitars. Despite Liam Gallagher's proclamation of the sound as "music for bedwetters," they saw a fair amount of success, both critical and popular. Hell, I'll be the first to admit I was hooked after "Somewhere Only We Know," saccharin aftertaste or not. Still, it was a bit too bubblegum to really sink my teeth into. Under the Iron Sea, I am happy to report, remedies this problem with a vengeance.

The new album opens with "Atlantic," a dreamy piece that sets a far darker tone for Under the Iron Sea than we've seen from Keane in the past. However, it is in the second track that we really get a look at something new. "Is It Any Wonder?" opens with a driving guitar riff. Yes, you heard me. Guitar. I was told later that, in fact, it was a guitar as played by a keyboard, but the sound is what's important, regardless of the vehicle, and it was exactly what the band was always missing. I appreciate their drive to approach rock from a non-traditional route, but, well, there's a reason 99% of the rock bands in the world have a guitarist. "Is It Any Wonder?" is, and will remain, one of the best singles of the year. And it's no wonder that of the rest of the album, the strongest tracks remain those that make use of the guitar sound.

The third track, "Nothing In My Way" is definitely piano-driven, for the purists out there, but remains a powerhouse, introducing stunning harmonies that give the track a real "wall of sound" feel. Things lag a bit over the next three tracks. "Leaving So Soon" is a bit of an acquired taste, and picks up towards the end, but the Oompa Loompa-esque intonations that open the track and resurface occasionally are enough to keep it from favourite status. "A Bad Dream," like "Leaving So Soon," picks up towards the end, but the opening has shades of bad 80s pop. "Hamburg Song" is a quiet ballad, and listenable enough in a channelling-Freddie-Mercury kind of way, but is pretty forgettable.

The album picks up again with the seventh track, "Put It Behind You," and continues with that same level of energy on "Crystal Ball" and "Try Again," all three making excellent use of that guitar. "Try Again" left me a little flat, but "Broken Toy" is a minor wonder. While it didn't impress on a first listen, on repeated turns, really clicks with it's yearning "guitar" and piano, setting the stage for a strong finish with "The Frog Prince," a fairy tale ending to a fantastic album.

Under the Iron Sea is a must for people who enjoyed the first album, and just might turn around folks who didn't. Highly recommended.