Keane are the latest British band to be given the moniker 'surrogate Coldplay', and they definitely try thier best to live up to that.

Their debut album Hopes and Fears reeks of Parachutes. Soft-rock melodic anthems abound, with one main distinction between them and just about every other rock band out there: No guitars. That's right, Keane are a guitar-free zone, getting their moody message across with just piano and synthesisers, drums, and some bass. This is indie rock without the riffs.

There is a surprising variety in the 11 tracks on Hopes and Fears ranging from the infectiously classic (and UK top-5 hit) Somewhere Only We Know, to the retro-80s beat of Everybody's Changing, and the much slower and moody She Has No Time. Almost every song has a memorable chorus that will get stuck in your head for days, with Your Eyes Open and Bedshaped being exceptional standouts.

Lead singer Tom Chaplin's voice ranges from hauntingly beautiful to annoyingly dirty. His singing style is very reminiscent of Coldplay's Chris Martin of Travis' Fran Healy. The occasional high falsetto voice and tinkling piano melody are a nice tip of the hat to bands who have come before Keane, like Coldplay and Travis.

Keane dont really explore new territory with this safe soft-rock outing, but they certainly make waiting for the next Coldplay album a little more bearable.

4/5

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The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.

I'll be sure to stay away since I really can't stand Coldplay at all. They annoy me. Alot. I can never pinpoint a reason, but they really grate my nerves.

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Frogblast the Vent Core!

--End of Line--

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America, home of the free gift with purchase.

psh, that's the attitude of someone who will eventually become a HUGE fan. I had the same views up until a month before A Rush of Blood to the Head was released. I couldnt stand Coldplay mainly because I was of the mindset that guitar players and guitar solos are the only reason for bands to exist. Then I started actually listening to different stuff and Coldplay became one of my favorites.

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free mp3 ~Jump - Young America

new album Between the Dim and the Dark available now

I like coldplay, I like indie, I like most music, I don't really rate keane, just find the music to be pretty uninspiring and dull. meh, guess its just taste.

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Drugs & Stupidity, Tons of it.

Wow, Keane are actually number 1 on the UK album chart this week. Surprising. I thought they were much more on a niche market than that.

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The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.

Nope... they're inescapable, i've been hearing them everywhere and the album is advertised on TV every 30 seconds.

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Drugs & Stupidity, Tons of it.

Ha. No.

I've listened to them. I've FORCED myself to listen to some of their songs. I simply do not like them. Listening to them 60 billion times over on the radio is not going to change that. I give songs I dislike three chances to redeem themselves, if I don't like it after that, I tend to avoid it. I don't like Coldplay.

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Frogblast the Vent Core!

--End of Line--

I just picked up Keane's album. It would be more fitting to compare his voice to Freddie Mercury than Chris Martin or Fran Healy.

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free mp3 ~Jump - Young America

new album Between the Dim and the Dark available now

Honestly, I wouldnt know. And wouldnt that be because you've been listening to a lot of Queen recently?

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The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.

....well, he DOES!

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free mp3 ~Jump - Young America

new album Between the Dim and the Dark available now

I kind of like the song 'Yellow', but that's all the Coldplay I've heard.

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"Look at me! I'm Tracer! BLAHBLAHBLAH!"

-MBeggar