Product Description

Piano-led, stadium-sized soft rockers continue their domination of the UK airwaves with this follow up to their 2004 debut 'Hopes And Fears'. On this album they experiment with a darker, harder sound than on their debut, but the retention of their trademark poppy melodies and epic choruses means itis unlikely to alienate their core fanbase. Includes the singles 'Is It Any Wonder' and the download-only 'Atlantic'.

Track Listing

1. Atlantic
2. Is It Any Wonder?
3. Nothing In My Way
4. Leaving So Soon?
5. A Bad Dream
6. Hamburg Song
7. Put It Behind You
8. The Iron Sea
9. Crystal Ball
10. Try Again
11. Broken Toy
12. The Frog Prince

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1334 in Music
• Released on: 2006-06-12
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 50 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
As its foreboding name might suggest, Under The Iron Sea finds Sussex balladeers Keane setting sail for somewhat darker waters. Prompted by their involvement in Live8 and Make Poverty History, continuing conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, and personal strife that saw the band's friendship stretched to breaking point, tracks like "Is It Any Wonder?" and "A Bad Dream" find choirboy-voiced vocalist Tom Chaplin giving voice to a generation distrustful of its leaders, upset by war and discord, but unsure of all the answers. Songwriter Tim Rice-Oxley matches this bleaker spirit with a darker sound, swapping his trademarked piano for synthesiser that, on mid-album instrumental interlude "The Iron Sea", achieves a cold experimentalism reminiscent of Brian Eno. Fans of the inclusive balladry showcased on Keane's debut album, 2004's Hopes And Fears, will not be disappointed, however. "Crystal Ball" is the band's finest moment to date, a soaring number with an optimistic hook ("Crystal ball/Save us all/Tell me life is beautiful") that's a immediately catchy and characteristically unshakable, while the closing "The Frog Prince" revives fairytale's ability to satirize, amid a backdrop of flourishing piano and glittering effects. --Louis Pattison

Customer Reviews

Superb, mature and melodic
There have been criticisms of this album, especially in comparison to Keane's first. This is wrong. Under the Iron Sea is deep, complex and varied, and should be highly rated for what it is - a very good set of songs from a superb band. Keane, of course, also have the advantage of being a brilliant live band, which makes them a well-rounded, highly commendable set of chaps.

dont over evaluate this. its only music!
jeff lyne of the electric light orchestra could have written and performed this album. get the point? Mr lyne is a musical genius. anyone want to argue with me on that one? anyone who has slagged this album off can truly be called a musical snob. i expect they are the same people who slag off elvis presley. there is not another sound like keane in the music industry today, they are unique and individual. and i for one hope they keep it together and i want to hear a third album from them. so go back to your guns and roses and nickleback stuff and stop bothering people who appreciate all styles of music cos you are too small minded. you cant sing like tom chaplin or write good songs and neither can i. my cd collection includes everything from ac/dc to ella fitzgerald and even the ink spots. yes the ink spots. next question? go read your nme and bury your head in the sand.

Its good but not great...
Hopes and Fears was most certainly a fantastic platform with which Keane propelled themselves into the music industry: critical aclaim and fame at home and abroad what more could a budding band want??? And so it is about 1 and a half years since their second album came out and here i am giving my two pence worth 1 & 1/2 years too late. Second albums are tough for many bands: most of the reserve of good ideas has been put into the first album and coming up with new material is not the easiest of things to do successfully. Keane however have managed, quite competantly, to produce a second album that does easily manage to live up to the standards of the first. Expecting a gem of an album i sat myself down and played the first track "Atlantic" and was quite simply blown away. It seemed a whole new Keane was playing a track that you would expect to find elsewhere...mabey on a Radiohead album...in the less keane like area of music to be blunt. Atlantic had me excited straight away as I anticipated a new keane sound The experiance did not continue as "Is it any wonder" brought me straigh back to Keane piano rock territory. From there on the Album kept up a good flow until "Crystal Ball" where once again i was blown away. Another other worldly track that is haunting and yet beautiful: the songs were all good and it's a very likeable album on the whole but I cannot say it has connected with me as it has with many other people. The lyrics are deep and interesting to listen too and the vocals are quite impressive at times in "Broken Toy" and as always are majestic and flawless in all songs. I think it could be because of my late purchase of this album and that I have not found it special yet or it may be because "In Rainbows" has been in my playlist for a few months now but I feel Keane lack something that would make this album special. Overall it is definately worth adding to your collection. A great follow up and what i can only assume to be a greatly improving band.
Would be a [4.2/5] The best tracks are: Atlantic, Bad Dream, Crystal Ball for me personally.
In conclusion it's big thumbs up from me :)