Remember: everything’s relative. You can score 39 goals a season in some old fourth division team’s B squad, but flop terribly once some plucky Championship manager takes a chance on your shooting boots. Likewise, you can be the dreariest, most mind-numbingly coffee-table dinner-party bland band on the planet one minute, and then you can leave your most hardened haters singing your relative praises.
Keane’s curtain-raiser for their forthcoming follow-up to the mega-selling Hopes And Fears, Under The Iron Sea, isn’t just like prime U2: it utterly, comprehensibly outshines prime U2, and makes a complete mockery of what Bono and co have become today in just three minutes. A grand but unfussy pop-rock song, ‘Is It Any Wonder?’ glides on jetstream drums and confident vocals that aren’t anything like the wimpy efforts of old. It’s immediately likeable, so much so that the average virgin listener will remain tuned to whatever commercial radio station is pumping this out, desperate to hear whom it’s by. When the name Keane is mentioned, expect jaws to drop. Relatively.
Of course, the album will probably be a whitewash of insipid indie shite, but right now Keane are riding the crest of an entirely unexpected wave, one that’ll finally crash and leave both cynical critics and five-records-a-year consumers equally impressed. Relatively speaking, of course: everyone’s strike rate falters when it matters the most.
really?
I thought this was the worst thing they've done yet. Whereas I didn't mind Somewhere Only We Know or Everybody's Changing (although I hated everything else off that album).
I was surprised by this
It really does sound like U2, circa Achtung Baby. But it's great.
It almost makes me belive the band when they say the new album is going to be a 'Rock and roll beast of a record'. Almost.
too keen to last
Good review. Glad to see a record being judged on its merits, rather than the bands oft bed-wetting bent. I suspect this is the exception that proves the role though.
Spot on
Its a huge step forward for them.
bang on
this is like Keane's "Dakota"
wel i wasnt..
expecting this ! this track kind of grinds on me especially the intro but iv only had a few listens so ill give it a few more..
Yes!
The perfect comparison! :)
have you seen the video though?
it's ace. reminds me of that u2 vid where the camera goes over bono's head then under his legs, but with more imagination.
it's rather like the song itself really... u2 but with more imagination.
!
It's an improvement yes, but better than U2 at their prime? Oh NO.
I really
like this song. It could have been depressingly bland MOR shite but they've pushed themselves and it's paid off big time. Nice work.
Good to see
a DiS writer isn't scared of what the rest of the big cool gang will think of him. I'd give it a 7. Well done.
I agree
- this review has intrigued me so much that I will have to make sure I hear this song.
Relatively
But it's...
...SO repetative...This band really know how to OVER USE a half decent hook...
atlantic
has anyone seen the video they made with Irvine Welsh for this song? put this together with Is It Any Wonder and it looks like it's shaping up to be an amazing record
Am I the only one
who actually finds this interminably irrtating and utter shite?
No.
They just seem to have gone from ripping off Coldplay to ripping off U2.
gosh.
see,
there were parts of Hopes and Fears that were reasonably good, more than people give them credit for. It's just...this does seem to step the bar up a bit.
i like it.
I'm off to buy the 7"
then. The video was good.
Nice work
Good tune, and looking forward to the follow up. I think it's great to see a band that can actually move on with their work rather than carry on and fall apart ala The Thrills. Keane aren't rubbish, but it's taken this long for people to take them as a serious band.
Interesting to see DiS review them live when they still had a guitarist back in 2001!
Hope it knocks Barkley off number 1 too...
Chaplin likes cake.
Tom Chaplin did cookery club with one of my friends. Tim Rice-Oxley is the only really talented one, its a shame he cant sing.
Rubbish
TRO can sing, and so it would seem can the drummer now too.
It's actually not a veyr good song, yknow
bad comments.
me?
I just dont like and i think its crap
GOOD COMMENTS
That's better.
this is a good review
because the song is alright and is miles better than anything theyve done, its a good video aswell, i dont think the album will be upto much but at least they have one worthy moment now
I bought it
...because their B-sides are usually pretty good (provided that is you like the band).
It comes in really odd packaging - reading the back, it's apparently completely biodegradable. Interesting, but who throws their CDs out? Will the box rot over time? Errrm...
(OK, I realise what I'm tempting with the above - if you don't like them, put aside the fact that it's Keane and imagine that Forward Russia made it)
That'd be quite difficult
seeing as iFR! sound nothing like Keane.
i see your point, but it seems a pointless point to make.
Phew!!!
When I was bopping round my kitchen after hearing this on the radio it suddenly dawned on me that perhaps I should be sectioned from Society. Keane??? What is the mater with me!?! Glad to see i have not taken leave of my senses and still have an ear for a good tune... regardless of who it's by!!
inde shite???
when an 'inde shite' band can make an avid ligiea fan love them i think that's prove enough that they're not quite as crap as people think they are. Hopes and fears was beautiful. Gotta admit though their new one is too poppy for my liking, rest of the album looks good though.
Yes.
It is quite good isn't it...
Great Song
It's what made me buy the album when I heard it on the radio. It's a catchy tune, more uplifting - it works