Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
- Artists:
- Keane »
Keane’s debut album ‘Hopes And Fears’ is one of this year’s best, and I don’t agree with Neil’s assertion that it’s "production-line lite-indie". I think the Sussex trio have written an important-sounding, emotionally literate record, dropping the guitars and instead using powerful percussion and striking piano to underpin Tom Chaplin’s stunning voice, which swoops and soar across the album’s 12 tracks. And I think it sounds fucking great.
‘Hopes And Fears’ is an honest record made by an honest band who wear their heart on their sleeves and who don’t have any claims to being a 'rock' band. Keane are three, well-educated, musically proficient men who just happen to come from a middle class background (which for some is a non-starter straight off - pathetic). Keane have made an uncomplicated and warm album that also happens to be comfortable and radio-friendly, something which must really rile the indie purists/snobs that populate this site.
I’ve also got a problem with Andrew Future’s review of ‘Hopes And Fears’. Andrew reckons Keane fans listen to "lowest common denominator daytime rock" and "shop at JJB Sports". Talk about tarring everyone with the same brush! Using myself as a case for the defence against this condescending clap trap: I’m a single, white male, earning a reasonable wage. I shop where I like and I wear what I want. I have an eclectic musical taste which takes in The Broken Family Band, Hope Of The States and Squarepusher but I also like supposed ‘bedwetters’ Coldplay and Snow Patrol. I also happen to think I have a fairly sunny disposition despite facing the same day-to-day struggles as pretty much everyone else i.e. trying to pay the bills on time, saving up to find somewhere of my own to live, and seeing my favorite football team relegated to Division Three.
So, if that means putting on the Keane album, enjoying it, losing myself in it, and yeah, fuck it, crying to it (see ‘relegated’, ‘Division Three’) than I must be a bad, bad boy because as 'Somewhere Only We Know' says “I’m getting old and I need something to rely on.” I like Keane and, no, I’m no longer going to apologize for it.
From the archive
-
WIN! Fifth Birthday awesome goody sack!
-
Reading 2009: Day Two roundup
-
Spotifriday #5 - This Week on DiS as a Playlist
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Fine for people not to like it - but I'm also with Anthony in his hatred of the stereotyping of music (middle class/dinner party/JJB sports customer etc. etc.), which is just deeply patronising. For my part, I'm mostly a rock fan with some indie pretensions and there are a lot of bands out there - Starsailor springing immediately to mind - that bore me to within an inch of my life. But I really like Keane. No idea why, nor do I feel the need to explain.
I put on records to make me happy. And I can see why a lot of people wouldn't like Keane - but to single them out as the cause for problems with radio playlisting/ record companies/ the record industry/ the decline of western civilisation as we know it is just stupid.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
I don't have anything against Keane, I just can't like them in the presence of better music.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Oh, and Keane aren't that bad but they certainly aren't that great either.
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
My opinions on Northamptonshire football teams:
Northampton: Good. For the first 5 mins of their cup game v United earlier this season I thought they were going to win.
Rushden: Fake. Hopefully they go back to the Doc Martens League.
My opinion on Keane: I'm sorry but I don't like bedwetter indie. The problem is that there are far more talented bands out there who don't get signed cos of bands like Keane making nice little ballads with string sections in them, which ppl in their 30's and 40's buy.
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Oh come on. By all means dislike them but avoid all the usual cliches. I'm 31, but most people at the two Keane gigs I've attended were a lot younger than me. The 'bedwetter' label is just meaningless. And no band hasn't been signed just because of Keane. Plenty of bands haven't been signed (or have been dropped) due to the idiocy of record companies and radio playlisting. But none of this has happened because of Keane.
Incidentally, there are no string sections on the Keane album... if you care.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
vive la difference. or something..
neil
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
However, it doesn't detract from the fact that I still find Keane, its music and its lead singer extroadinarily, well, <i>irritating</i>. The only emotion their music engenders is slight boredom and a desire to grind ones teeth. (Apart from when they are in interviews, busy being dismissive yet chuffed of now-frequent comparisons to Coldplay - when they're just downright annoying.)
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
the article sounds like anthony only half believes that the 'powerful percussion and striking piano' is really all that powerful and striking.
but thats just my opinion, and it's very early.
mike.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Can we talk about someone else now? I'm not sure why we're still discussing something that's not new/revolutionary/consequential.
They've had their two hit singles and album.
It's over.
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
" we can ignore them i think cause i heard they had a hugh following of teenage girls"
great argument for ignoring them then isnt it, they have girls between 13-18 who like their music big whoop, this means that we have to ignore them now yes? fool santaslittlehelper, find me any decent band that people know and i bet anything teenage girls, however many like the music, as for "they've converted mass of oasis fans" once again..who cares great! oasis fans like keane, and let me guess, you've gathered all this persuasive information for your argument from one mate who's into oasis and recently told you he likes the sound of that new Keane song, and one female friend who's got tickets with 2 other mates to their concert.. fool
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
No matter what some Arseholes say about them and their fans, I myself live in a village 2 miles away from Battle were Keane grew up and I am a true music Lover of all genres of music from Classical to jazz, Indie to some Hip Hop, Enya to Mettalica, Runrig to Eminem, Irish folk to Dance and some of the modern stuff, though I would like to see Britney Spears lose her voice as she looks Far better than she sings, I am twenty years old and work a decent whack and also wear and shop where i like and enjoy nightclubbing and brass bands, Should I or anybody for that matter feel ashamed of the music they love, Fuck off should I!
So that Tosser reviewer of the Keane album on DIS should never be allowed to air his views again as he resorted to genralising of fans in order to put down me and the band which I love, If he thinks they are shit then that's his right to and I respect that, but for that slagging off of fans he should get of his condesending high horse go get a life!
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Everyone knows that Coldplay fans wet the bed with SPUNK.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
so....?
how does that affect anything
thats seriously the most stupid comment iv seen ne1 make
nobhead
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
And I deeply resent the idea that a trawl through the squalid little biography of one Anthony Gibbons somehow substiantiates Keane's brilliance. He wears what he wants and he listens to The Broken Family Band: so what? It doesn't make me think less of Future's review. It makes me think Gibbons is an indie pygmy who obsesses over his own lifestyle at length.
Above all, I don't see why Anthony felt the need to write this article. Keane certainly don't need him to fight their battles. They're a mainstream success story and, if they play their cards right they're set up for life. Do you think they give shit that a miserable nobodies like me find them dull as fuck?
Damian puts it best when he says: "I really like Keane. No idea why, nor do I feel the need to explain."
I sure wish Gibbons had felt the same.
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Bullshit. I'm 5ft9 for a start and could kick your arse back to hertfordshire any day of the week. also, I'm not an indie saddo. i have a life. i don't just sit around all day listening to keane on repeat while masturbating furiously over a picture of charlotte hatherley (once a day usually does the trick).
must go, the england game is on. i suspect you sir probably prefer train spotting. twat.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
i thought the lil biography thing was great, playing on the categorisation of music tastes and types of people.
but why get so worked up? if half of you took your heads out of your arses and stopped thinking so damn hard about what you listen to you'd get so much more enjoyment out of music.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
I personally find nothing interesting about Keane whatsoever, but thats just me.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Crazy.
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
I am drinking cider and listening to Northside (whos album I remeber buying 3 copies of in 1990 in disgust at its chart position) - which I thoroughly reccomend - (the drinking and listening - not the excessive buying)
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
(ps I also recomend Flowered Up)
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Because they were invented by one man with little popular support a little over a decade ago from two teams, both of whom lost their idenities in the merger, Rushden even lost its club altogether, and who proceeded to cynically buy 'success' knowing all the time he had neither the will nor probably the means to sustain it, so now all that will happen is an infinitely more unpopular outfit than the two precursors will sink back to down to the obscurity they came from (not Div 3 as some might think) and then Northampton Town will go back to being the most loathsome team in Northamptonshire and we can all be happy and gang up on MK Dons.
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
I think you've definitely put the idea of them into words best though!
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Onto musical matters, just saw jad fair tonight - he was ace. Also, the pixies were incredible on saturday - the best 'big' show I think I've ever been to. Badly Drawn Boy supported and he was even worse than the last time I saw him...
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Nonsense, are you seriosly suggesting that record companies work like this, that if Keane were dropped, then 20 small bands would instantly would be picked up. Nah. If Keane stop selling records, then they would be dropped, and then a new artst in a similar style would be cultivated in their place.
Record companies, as i understand it, have structured rosta's, so certain budgets for whatever genre/market/type of band.
Also, why does everyone hate 40 year olds, i mean, all the time people criticise people for becoming older and having a job, like they're selling out or some bollocks. I wouldn't be surprised if exactly the same percentage of 40 year olds as 18 year olds were buying Keane.
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
And now he's our manager. Fucking horrible.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
whatever anyone says, i love keane!!!
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
well that was fun
please excuse the bad spelling
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Christ people just get on with listening to the music instead picking holes in it all the time!
I think Keane are the best band out at the moment and I love 'em, they are not my best band ever, but i still love'em. Shout me down if you must but remember what I said earlier.
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
I Can"t believ what i read! Keane is emotionally
involved! we all look for our inner conflicts and they kinda reveal them! they are true, authentic. then when i read some of you saying" keane is shit" i cant believe it! im sorry but keane is authenticism..then for you authenticism is shit ? weird huh ? i think you 'd better know what you're talking about before saying somethin'! and above all avoid giving examples like " they have no guitarist" or " their fan are teenage girls so we'd better forget them"...thats stupid.
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
As for not having guitars on the record, fair enough - but why - but why bother with bass as well on someof the tracks? If it was a deliberate decision to have no guitars on the album or on stage then why not make it universal?
Anyhows, like I said, they're not my cup of the proverbial - the only plus side I can see is that bands like Keane or Athlete or Maroon 5 could get the kids/MOR lovers into some less mainstream-radio music, and that's gotta be worth it, right?
Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
Re: Hopes And Jeers: A Keane Fan Speaks Out
I live in America, so not many others here recognize Keane, but I could pinpoint one of their songs from a mile away. Tom has a captivating voice. And to those who like to make fun of the band, why are you even wasting your time talking about them?
People are idiots.
I'm a 16 year old girl, therefore most assume I know nothing about nothing. But I know music, and anyone who puts down such a successful band doesn't know jack-crap.
At least Keane doesn't sing about screwing every girl in sight, and doesn't have a dozen slutty women in bikinis riding up on the band. They don't touch base about being rich or tough or famous. They put into words and melodies what I feel inside. That is respected music. And anyone who disagrees can go sit in a closet and play with their imaginary friends. Because that's all they're ever going to get.

February 2004, the Month of the Pale Young Indie Cherub
Somewhere Only We Moan: Why I Hate Keane
Keane get real and tell Andrew Future about their hopes and fears
Keane
In Photos: Decemberists @ The Forum, London
In Photos: Dean & Britta @ St. Giles in the Fields, London
In Photos: Wolf Gang @ Hoxton Bar and Kitchen, London
In Photos: Gay For Johnny Depp @ The Engine Rooms, Brighton
Comments
- Post a new comment on this article