Alternative rock band Keane was in Mumbai recently performing at the second edition of Lollapalooza held on the 27^th and 28^th of January 2024. The English band gave a wonderful performance on their debut visit to the country and in the end garnered new fans and admirers.

Consisting of members Tom Chaplin (vocals), Tim Rice-Oxley (composer, bassist, and pianist) and Richard Hughes (drummer), Keane has been in existance since 1997 sporting a unique brand of piano driven rock since their debut album ‘Hopes and Fear’ and sophomore album ‘Under the Iron Sea’.

The album will take some time to grow on you which means you really have to listen to it more than once to get into it and really like it. The sound is a mix of 80s synth pop, electronic, rock, with their piano driven sound still intact but given a slight backseat treatment. The Keane sound comes only mid way through the album that too very sparsely.

There are very many songs here that are beautiful and cool on the ears, while there are also some that are heavy that would make you cue to the next song. The highlight is their title track and their energetic work as they shout Wooooooh! on the song Spiralling. It’s a beautiful arrangement and definitely packaged with strong lyrics and melodic work. The band has teamed up with many sessions musicians who bring out great arrangements.

The combination of preachy lyrics and good messages is the backbone of this album, though love is also the central point at times. Lead vocalist Tom is at his peak in the soft You Don’t See Me that accounts of beauty seen from a distance. There’s also Pretend that you’re alone where you find the piano in full force with the song focusing on a life lived in freedom, without obstacles or restrictions. Playing Along once again talks about freedom with a message for world peace and living a perfect peaceful life. The slightly heavy title track Perfect Symmetry mirrors a tooth for a tooth and a eye for an eye attitude in its lyrics.

Tom’s vocals and that of his band members Tim Rice and Richard bring on the force with the catchy, energetic and anthemic retro synthesizer based Spiraling that has a great melody. He sings thus "……..When we fall in love we're just falling in love with ourselves…..." Great lyrics and amazing vocals. For a heartbreak ballad, cue to the closing track Love Is the End or even mid - way You don’t see me that talk of people who pass by life without really seeing the beauty around.

Keane is known to bring on very catchy choruses, but the guitarless trio who once used pianos, have made way now with synths, so you have the six string sound playing around a lot and the catchy hooks diminishing slightly. But settle for The Lovers are Losing which is dynamic in instrumentation, and You Haven’t Told Me Anything the only track that has a good long melody hook, while another synthesized anthem in Again and Again is fairly convincing. Come to think of it we find dashes of a Pet Shop Boys sound in a few tracks too for they used synths in plenty.

Keane still remains what they are, the sound and the music may’ve changed slightly, but that melodic hook of theirs and that familiar tenor sounding voice of Tom, resemblic of U2’s Bono, is not easily forgettable. While the band does migrate from their sound to something new, its done subtly, so that even fans who’ve followed their music closely won’t miss this album for anything. Keane is in top form, and considering that they are still around ten years later, they’ve arrived and are here to stay. Includes lyrics.

Rating: ****

Reviewed By Verus Ferreira