Hailed as the new hope of the stale British music scene, Keane's debut Hopes and Fears can be described as: 'Coldplay x Travis x Starsailor + Muse'.
The trio's chart-topping success and praise from the press show that British music fans can't move beyond bands like Coldplay to something else. This is probably why British music, once the most vibrant and creative, is becoming bland.
But to be fair, Hopes and Fears, though not ground-breaking, is still a quality and upbeat record that features a handful of durable tunes.
Childhood friends Tom Chaplin (vocals), Richard Hughes (drums) and Tim Rice-Oxley (piano) form an exuberant songwriting team.
The opening track Somewhere Only We Know is reminiscent of Coldplay, and once you're hooked, you'll be singing along. This is the Last Time is a catchy song, which sees Chaplin exploit his soulful voice, while We Might as Well be Strangers features some strange electro beats but is still a lovely piece.