So prosaic and awkward and all

I have really managed to immerse myself in a lot of Keane this last week or so. This is kind of weird for me because, really, I have always only had a passing interest in Keane. I never gave their debut album a fair shake and then heard nothing but awfulness about the follow-up Under The Iron Sea. In fact, just recently, my sister and I were discussing albums that failed to live up to their album art. Under The Iron Sea probably falls into that category for a lot of Keane fans - a mediocre at best album with kick-ass album art. I mean, look at this!

Oddly enough, while discussing that we mentioned that Hard Candy totally lived up to its incredibly shiteous album art. Jeff was here last night and reminded me of how she looks like she has the flu in every single shot in the CD booklet. But I digress.

So it's been a Keane kind of week, and when you factor in all the Will Young I've been listening to, it's Brit-pop or bust, I guess. Anyway, even though Under The Iron Sea is not a fan favorite, it contains what is perhaps my favorite of all Keane songs. And that would be "Leaving So Soon?" It is an angry break-up song that is high on the drama (but not too high.) I owe my exposure to this song to a friend of mine who told me in an e-mail about a year ago how the song had applied to his life. But in that e-mail, he mentioned that they lyrics were "very Dan." This intrigued me. He particularly mentioned this part.

D'you think you've got me down?...
You don't know me at all!

That's the thing about introverts. Still waters run deep. And then add the Gemini into the mix and it gets even more interesting. Really though, they had me with the fact that they managed to successfully work the word "prosaic" into the lyrics!

I think what I love most about Keane is Tom Chaplin's soaring vocal and the distinct lack of guitar. Instead of the guitar, the piano is their dominant instrument. So I guess none of their songs will ever end up on Guitar Hero (like they had a chance anyway.) Other worthy Keane songs I am totally into right now are "Bend & Break" (talk about a soaring vocal!) and the one everyone loves--"Everybody's Changing", both from the debut album.

Keane is fitting well into my autumn 2008 musical palette. Which may be why I didn't really listen to them much before now. And doesn't it just work out that their new record is out in just a few weeks?