Under the Iron Sea is Keane’s follow-up to their five-million selling debut, Hopes and Fears. The English trio — Tom Chaplin (vocals), Richard Hughes (drums), and Tim Rice-Oxley (piano) — are childhood friends who began as a cover band when they formed in 1997.
While Hopes and Fears was full of joyous enthusiasm and piano ballads, Under the Iron Sea is a darker look at the world. Apparently, there was a lot of tension in the studio as Keane worked to produce a follow-up they felt worthy of them. Explains Tom Chaplin, “In the songs we created a kind of sinister fairytale world gone wrong, a feeling of confusion and numbness represented by a dark place under an impenetrable iron sea.”
The first track, “Atlantic,” is an eerie mix of electronica and trippy beats. Chaplin sings, “Though the world is broken / I need a place to make my bed.” Keane, having experienced fame and the demands that come with it, were obviously a bit drained by the experience.
“Is it Any Wonder?” seems like homage to the band’s idol, U2. From the song’s opening note there are reminders of past U2 anthems — “Even Better Than The Real Thing” and “Discotheque.” Tim Rice-Oxley’s piano spits out guitar-esque notes using a vast array of foot pedals. Though Keane makes a point of having no guitar players, they satisfy the vacancy with the heavy use of synthesizers. “Is it Any Wonder?” is definitely the most flat-out rock and roll song Keane has ever done and it’s perfectly built for radio airplay.
The atmospheric style of “A Bad Dream” is a song seeking answers that are never there, from places that don’t exist. Inspired by the work of WB Yeats, it also serves as a telling reflection on the violence in the world: “I wake up, it’s a bad dream, no one on my side / I was fighting, but I just feel too tired to be fighting.”
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