'Hopes and Fears' a Keane record

Keane, a Britpop trio out of Battle, East Sussex, England, have arrived amid comparisons to Radiohead and Coldplay. With one listen to the band's debut album, Hopes and Fears, such notions will be seen for what they are … rubbish. The band sounds like Travis, and that's that. (Don't believe me, listen to "Everybody's Changing.")\nWhile not the most original of artists, Keane deserves a fair share of accolades. Undermanned in comparison to its predecessors -- the group consists solely of vocalist Tom Chaplin, pianist/bassist Tim Rice-Oxley and drummer Richard Hughes -- Keane boasts more hooks than a tackle box.\nBeginning with the insanely catchy anthem, "Somewhere Only We Know," and closing with the heartfelt vocal propulsion of "Bedshaped," Hopes and Fears rarely falters, this, in spite of a relatively high cheese-factor. Its only dud comes via the overly-produced and lamely titled, "Untitled 1," and even this track's chorus is redeemable.\nChaplin's tenor is a thing of beauty, as are the nimble fingers of Rice-Oxley -- whatever lapses seep into the sonic palette are more often than not filled by Hughes' fills. While these guys sound like a million quid, there's still a snag … this stuff's just too damned sissy. Hopes and Dreams is something you make fun of others for listening to, but while they're at work or in class, the disc inevitably finds its way into the stereo with you singing shamelessly alongside it. Consider Keane a guilty pleasure of the power pop variety.