This year is turning into a surprisingly fruitful one for British “indie” bands. In previous years Franz Ferdinand would have plied their trade on the UK’s “toilet” circuit and cracked open the Babycham should one of their singles have inched into the top 50. Similarly, the Delays’ brand of dreamy, oddball classicism would have been peripheral and Snow Patrol’s mopey melancholia would have remained undiscovered.

Now it’s the turn of Keane, who have already enjoyed a Top 5 single with the lovely Somewhere Only We Know earlier in the year. But there are substantial differences in their ascent. First of all they’ve eschewed guitars in favour of keyboards; then there’s the fact that this public-school educated three-piece have made an album that would have provided them with a slew of hit singles in any era.

Now, this is not an unqualified endorsement, although by most measurements Hopes and Fears is a very fine record. It has great tunes, excellent musicianship, dynamic arrangements and in the vocalist, Tom Chaplin, a singer of range and emotion. And yet . . .

Keane’s songwriter is the pianist, Tim Rice-Oxley, and he claims that his band’s music is unashamedly emotional. But, having lived with this record for a while now, I can’t help feeling that there’s contrivance at work. Sunshine, for example, manages to fit in not-so-sly references to the Beach Boys and A-ha, while This is the Last Time is a song for which Robbie Williams would eat his grandma. If released they’ll both be hits. In fact at least eight of the 13 tracks are Top 10 material. And you have to hold up your hands and admit that, whatever Keane’s motives, that is one hell of an achievement.

(Island)

Editor's choice

• Burning Bush with W
• Revolution at the new Saatchi Gallery
• Boy George on sex, drugs and Amy Winehouse