Hopes and Fears

Hopes and Fears
Studio album by Keane
Released 10 May 2004
Genre Piano rock, alternative rock
Length 50:37
Label Island (UK)
Producer Andy Green, Keane
Keane chronology
Hopes and Fears
(2004)
Live Recordings 2004
(2005)
Alternative cover
Singles from Hopes and Fears
  1. "Somewhere Only We Know"
    Released: 16 February 2004
  2. "Everybody's Changing"
    Released: 4 May 2004
  3. "Bedshaped"
    Released: 16 August 2004
  4. "This Is the Last Time"
    Released: 22 November 2004
  5. "Bend and Break"
    Released: 25 July 2005
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic (61/100) [1]
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [2]
Rolling Stone [3]
Mojo [4]
ShakenThrough.net [5]
Q Magazine [6]
Entertainment Weekly (B) [7]
Pitchfork Media (2.8/10) [8]
Ultimate Guitar (9.2/10) [9]
Amazon.com [10]
Amazon.co.uk [11]

Hopes and Fears is the debut album by English alternative rock band Keane and was released on 10 May 2004 in the United Kingdom. It topped the UK album charts upon release, was the second best-selling British album of 2004, behind Scissor Sisters' self-titled album, and has since gone 9× platinum. It returned to the top of the charts after winning a Brit Award for Best Album in February 2005. With more than 2.7 million copies sold in the UK, it was ranked the 11th best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK.[12] In July 2011, it was ranked the 9th biggest-selling album of the 21st century in the UK.[13]

Contents

Album information

Unlike with their follow up album, most songs were already composed by the album's conception date; the track "She Has No Time" was composed circa 1999, making it the earliest composed song appearing on the album, and the remaining were composed just after former member Dominic Scott's departure in July 2001. Most of the album tracks were recorded during the Sanger sessions, from August to November of the same year. The tracks "On a Day Like Today" and "We Might As Well Be Strangers" became the last to be composed, circa 2003.

The album takes its name from the song "Snowed Under", released as a B-side on the single for "Somewhere Only We Know".

Hal Leonard music published two versions of the official score book for Hopes and Fears, designed for differing skill levels. The Music Sales Group also published a book, including two demo CDs with accompanying bass and drum tracks, along with scores for the B-side songs "Snowed Under", "Walnut Tree" and "Fly to Me".

The objects on the cover of Hopes and Fears are piano hammers in allusion to the band's characteristic piano sound. The many different versions of the album can be distinguished by the colour of the artwork. The original UK version has a dark green cover, the European version a black one, the US version white; the international version has a red-brown scheme, and the Japanese version is blue. The original British one includes the track "On a Day Like Today" and the Japanese "Allemande".

The typeface selected for this, and for all Keane releases off the album was the font "Cochin", designed originally in 1912. The modern italic design of the letters was also followed with similar fonts by some fansites, such as former British site Keaneshaped. The cover single "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" was, however, released with a different font, as it was released by the War Child website, not by Island.

Singles

Single Peak position (UK) Release date
"Somewhere Only We Know" 3 16 February 2004
"Everybody's Changing" 4 4 May 2004
"Bedshaped" 10 16 August 2004
"This Is the Last Time" 18 22 November 2004

Track listing

All lyrics written by Tim Rice-Oxley except track 18 (Paul Hewson), all music composed by Tim Rice-Oxley/Tom Chaplin/Richard Hughes except tracks 6, 8, 9, 12 (Rice-Oxley/Chaplin/Hughes/James Sanger) and 18 (Paul Hewson/David Evans/Adam Clayton/Lawrence Mullen, Jr.).

Original UK release/2007 Mexican reissue
No. Title Length
1. "Somewhere Only We Know"   3:57
2. "Bend and Break"   3:40
3. "We Might as Well Be Strangers"   3:12
4. "Everybody's Changing"   3:35
5. "Your Eyes Open"   3:23
6. "She Has No Time"   5:45
7. "Can't Stop Now"   3:38
8. "Sunshine"   4:12
9. "This Is the Last Time"   3:29
10. "On a Day Like Today"   5:27
11. "Untitled 1"   5:36
12. "Bedshaped"   4:38

US/International edition

Accompanied by a red cover, or a white cover in the US.

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know" – 3:57
  2. "This Is the Last Time" – 3:29
  3. "Bend and Break" – 3:39
  4. "We Might as Well Be Strangers" – 3:12
  5. "Everybody's Changing" – 3:36
  6. "Your Eyes Open" – 3:22
  7. "She Has No Time" – 5:46
  8. "Can't Stop Now" – 3:38
  9. "Sunshine" – 4:12
  10. "Untitled 1" – 5:36
  11. "Bedshaped" – 4:39

Japanese edition

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know" – 3:57
  2. "Bend and Break" – 3:39
  3. "We Might as Well Be Strangers" – 3:12
  4. "Everybody's Changing" – 3:36
  5. "Your Eyes Open" – 3:22
  6. "She Has No Time" – 5:46
  7. "Can't Stop Now" – 3:38
  8. "Sunshine" – 4:12
  9. "This Is the Last Time" – 3:29
  10. "On a Day Like Today" – 5:27
  11. "Untitled 1" – 5:36
  12. "Bedshaped" – 4:39
  13. "Snowed Under" - 3:52
  14. "Allemande" - 4:24
  15. "Somewhere Only We Know" (Video)

Super Audio CD Version (SACD)

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know" – 3:57
  2. "This Is the Last Time" – 3:29
  3. "Bend and Break" – 3:39
  4. "We Might as Well Be Strangers" – 3:12
  5. "Everybody's Changing" – 3:36
  6. "Your Eyes Open" – 3:22
  7. "She Has No Time" – 5:46
  8. "Can't Stop Now" – 3:38
  9. "Sunshine" – 4:12
  10. "Untitled 1" – 5:36
  11. "Bedshaped" – 4:39

Deluxe edition

Issued in 2009. The first CD includes the original tracklist, as seen above, plus tracks 13-19. The second CD presents B-sides, early singles and other rare tracks.
CD 1 : Bonus tracks
No. Title Length
13. "Somewhere Only We Know" (Lamacq Live) 3:51
14. "Bedshaped" (Lamacq Live) 4:07
15. "Bend and Break" (Lamacq Live) 3:48
16. "We Might as Well Be Strangers" (Lamacq Live) 3:19
17. "This is the Last Time" (Jo Whiley's Live Lounge) 3:37
18. "With or Without You" (Jo Whiley's Live Lounge) 3:32
19. "A Heart to Hold You" (Jo Whiley's Live Lounge) 3:58
CD 2: Rare material
No. Title Length
1. "Snowed Under" (B-side)  
2. "We Might as Well Be Strangers" (DJ Shadow Remix)  
3. "Into the Light" (Unreleased Demo)  
4. "Call Me What You Like" (demo) (Zoomorphic single 1)  
5. "Closer Now" (Zoomorphic single 1)  
6. "Rubbernecking" (Zoomorphic single 1)  
7. "Wolf at the Door" (Zoomorphic single 2)  
8. "She Has No Time" (demo) (Zoomorphic single 2)  
9. "Call Me What You Like" (Zoomorphic single 2)  
10. "Everybody's Changing" (Fierce Panda single 1)  
11. "The Way You Want it" (Fierce Panda single 1)  
12. "This is the Last Time" (demo) (Fierce Panda single 2)  
13. "Bedshaped" (demo) (Fierce Panda single 2)  
14. "Allemande" (Fierce Panda single 2)  
15. "Somewhere Only We Know" (Live E.P. released 3/5/05)  
16. "We Might as Well Be Strangers" (Live E.P. released 3/5/05)  
17. "This is the Last Time" (Live E.P. released 3/5/05)  
18. "Everybody's Changing" (Live E.P. released 3/5/05)  

Charts performance

The album stayed at the Top 75 for 72 weeks, peaking 1 several times.

Charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Austrian Albums Chart 18
Belgium Albums Chart 5
Finnish Albums Chart 23
French Albums Chart 5
Irish Albums Chart 1
Italian Albums Chart 14
Mexican Albums Chart 10
Dutch Albums Chart 3
New Zealand Albums Chart 11
Norwegian Albums Chart 2
Spanish Albums Chart 8
Swedish Albums Chart 10
Swiss Albums Chart 22
UK Albums Chart 1
U.S. Billboard 200 45

Sales and certifications

Country Sales Certification
Argentina 60,000 Platinum
Belgium NC Gold
France 350,000 Platinum
Ireland 50,000 5x Platinum
Mexico 150,000 Platinum
Netherlands 70,000 Platinum
Norway 80,000 2x Platinum
Spain 100,000 Platinum
Switzerland 40,000 Platinum
United Kingdom 2,761,649[13] 9x Platinum
United States 1,000,000[14] Gold[15]
Italy 50,000 Gold
Europe 4,000,000 4x Platinum

Total approximate international sales: 6,000,000[16]

Legacy

In 2006, British Hit Singles & Albums and NME organised a poll of which, 40,000 people worldwide voted for the 100 best albums ever and Hopes and Fears was placed at #51 on the list.[17] The album too ranked #5 in Amazon.co.uk's Best Selling Album of the Decade[18] In 2005 the album won the BRIT Awards of best album[19] In 2010 the album was nominated for Brit awards in the category Album of 30 Years, however lost to Oasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory? In 2011 the Q magazine made a list called 250 Best Albums of Q's Lifetime 1986-2010 and the album appeared at number 34[20]

Bonus DVD

Hopes and Fears
Video by Keane
Released 2004
Recorded Helioscentric Studios, various film sets.
Genre Rock
Length 19:40
Label Island, Universal
Keane video chronology
Hopes and Fears DVD
(2004)
Strangers DVD
(2005)

A CD+DVD version was released internationally over the course of 2005. This version included two bonus tracks, "Snowed Under" and a remix dance version of "We Might as Well Be Strangers" by DJ Shadow. The DVD contained the four international videos for "Somewhere Only We Know", "Everybody's Changing", "Bedshaped" and "This Is the Last Time", and the US video for "Somewhere Only We Know". This version of Hopes and Fears featured also a different box cover design; white and with Keane's Everybody's Changing promotional image. The inner 2CD box had the same cover as the international version.

Track listing

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know" (international version video)
  2. "Somewhere Only We Know" (US version video)
  3. "Everybody's Changing" (version 1 video)
  4. "Bedshaped" (video)
  5. "This Is the Last Time" (version 4 video)

Japanese version

  1. Keane 30 second TV advertisement
  2. "Somewhere Only We Know" (live)
  3. "She Has No Time" (live)
  4. "This Is the Last Time" (live)
  5. "We Might As Well Be Strangers" (live)
  6. "Everybody's Changing" (live)
  7. "Bedshaped" (live)
  8. "Somewhere Only We Know" (international version video)

Personnel

Keane

Additional personnel

  • Andy Green – Programming and Recording

References

  1. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/music/hopes-and-fears
  2. ^ Hopes and Fears at Allmusic
  3. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/music/hopes-and-fears/critic-reviews
  4. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/music/hopes-and-fears/critic-reviews
  5. ^ http://www.shakingthrough.net/music/shakethrus/2004.htm#67
  6. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/music/hopes-and-fears/critic-reviews
  7. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/music/hopes-and-fears/critic-reviews
  8. ^ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/4581-hopes-and-fears/
  9. ^ http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/keane/hopes_and_fears/index.html
  10. ^ http://www.amazon.com/Hopes-Fears-Keane/dp/B000268QB2
  11. ^ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hopes-Fears-Keane/dp/B0001Z2RUK
  12. ^ "Radio 1 to reveal best-selling singles and albums of the Noughties". Press Office. British Broadcasting Corporation. 14 December 2009. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/12_december/14/radio1.shtml. Retrieved 24 November 2011. 
  13. ^ a b Alan Jones (2011). "Adele still on top but UK album sales fall to 13-year low". Music Week. http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?storyCode=1046069&sectioncode=1. Retrieved 2011-08-25. 
  14. ^ Ayers, Michael. "Keane Boarding the Night Train This May". billboard.com. February 26, 2010.
  15. ^ "Gold and Platinum Database Search". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Hopes%20and%20Fears&artist=keane&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2010-02-26. 
  16. ^ http://www.keaneshaped.co.uk/disco/haf.htm
  17. ^ "Oasis album voted greatest of all time". The Times. 1 Jun 2006
  18. ^ http://www.webcitation.org/5m51nqIPb
  19. ^ http://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/2005
  20. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1420325

External links

Preceded by
Greatest Hits by Guns N' Roses
Under My Skin by Avril Lavigne
No Roots by Faithless
Tourist
by Athlete
UK number one album
22 May 2004 – 4 June 2004
12 June 2004 – 18 June 2004
26 June 2004 – 2 July 2004
20 February 2005 – 26 February 2005
Succeeded by
Under My Skin by Avril Lavigne
No Roots by Faithless
A Grand Don't Come for Free
by The Streets
Scissor Sisters by Scissor Sisters