Under the Iron Sea

Untitled

Under The Iron Sea is the second album by British rock band Keane, and the follow-up to their album Hopes and Fears. It was released June 12 2006 internationally, excluding Japan (June 7th), Germany, Holland, Mexico, Switzerland (June 9th) and in the United States and Canada where it will be released June 20 2006. The band have said that it has a darker, more electronic sound than Hopes and Fears, describing it as a "sinister fairytale-world-gone-wrong" [1].

"Nothing In My Way", "Try Again" and "Hamburg Song" debuted in 2005 during the tour. "Hamburg Song" is an acoustic song, written only for piano and organ, but the album version included an accordion effect. "Is It Any Wonder?", "Atlantic" and "Crystal Ball" were premiered at a secret gig in London on April 5.

The first release was "Atlantic", which was issued as a download-only music video on April 25, featuring a specially extended version of the song incorporating the outro from album track "The Iron Sea". Irvine Welsh, author of the novel Trainspotting, directed the video, which was filmed in black and white on Sussex beach, and did not feature the band. "Is It Any Wonder?" followed as the next single, out May 29, and released on both CD and 7" in the UK. Its video was directed by Kevin Godley, best known for his work on music videos for The Police and Duran Duran in the mid-1980s.

There was also a Bonus DVD released version (also called "Limited or Special Edition") with a book-shaped cover representing a story, with drawings in the inner pages. The DVD includes demo versions for all tracks except "Nothing In My Way", "Hamburg Song" and "Try Again" that are played live.

The title of the album is derived from the lyric "I lost my heart. I buried it too deep under the iron sea," which appears in the ninth song, "Crystal Ball".

This album was leaked in its entirety on the Internet June 5th, 2006 because of an accident from iTunes, Belgium.

Track listing

File:Rua3cm.jpg

The hand written note by Tim Rice-Oxley, Tom Chaplin, and Richard Hughes

• All tracks written by Tim Rice-Oxley, Tom Chaplin, and Richard Hughes.

1. "Atlantic" (4:13) (Short version)
2. "Is It Any Wonder?" (3:08)
3. "Nothing In My Way" (4:02)
4. "Leaving So Soon?" (3:58)
5. "A Bad Dream" (5:04)
6. "Hamburg Song" (4:37)
7. "Put It Behind You" (3:35)
8. "The Iron Sea" (2:57)
9. "Crystal Ball" (3:53)
10. "Try Again" (4:26)
11. "Broken Toy" (6:07)
12. "The Frog Prince" (4:21)

Note: Some editions include "The Iron Sea" as a hidden track after "Put It Behind You". You have to listen to the whole previous song to find it.

Information and meaning of songs

For information about the singles visit "Atlantic (single)" or "Is It Any Wonder?".

Nothing In My Way

"Nothing In My Way" was composed in 2004 by Rice-Oxley. It was debuted in the Rolling Stone Roadshow in Germany in October 20th 2004, and was previously called "Nothing In Your Way".

• Tempo: 88bpm
• Chord: C#6 + 20 cents
• Time: 4/4

"Is about being in denial". Rice-Oxley explains it's based on the song "Lose Yourself" by Eminem Podcast 1

Leaving So Soon?

"Leaving So Soon?" was the last song composed for the album, in 2005.

• Tempo: 144bpm
• Chord: A6
• Time: 4/4

"It's a defense of the three of us in the band" [2]

A Bad Dream

"A Bad Dream" was composed around 2004 and 2005 by Rice-Oxley. As said by Tim, th lyrics talk about a pilot, who's fighting on a war.

• Tempo: 72bpm
• Chord: Em
• Time: 4/4

"Talks about war" Podcast 3

Put It Behind You

Composed in mid 2004 because of Richard's break-up with his girlfriend. The song was first mentioned on the Strangers DVD by Tom.

• Tempo: 137bpm
• Chord: F
• Time: 4/4

"It's about Richard's messy break-up with his girlfriend after seven years"Podcast 4

The Iron Sea

It appears as a demo on the Strangers DVD, with Tim playing it at the Helioscentric Studios, East Sussex. "The Iron Sea" was composed in 2004 by Rice-Oxley. On the UK version, "The Iron Sea" is the eight track but in the International version is a hidden song after "Put It Behind You". The outro was also used on the single version of "Atlantic".

• Tempo: 89bpm
• Chord: Bbm
• Time: 4/4

"It's the key track of the record" Podcast 4

The Frog Prince

Composed in 2004. The album wasn't so dark at the end. Was first mentioned by Tim on the Strangers DVD. A demo version also features Tim singing on the lead vocals

• Tempo: 112bpm
• Chord: Bmaj7/F
• Time: 4/4

"It's about James Blunt"-Chris Flynn [3]. Richard also gives a meaning to this here Keaneshaped

See also

• List of songs by Keane for midi samples

Trivia

• The typeface used for the album's printed materials was not used for any prior release by Keane
• The cover art was designed by Sanna Annuka Smith, a Finnish-British artist.
• The perceived guitar effects in "Is It Any Wonder?", "Crystal Ball", "The Iron Sea" and "The Frog Prince" were actually created using a keyboard and an effects pedal.
• In Belgium and Mexico the album was released accidentally before the official date.

External links

• Official Site
• Austrian Fan-Site
• British Fan-Site
• Link to download a UTIS fan-made font