Hopes and Fears (Deluxe Edition)

Hopes and Fears was the biggest-selling album of 2004 in the UK. Led by the single "Somewhere Only We Know," the album reached the No. 1 chart position in its debut week there and went on to sell over 5.8 million copies worldwide, garnering two Brit Awards. In 2008, the album, along with the follow-up, Under The Iron Sea, was voted one of the "Best British Albums" in a Q Magazine/HMV poll. In fact, Keane along with The Beatles and Radiohead were the only acts having two albums in the Top 20 at the time. As a debut, Hopes and Fears stood alone in its originality. A powerful, almost operatic vocal delivery (by Tom Chaplin) and a wall of heartfelt, melodic sound made solely from pianos, keyboards and a set of drums (subtly powered by Richard Hughes) distinguished the trio's unique musical flavor - again, all of this done with the absence of any guitars. The emotional appeal of the record gave a voice to millions and the songwriting talent of keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley was recognized with an Ivor Novello award in 2004 for "Best Composer of the Year." In addition to the album's original track listing, this Deluxe Edition showcases previously unreleased and rare material, including the early demo "Into The Light," live recordings from the band's earliest Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley radio sessions, the fan favorite b-side "Snowed Under" (for "Somewhere Only We Know"), and their debut self-released singles which led to their big break. That "big break" was due, in part, to the entrepreneurial folks at Fierce Panda Records who issued the seminal singles that populate disc two of this deluxe package. Also included among the Bonus Tracks is material from the band's own enterprise, Zoomorphic, which is how they issued their first efforts in limited edition. They all are now being made available to a broader audience by inclusion in this elaborately prepared, 2xCD, saddle-stitched book-style package. The liner notes have been penned by long-time supporter Steve Lamacq, where he describes the first time he caught them at the Bull and Gate in Kentish Town: "There were only three of them but they sounded huge. They were independent of mind but definitely accessible."