Keane
The tuneful English trio Keane have made a name for themselves with a blend of growling rock married to surprising piano lines. The band is also readily distinguishable once you've heard lead singer Tom Chaplin's anguished falsetto, which recalls a choir boy listening to his first Led Zeppelin record. Born in the same hospital on the same day, it seems inevitable that lead pianist Tim Rice-Oxley and vocalist Tom Chaplin would become fast friends. The partnership turned musical when they met drummer-to-be Richard Hughes in school. The band began life as the literate cover band The Lotus Eaters, playing classics by the band members' favorites like U2 and The Beatles. Tim Rice-Oxley was also friends with Chris Martin and even declined joining Coldplay. In 1999, they recorded the track "Call Me What You Like" and released it as an independent promo single and sold it at club gigs. As the band's popularity surged, they recorded a string of independent releases that now fetch a small fortune on ebay from devoted fans. On the strength of these recordings and their riveting live show, the band sparked a bidding war and label Island Records were the lucky winners. Their debut full-length, Hopes and Fears was a mainstream hit in the UK and an underground smash in the States. Singles like "Something Only We Know" and "Crystal Ball" showed off the band's crashing, catchy rock. Keane fulfilled their promise on 2006's mature offering, Under the Iron Sea, with dark, fairy-tale inspired tracks like "Is It Any Wonder" and "Nothing My Way."