Keane

The follow up single to ‘Is it any Wonder?' starts with the same four-bar rhythmic piano intro that we have come to expect from Keane before Tom Chaplin's increasingly familiar and consistently heartfelt voice breaks in with his dreamy lyrics.

Said lyrics are as poetic as you might have thought, with only a mere hint of cliché (“Oh crystal ball, crystal ball/save us all/tell me life is beautiful…”)

The bridge brings in a nice chord change that prevents ‘Crystal Ball' from becoming too repetitive.

Drummer Richard Hughes comes into his own a bit on this one moreso than previous singles, although this is more a follow up than a lead single from the guys' second album. I think it is a bit weaker than ‘…Wonder?' at this point, but ask me again in a month after I've been brainwashed with radio play.

No doubt it will be a grower – Keane singles tend to be. They do seem to have mastered the art of writing suitably melodic and very catchy but rather tame, predictable songs that nail the formula every time.

But it works, and this is no exception.