Keanes' Perfect Symmetry (Perfect Symmetry - Keane)

Member Name: blackviolets

Product:	Perfect Symmetry - Keane
Date:	14/04/09 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great songs and catchy lyrics

Disadvantages: n/a

Hopes & Fears and Under the Iron Sea. Both albums did exceptionally well when released, receiving critical aclaim and having very high sales around the world. Hopes and Fears was the best selling british album of 2004 whilst Under the Iron Sea sold 222,000 copies in its first week. Perfect Symmetry needed to be as great as the other two to make sure that their time away from the music scene has been worthwhile. And it really is!!
Keane first got together in 1995, comprising of composer, bassist, and pianist Tim Rice-Oxley, lead vocalist Tom Chaplin and drummer Richard Hughes. Their original line-up included founder and guitarist Dominic Scott, who left in 2001. Naturally being only 8 I had never known of their existance. It was another 6 years before I heard them mentioned and I am utterly jealous that it happenned to be my Dad who watched them when they performed in pubs. Sadly he never thought of buying one of their cds at the end of the night. If we speed onwards to 2004. Just got back from school, turned on the telly, and there they were. I think it was 'Somewhere only we know' that they were singing but at the time it didn't matter. I was instantly hooked.

Things could of been different though, in 1997 Chris Martin invited Tim Rice-Oxley to join the newly created Coldplay. Thankfully he turned down the offer...what would Keane be like without him!
It has only been just under a week since it was properly put on sale and the songs have been played constantly whilst I spend time on the computer. I am putting my neck on the line here and am going to say that so far it is the best album to be released this year.

Perfect Symmetry has 11 tracks. Each one is different in its own way and I have yet to become bored or think along the lines of 'haven't i just listened to this one.' The front cover was designed by an artist called Osang Gwon and is supposed to be photographs of bigger than life-size sculptures of the band members.
**Spiralling**

The first and most important track. This is my ultimate favourite on the album. It starts of with a kicking basline and then gets blasted with the instruments, a sort of electronic sounding keyboard with guitar and drums. It's fast paced and very danceable. I can't believe how anybody after listening to it can't go away without humming the tune or singing the chorus, no matter who's listening.
**The Lovers are Losing**

This is the first full single to be released, I personally feel that it should of been Spiralling because is a lot more catchier. This song doesn't really have a stand out bit to it. It makes me think back to their first album but once again it's influenced with electronic sounds however I think the piano sound is more pronounced in this one than the previous. It starts off fast and then for some unknown reason it's like it comes to a complete standstill before speeding up again.
**Better Than This**

This has got a raindrop beat to start off...a bit like a xylophone with clapping behind it which continues for most of the sond. I like that you can hear more of the other band members singing behind it as well. It's another speedy one but also includes a catchy chorus.
'You can do so much better than this' and repeat. Ingenius.
**You Haven't Told Me Anything**

It has a bit of an eerie tune at the start which then fades into the background so you can hear the vocals. I think this one is more keyboard influenced and when you near towards the end its like one of them has started to play on an arcade machine.
**Perfect Symmetry**

Piano and drums to get it started which is always a great choice. It's the title track but it stays the same throughout. I find myself having to fastforward through it to see if it changes at all, which unfortunetly doesn't. The last 2 minutes however are very good where they dim down on the noisy instruments.
**You Don't See Me**

Unlike all the others this is a slow song which is good because i don't think my dancing feet could take much more movement. It's very calming with a nice piano sound coming though and Tom Chaplins voice sending chills down your spine.
**Again and Again**

Speeding up again with an electric sound fading out for the words. With this one you feel that they get into it further in. Like the beginning is just a warm up for them before they really start to enjoy themselves.
**Playing Along**

A very quick sounding thing as though you're listening to a radio, a slow paced song but still good with eeries sounds...almost like whales...but nicer.
**Pretend That You're Alone**

Strong piano sound, which is medium paced. For some reason you can really hear Toms voice. Very clear and pronounced and it sounds as though they've included a few brass instruments in it as well.
**Black Burning Heart**

This takes a while to kick in but sounds again a bit like an arcade machine untill we get the familiar electric keyboard and drums. The words also seem a bit dark when you really listen to them.
**Love Is the End**

The longest of the tracks and it starts off quite mellow. It actually reminds me of the sort of songs which Katie Mellua might sing. A delicate piano introducting, very simple and slow which makes the whole song what it is. It just keeps to the basics, and doesn't make it into something it isn't.
Overall this album is amazing. It is probably my favourite out of the 3 they've done. I could leave this album playing for ages without getting fed up of it.

Stand out track: Spiralling. Not quite so good:Perfect Symmentry

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