Spring Break
Play it by Ear - Keane: Perfect Symmetry
Jesus Butler
Issue date: 10/27/08 Section: Culture
The final track, "Love is the End," is the perfect example of this. It's a jazzy tune that shows a lot of promise, but ends up being weighed down by fake drums and a clichéd string section. If they had used a real drum set and a simpler arrangement, it could have been masterful.
The album is not without its redeeming moments, however. The title track is a compelling, anthem-ballad that serves as a backward glance toward Keane's established catalog without retreading too much old ground. "Pretend That You're Alone" is a groovy piece fixed up with a vibrant piano line and a good beat.
Lyrically, Chaplin has gone to great lengths to avoid the overly sentimental love songs that Chris Martin of Coldplay has caught flack for. "When we fall in love, we're just falling / in love with ourselves, we're spiraling" Chaplin sings, indicating that love is little more than self-absorption.
Things are dire for the human race, the "wisest of the animals," in Chaplin's writing. The trials of love, the monotony of daily life and the meaningless feeling of it are all strong themes throughout the album. In "Perfect Symmetry," Chaplin claims to "dream in e-mails, worn out phrases / miles and miles of just empty pages." Despite the poppy, candy-coated arrangements, this is not the feel good album of the year.
Keane has managed to reinvent themselves with "Perfect Symmetry," but the results are mixed. The '80s motif oscillates between being a refreshing change of pace to a cheesy gimmick. You could stick with the album's singles and not miss much.
Final score: 6 out of 10.
jbutler@unews.com
The album is not without its redeeming moments, however. The title track is a compelling, anthem-ballad that serves as a backward glance toward Keane's established catalog without retreading too much old ground. "Pretend That You're Alone" is a groovy piece fixed up with a vibrant piano line and a good beat.
Lyrically, Chaplin has gone to great lengths to avoid the overly sentimental love songs that Chris Martin of Coldplay has caught flack for. "When we fall in love, we're just falling / in love with ourselves, we're spiraling" Chaplin sings, indicating that love is little more than self-absorption.
Things are dire for the human race, the "wisest of the animals," in Chaplin's writing. The trials of love, the monotony of daily life and the meaningless feeling of it are all strong themes throughout the album. In "Perfect Symmetry," Chaplin claims to "dream in e-mails, worn out phrases / miles and miles of just empty pages." Despite the poppy, candy-coated arrangements, this is not the feel good album of the year.
Keane has managed to reinvent themselves with "Perfect Symmetry," but the results are mixed. The '80s motif oscillates between being a refreshing change of pace to a cheesy gimmick. You could stick with the album's singles and not miss much.
Final score: 6 out of 10.
jbutler@unews.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Jessie
posted 10/27/08 @ 3:16 PM CST
Um, Jesus - a word of advice - you might want to get the correct picture of Keane. Have no idea who the heck you have up, but it's not the Keane who put out the album!
Good journalism skills there, rookie. (Continued…)
Jesus_Michael
Jesus
posted 10/27/08 @ 4:32 PM CST
Jessie,
Thanks for the advice, but I'm actually not the one who selected the photo; I just wrote the review. I'll be sure to pass the blame on to the appropriate party. (Continued…)
Kathleen Hogan
posted 10/28/08 @ 2:19 PM CST
I am an avid Keane fan and think their music is the best today. No-one sings and writes songs like Keane. I wish people would just listen to them and not pick holes in them. (Continued…)
Post a Comment