As I pressed the play button on this single, I had very high expectations. Keane’s previous two singles had been veering off in an exciting new direction for the band. “Spiralling”, the first single, seemed reminiscent of the 80s disco scene and even incorporated guitars, an instrument Keane seemed destined never to use before this album.
“Perfect Symmetry”, the album’s title track brought my expectations crashing to the ground. It sounds so much like the Keane of old that the public loved to hate. Maybe they haven’t changed. Maybe they’re still just the public school boys trying to appear cooler than they are. Don’t get me wrong, this song isn’t awful, the chorus is decent and does stick on the mind. It is however a gargantuan step back for Keane, when they could have potentially been the best British band of the moment.
The song is arranged just as Keane songs were in their first two albums. A piano riff backed by drums and bass (not bass guitar however, I’m beginning to think Keane are just scared of guitars). This sound works well its just a tad over-used.
The lyrics seem to be about war “Burning down the capitals” and “Who are you? What are you fighting for?” But then the chorus seems completely unrelated, “This life is lived in Perfect Symmetry. What I do, that will be down to me.” The other parts seem to relate to modern life “I dream in e-mails, worn out phrases.” Make of the lyrics what you will.
To rescue Keane after this single, they need something more along the lines of “Spiralling” and “The Lovers Are Losing” as these are the singles that made the album sell much more than the older Keane albums. Lets hope that Keane can regain credibility after this minor setback, and please God no more Cocaine related publicity stunts.
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Keane - A Perfect Symmetry
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Keane - Perfect Symmetry (Single)
