Perfect Symmetry (Keane-Album)
Occupation
Tom Chaplin Tim Rice -Oxley Richard David Hughes
Perfect Symmetry ( German Perfect symmetry ) is the third studio album by the English band Keane and was released on 13 October 2008. After the good sales of the second album Under The Iron Sea in North America success was celebrated for the first time in South and Central America: both in Argentina and in Mexico reached Perfect Symmetry of the top 10 album charts. In the UK, the album debuted at No. 1 in Germany it peaked at number ten.
Background information
The album was recorded by a band- internal crisis, which culminated in the fact that singer Tom Chaplin was introduce as a result of his drug problems in a rehab clinic in the fall of 2006. The recordings for the album began after the conclusion of the resumed Under the Iron Sea Tour. For the first time this worked Keane along with the producer Jon Brion and Stuart Price. Another new feature was that you could watch the recording process on the official website of the band. There videos and pictures were uploaded in January 2008 at regular intervals. While the recordings in Berlin, Paris and London, the band of bassist Jesse Quin was supported, which was recorded three years later as the fourth member of the band.
The many changes in the environment by the new producers, studios or even Jesse Quin, influenced the style of the album. After the worldwide success of the first two albums Keane hit a so an experimental change of style. Musically they left the familiar genre of Piano-Pop/Rock and are primarily concentrating on the synth pop of the 80s. For the first time since the earliest beginnings of the band guitars were used more and more, at the same time was experimenting with new instruments like the saxophone or the musical saw. For this was worked during the recordings with other musicians. So, for example, played Stephen Hussey played the violin with Love Is the End or Jim Hunt the saxophone at Pretend That You're Alone. The semi- acoustic E- wing Yamaha CP80 is still used, but advances in contrast to the first two albums clearly in the background. Pianist Tim Rice -Oxley fired again a wide variety of effects devices, determine the titles such as You Do not See Me or Again and Again noticeably.
For the album cover of Korean artists Osang Gwon made to life-size sculptures of the band members. The close-ups of the sculptures were then distributed by art director Rob Chenery in triangular cuts on the cover.
In addition to the normal version and a deluxe edition of the album, which includes an additional DVD with the demo versions and a documentary about the making of the album was released. In addition, the band members give their thoughts award to each individual song in short interviews. After the release of the album began on 29 September 2008, the Perfect Symmetry world tour, which included 121 live performances.
Reviews
The new sounds were well received by the critics. In CDStarts it says about the album: " fresh, regenerated and rehabilitated at the three Englishmen made in Berlin in particular in mind to make a new album. It will be interesting, like the retro style of the band arrives at the audience. The only certainty is that pop hymns like " Again & Again" would have been safe up to thirty years ago the pole position in the charts. Here the album is faithful again and throws the listener onto the dance floor, while requesting more heinous that you sing along. The ' grande finale ' Love Is The End is traded among fans even as a successor to Bedshaped that sooner usually closed concerts. Lines such as And When I was drowning in Holy water did / All I Could think of what you could leave lighter almost start by itself and so ends one of the best pop albums of this year. Keane are again at the top and this time without much discussion. "
Title list
Standard Version ( 2008)
Bonus DVD
Videos
Demo versions of the album tracks