Perfect Symmetry (Keane album)

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Perfect symmetry
Studio album by Keane

Publication
(s)

October 13, 2008

admission

2008

Label (s) Island Records , Interscope Records

Format (s)

CD, download, LP

Genre (s)

Alternative rock , synth-pop , electro-pop

Title (number)

11

running time

50:43 min.

occupation Tom Chaplin
Tim Rice-Oxley
Richard David Hughes

production

Jon Brion , Stuart Price , Keane

Studio (s)

Teldex Studio
Studio de la Grande Armée
Olympic Studios
The Barn

chronology
Under the Iron Sea
(2006) 		Perfect symmetry Strangeland
(2012)
Single releases
August 4, 2008 Spiraling
October 20, 2008 The Lovers Are Losing
December 29, 2008 Perfect symmetry
March 16, 2009 Better Than This

Perfect Symmetry (German Perfect Symmetry ) is the third studio album by the English band Keane and was released on October 13, 2008. After the good sales of the second album Under the Iron Sea in North America, successes were also celebrated in South and Central America for the first time : In Mexico , Perfect Symmetry reached number 9 in the album charts. In the UK the album debuted at number 1, in Germany it reached number 10.

Background information

The album was created after a crisis within the band that culminated in the fact that singer Tom Chaplin was admitted to a rehab clinic in autumn 2006 as a result of his drug problems . Recordings for the album began after the resumed Under the Iron Sea tour concluded . For the first time, Keane worked with producers Jon Brion and Stuart Price . Another innovation was that the recording process could be followed on the band's official website. From January 2008 videos and pictures were uploaded there at regular intervals. During the recordings in Berlin, Paris and London, the band was supported by bassist Jesse Quin, who three years later became the fourth member of the band.

The many changes in the environment through the new producers, studios or Jesse Quin shaped the style of the album. After the worldwide success of the first two albums, Keane made an experimental change in style. Musically, they left the familiar genre of piano pop / rock and oriented themselves primarily towards the synth pop of the 80s. For the first time since the earliest beginnings of the band, guitars were increasingly used, while new instruments such as the saxophone and the singing saw were experimented with. For this purpose, we worked together with other musicians during the recording. So played z. For example Stephen Hussey played the violin in Love Is the End or Jim Hunt the saxophone in Pretend That You're Alone . The semi-acoustic Yamaha CP80 electric grand piano is still in use, but in contrast to the first two albums, it is clearly in the background. Pianist Tim Rice-Oxley once again used a wide variety of effects devices that noticeably determine titles such as You Don't See Me or Again and Again .

For the album cover, the Korean artist Osang Gwon made life-size sculptures of the band members. Art director Rob Chenery then distributed the close-ups of the sculptures in triangular cutouts on the cover.

In addition to the normal version, a deluxe edition of the album was also released, which includes an additional DVD with the demo versions and a documentary film about the creation of the album. In addition, the band members give their thoughts on each individual song in short interviews. After the album was released, the Perfect Symmetry World Tour started on September 29, 2008 and included 121 live performances.

Reviews

The new sounds were well received by the critics. At CDStarts it says about the album: “Fresh, regenerated and rehabilitated, the three Englishmen set out to complete a new album, especially in Berlin. It will be interesting to see how the band's retro style is received by the audience. What is certain is that pop anthems like 'Again & Again' would have been in pole position on the charts up to thirty years ago. Here the album is true to itself again and throws the listener onto the dance floor and nefariously demands that you sing along. The 'grande finale' Love Is The End is already being traded among fans as the successor to Bedshaped , which used to usually close concerts. Lines like And when I was drowning in that Holy water / All I could think of was you almost make the lighter jump on its own and that's how one of the best pop albums of the year ends. Keane are once again at the top and this time without much discussion. "

Track list

Standard version (2008)

  1. Spiralling (Tim Rice-Oxley, Tom Chaplin, Richard David Hughes) - 4:19
  2. The Lovers Are Losing (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 5:04
  3. Better Than This (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 4:03
  4. You Haven't Told Me Anything (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 3:47
  5. Perfect Symmetry (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 5:12
  6. You Don't See Me (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 4:03
  7. Again and Again (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 3:50
  8. Playing Along (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 5:35
  9. Pretend That You're Alone (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 3:47
  10. Black Burning Heart (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 5:23
  11. Love Is the End (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 5:37
  12. My Shadow (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 4:49 [Japanese Bonus Track]
  13. Time to Go (Rice-Oxley, Chaplin, Hughes) - 3:50 [Japanese Bonus Track]
  14. The Lovers Are Losing (css Remix) - 4:35 [Japanese Bonus Track]
  15. Spiralling (Diplo vs. Keane 'Mad Spirals Mix') - 5:22 [Japanese Bonus Track]
  16. Perfect Symmetry (Frankmusik Remix) - 4:56 [Japanese Bonus Track]

Bonus DVD

Videos

  1. Making of 'Perfect Symmetry' documentary
  2. Track by track commentary

Demo versions of the album tracks

  1. Spiralling (Live Rehearsal)
  2. Spiraling (demo)
  3. The Lovers Are Losing (Demo)
  4. Better Than This (demo)
  5. You Haven't Told Me Anything (Demo)
  6. Perfect Symmetry (demo)
  7. You Don't See Me (Demo)
  8. Again and Again (demo)
  9. Playing Along (Demo)
  10. Pretend That You're Alone (Demo)
  11. Black Burning Heart (demo)
  12. Love Is the End (demo)

Chart placements

Charts Top ranking Weeks
Chart placements
Germany (GfK) Germany (GfK) 10 (6 weeks) 6th
Austria (Ö3) Austria (Ö3) 22nd (4 weeks) 4th
Switzerland (IFPI) Switzerland (IFPI) 6th (9 weeks) 9
United Kingdom (OCC) United Kingdom (OCC) 1 (26 weeks) 26th
United States (Billboard) United States (Billboard) 7th (6 weeks) 6th

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Chart placement of the album in Mexico. Mexicancharts.com, archived from the original on October 30, 2013 ; Retrieved October 18, 2014 .
  2. ↑ officialcharts.com Chart placement of the album in Great Britain
  3. ↑ officialcharts.de Chart placement of the album in Germany
  4. ↑ Article. ( Memento of the original from January 14, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. stern.de about Tom Chaplin's drug withdrawal @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.stern.de
  5. ↑ creativereview.co.uk ( Memento of the original from October 12, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Report on Osang Gwon's sculptures @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.creativereview.co.uk
  6. ↑ criticism. cdstarts.de; Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  7. ↑ a b c d e Chart sources: DE AT CH UK US