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Perfect Symmetry (Keane album)

Perfect Symmetry
Keane Perfect Symmetry.jpg
Studio album by Keane
Released 13 October 2008
Recorded 2008
Studio
  • Teldex Studio (Berlin, Germany)
  • Studio de la Grande Armée (Paris, France)
  • Olympic Studios and The Barn (United Kingdom)
Genre
Length 50:43
Label Island
Producer
Keane chronology
Live 06
(2006)
Perfect Symmetry (2008) Night Train
(2010)
Singles from Perfect Symmetry
  1. "Spiralling"
    Released: 4 August 2008
  2. "The Lovers Are Losing"
    Released: 20 October 2008
  3. "Perfect Symmetry"
    Released: 29 December 2008
  4. "Better Than This"
    Released: 16 March 2009
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic (64/100)
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars
Entertainment Weekly (B+)
Uncut 3/5 stars
musicOMH 3/5 stars
The Guardian 3/5 stars
Rolling Stone 3.5/5 stars
Q Magazine 4/5 stars
Digital Spy 4/5 stars
PopMatters 6/10 stars
Spin 7/10 stars
NME 2/10 stars
BBC (unfavourable)

Perfect Symmetry is the third studio album by English rock band Keane, released on 13 October 2008 in the United Kingdom. According to international Island Records manager, Jon Turner, "the general international feel is of excitement and 'Spiralling' is a favourite track of the US company."

Perfect Symmetry is a departure from Keane's established piano-rock sound, with the band employing guitars for the first time since their early musical beginnings and a larger reliance on synthesizers than their previous effort Under the Iron Sea, as well as experimenting with other instruments such as the musical saw, saxophone and string arrangements. Also most notable is the emergence of a 1980s' synthpop-influenced style on most songs such as "Spiralling" and "Again and Again". The album is the result of a more relaxed and creative recording process in comparison to the tense sessions for Under the Iron Sea. One of the only piano-driven songs on the album is the track of the same name. Jesse Quin joined Keane from this album as a studio and live support member. He became an official member three years later.

The cover for the album was revealed on 5 September. Tim Rice-Oxley explained that the imagery of the band are photographs of bigger than life-size sculptures of the band members, made by Korean artist Osang Gwon. It was implied that these sculptures will form the basis of the album's image and promotion up to the date of release.

All tracks written by Keane.

(^) denotes additional production
(*) denotes co-producer

The first full single from the album was "The Lovers Are Losing", released on 20 October 2008. The next single was "Perfect Symmetry", released on 29 December 2008. In March 2009, "Better Than This" was released as the fourth single.

"Spiralling" is a song performed and composed by English band Keane, released on 4 August 2008 at 10:59 (CEST) as the first single of their third album, Perfect Symmetry. It was released in a similar fashion to that of "Atlantic" as a digital download only single; however, it was available as a free download from Keanemusic.com for the first week of release. On 31 July, the message "When we fall in love, we're just falling in love with ourselves" appeared on the band's website in reference to the track. On 11 August 2008, the song was released as an official digital download on iTunes. The song was said to be inspired by wrestling legend Ric Flair who Tom Chaplin described as a personal hero for his try hard mentality in the ring. His trademark "woo" inspired the song. Frontman Tom Chaplin described the song as "a train of thought about human endeavour, built on an outrageous groove".


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