Toronto – You know you got a bit of uphill climb for indie cred when wikipedia lists you as a ‘Piano Rock Band’. This was the battle that faced Tom Chaplin and the rest of the Sussex crew when Keane first hit the scene in 2004 with their #1 album Hope and Fears. What the hell am I saying? They’ve had two number 1 albums in their brief careers, middle age woman hold crying parties and eat ice cream when they listen Tom Chaplin’s angelic voice sing about love and love that could have been. They don’t need no hipsta lovin.

Despite all that success, one of the most shocking news stories from 2006 was that Tom Chaplin, the lead singer for the band Keane went into rehab for drug and alcohol abuse. Whaaaa? That would be classified as one of the more unexpected moments of music. 2008 sees the return of the Keane, and a new album. It’s called “Perfect Symmetry“. How is it? if you are a video/music programmer at VH1 or an easy listening station, and you want to provide your audience with what you think is something “funky” while still maintaining that adulty Starbucks sound, then man, this is the album for you.

This album is definitely a bit more rockier, a bit louder and a bit more edgier then previous albums. A bit more edgier by Keane standards, which is equivalent to a person double dipping into a communal ketchup collection edgy. All jokes aside, this album is okay. The first track – Spiraling, is damn catchy. It’s not a typical Keane sounding song, and I think Tom Chaplin stole this song from Robbie Williams in rehab or something, because it sounds exactly like a Robbie Williams song. The rest of the album is a bit of a mix bag of pop melodies. I guess the dude does have quite a voice and that saves a lot of songs from descending into camp.

I guess this album is okay if you are planning on having a wine and cheese party with your parents.

2.5/5

ps. despite my insults about the album “Spiraling” is f’n catchy.

 

 Keane - Spiraling: Play Now

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