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Rating: Many things have happened in these two years of Keane's absence from the music scene.
The "piano rock" (this is how the musical proposal contained in the hugely successful debut of the English band was named, that "Hopes And Fears" which sold more than five million copies worldwide) has become a genre greatly appreciated by the public and critics alike: numerous bands have profited from the explosion (even in America) of Chaplin and company (The Fray and One Republic are the most famous, but not necessarily the best).
Initially mistakenly compared to the more famous Coldplay, Keane, after a very beautiful second album ("Under The Iron Sea") that already partially distanced itself from the reassuring sounds of the debut work, underwent a severe internal crisis that brought them to the brink of a definitive breakup. The singer’s drug and alcohol problems (and some rumored internal tensions) shook the band's stability, which, after overcoming all difficulties, returns to the music market with this new work, titled "Perfect Symmetry".
Let's start by saying that this new work presents two very distinct facets: on one hand, the continuation of the path started with "Hopes And Fears", and on the other hand, the desire to do new things more in line with the influences of each band member (in this sense, the re-insertion of the guitar into the band's sound is noteworthy). It happens, therefore, that the album opens with one of Keane's most beautiful and surprising songs, the first single "Spiralling" (synth pop very, very kitschy), then moves on to the second single "The Lovers Are Losing", almost a "Crystal Ball" part two. "Better Than This", although not shining at all, gives the first signs of "reversal", and from here on, it's a swing between poignant and blatantly "Keane-like" piano ballads (the title track, "You Don't See Me" and "Love Is The End") and rather evident eighties pop influences, as in the excellent "Again And Again" and "Black Burning Heart".
Things go a bit worse when the band overdoes it a little, as in the disconnected "Pretend That You're Alone" (where Chaplin seems convinced he's Brett Anderson, obviously making a big mistake) or in the insipid "You Haven't Told Me Anything" (under the synthetic dress, nothing). But, as in the most beautiful plot twists, a fall corresponds to a rise, and thus emerges a sumptuous "Playing Along", reminiscent of the best episodes of Radiohead's "The Bends" era (with due proportions).
This "Perfect Symmetry" album positions itself in the discography of the British band as the most classic of transitional albums. Hoping that the next possible definitive transformation will be a new musical life.
Otherwise, it would be a real shame.
Key Tracks: "Spiralling", "Perfect Symmetry", "Playing Along", "Black Burning Heart"
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Spiralling (04:19)
Ooo!
Ooo!
I'm waiting for my moment to come
I'm waiting for the movie to begin
I'm waiting for a revelation
I'm waiting for someone to count me in
Cos now I only see my dreams
In everything I touch
Feel their cold hands on
Everything that I love
Cold like some
Magnificent skyline
Out of my reach but
Always in my eyeline now
We're tumbling down
We're spiralling
Tied up to the ground
We're spiralling
I fashioned you from jewels and stone
I made you in the image of myself
I gave you everything you wanted
So you would never know anything else
But everytime I reach for you
You slip through my fingers
Into cold sunlight
Laughing at the things
That I had planned
The map of my world gets
Smaller as I sit here
Pulling at the loose threads now
We're tumbling down
We're spiralling
Tied up to the ground
We're spiralling
When we fall in love
We're just falling
In love with ourselves
We're spiralling
Did you wanna be a winner?
Did you wanna be an icon?
Did you wanna be famous?
Did you wanna be the president?
Did you wanna start a war?
Did you wanna have a family?
Did you wanna be in love?
Did you wanna be in love?
I never saw the light
I never saw the light
I waited up all night
But i never saw the light
When we fall in love
We're just falling
In love with ourselves
We're spiralling
We're tumbling down
We're spiralling
Tied up to the ground
We're spiralling
##################
Uuh!
Uuh!
Estou esperando a vinda do meu momento
Estou esperando o filme começar
Estou esperando uma revelação
Estou esperando por alguém pra me incluir
Porque agora só vejo meus sonhos, em tudo que toco
Sinto a mão fria deles, em tudo que amo
Frio como algum magnífico horizonte
Fora do meu alcance mas agora sempre no meu olhar
Nós estamos desmoronando
Nós estamos girando em espiral
Amarrados ao chão
Nós estamos girando em espiral
Te vesti de jóias e pedras
Eu te fiz na imagem de mim mesmo
Eu dei tudo que você queria
Assim você nunca saberia de mais nada
Mas toda vez que tento te pegar, você escapa entre meus dedos
Até a fria luz do sol, rindo das coisas
Que eu havia planejado, o mapa do meu mundo fica
menor enquanto eu sento aqui, puxando essas linhas soltas agora
Nós estamos desmoronando
Nós estamos girando em espiral
Amarrados ao chão
Nós estamos girando em espiral
Você queria ser um vencedor?
Você queria ser um ícone?
Você queria ser famoso?
Você queria ser o presidente?
Você queria começar uma Guerra?
Você queria ter uma família?
Você queria estar apaixonado?
Você queria estar apaixonado?
Quando nos apaixonamos
Estamos apenas
Apaixonados por nós mesmos
Nós estamos girando em espiral
Nós estamos desmoronando
Nós estamos girando em espiral
Amarrados ao chão
Nós estamos girando em espiral
Uuh!
Uuh!
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By donnie darko
"Perfect Symmetry is an album that flows beautifully and when you’re done, you press 'play' again."
In certain passages Chaplin’s voice reminds me of the great Freddy and they in certain passages sound like Queen.
