Hit sensitive but hopelessly unhip. That is the fate of the British trio Keane, which after the near-perfect debut album Hopes & Fears and the brave, dark follow-up Under The Iron Sea almost fell to success. Singer Tom Chaplin's drug addiction helped Keane get rid of the overly good image, but almost meant the group's demise. With the release of the third album Perfect Symmetry, Chaplin is clean
… again and Keane sounds like reborn. Of all his generation, songwriter Tim Rice-Oxley has perhaps the greatest talent for 'pop hooks' and again every song is built around a catchy vocal line. In addition, careful experimentation was carried out with alternative recording techniques and previously unused instruments such as musical saw, various percussion and guitars. Still, Perfect Symmetry sounds like a record that could only have been made by Keane. The coloring sounds a bit different, but the basis (the voice, the songs) has not changed. (MS)more
