Just my 2c worth of initial impressions of two works alot of ppl have been eagerly awaiting this week:-
Keane's Perfect Symmetry was released on tuesday and torrents were available tt same evening (not that leaks weren't out a month or two ago). I've listened about twice through; and the 1st thing that one notices is how unexpectedly impressive the album starts. There's been alot of hype about how Keane has aped Coldp- i mean, pursued a shift in muusical direction and instrumentalization.. but you don't expect anything too exciting, until the 1st 2 tracks, Spiralling and The Lovers are Losing, smack you with tricked-out synths, sprightly keyboards, and a lurching, energetic rhythm section, sucking you right into 80s britpop territory ala Simple Mind and Duran Duran - all the clamour and chest-beating, and a unabashed, populist "big" sound.
The over-the-top maximalism starts to feel heavy-handed and downright exhausting after a few songs however; and in their ambition and bluster (and, one suspects, a pursuit of fun) the band has sacrificed dynamics and balance. Tom Chaplin's Wembley-stirring voice is employed to similar sledgehammer effect, stretching and stressing every line, making self-conscious, earnest lyrics sound overly serious, and condemning more playful, imaginative ones to downright silliness (samples: "when we fall in love, we're just falling in love with ourselves; pieces of pieces of rush hour buses..I dream in emails, worn-out phrases). Like...good grief, we know you can sing, get over it already!
Keane rips off various anthemic pop hooks and sounds from a host of stadium-sized artists including U2, Tears for Fears, David Bowie and ABBA..one wonders why such lifts are necessary for a band which has displayed a huge talent for melodic songsmithing. This would have been easily forgiven as a welcome retro homage, but the album quickly wears itself out, and one cant help but feel all the glitz and grandeur is just tacked-on cosmetics - the strangely outspoken lyrics, the cloying pop pastiche, even the expanded intrument palette (there's a prominent musical saw btw). By the final third normal service has resumed - dreary ballads and department-store rock disguised as something more substantial - and its unfortunately quite the downward spiral (sorry, couldn't help it). To prove I'm not plagued with inverted snobbery, I'll say that the reason why Perfect Symmetry is disappointing is not because it's egregiously unbearable as with Keane's earlier albums, but because it could - and should - have been so much more.

Next is Max Payne, adapted from the seminal video game series (which means it was doomed from the start, lol). I've only watched the trailers so hopefully the actual film's a pleasant surprise. First off, wth is it with the angels of death thing? Even as visual representations of the heaven and hell references that peppered the games or hallucinations arising from Valkyr, it's way too in your face; and more probably a lame attempt to cash in on the whole demon/zombie trend that has bewilderingly infiltrated Hollywood. The trailer just screams, "too loud, too bright, too fast", in rather strong contrast to the subdued finesse of the noir genre. What made the games so engaging (aside from the gameplay) were the masterful interspacing of stylish graphic novel cutscenes, pulp fiction dialogue, and absorbingly depressing New York set pieces, backed by a convoluting yet involving storyline. The melodramatic yet affecting delivery worked especially well because the game, and the main character, displayed an amusing self-awareness (and clever respect for the player).
The movie trailer, in contrast, has a distinctly modern, robust streak, and one suspects the film will consist of a string of set pieces separated by hammy dialogue sequences, lots of standing and walking around in the rain, and the requisite sex scene. The same stylistic elements that worked for the game are difficult to transplant to film simply because the player interaction is missing. Can the same amount of character and plot development be squeezed into a movie? Even in the second game - which had a more run-and-gun feel compared to the cautious, deliberate planning of the original - pacing and depth was incredible, but it's hard to see how John Moore can nail the same semblance within 100 minutes. I doubt the film will contain the game's balance of self-conscious camp and Raymond Chandler-esque grittiness..In all likelihood, it's another action film that takes itself too seriously. I can only hope that "Bullet Time" will be kept to a few tasteful scenes. Don't get me wrong cos I sound overly harsh..I'm looking forward to the film actually. lol. It's just difficult imagining the film staying true to the games' mood and spirit, especially if the trailers are any indication. I guess it's a form of self-defense against getting my hopes too high.

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