"Perfect Symmetry" by Keane

Do I like this album or not? I've listened to it multiple times and have been unable to decide.

I recently read a review of Keane's Perfect Symmetry that touted it as a new sound for the band. This review convinced my to buy the album. Previously, Keane was to Coldplay what Silverchair was to Nirvana - an undesireable derivative. But Perfect Symmetry is a new sound; Rolling Stone calls Keane the new Thompson Twins (for me, not a flatering comment, but it works for Keane...I think), and likens one of the hooks to David Bowie's 'Ashes to Ashes.' As much as I generally dislike 80s pop-rock, I do appreciate its outrageous excess. This album comes up short of that excess, but it does leave you, as Rolling Stone puts it, "in good cheer." Unfortunately, the album occasionally reduces itself to Coldplay mimicry.

I'm so conflicted.

As an aside, isn't it interesting that Coldplay and Keane have both tried to shake the piano-balladeer stigma?