 |
I think that this is the most excited I have been about a British debut album since The Editors came from nowhere in 2005... yep, I just checked, it is.
Funnily enough it occupies a similar musical territory. White Lies have a classic brit-pop sound, but with that darker, melodic edge... so yes, think The Editors, but also think Joy Division, Talking Heads and New York’s Interpol. Like the aforementioned bands, the vocals of Harry McVeigh are as instantly recognisable as their guitar/synth driven sound. His baritone evokes Ian Curtis or Tom Smith, which I suppose is what draws the comparisons to these other bands so readily.
Luckily White Lies provide enough of their own personality to stand apart.
The ten tracks that make up To Lose My Life provide for a nicely compact album that relies on quality over quantity. The start is breathtaking, with ‘Death’ hauling you in, and by the time you hear ‘Unfinished Business’, you are gob-smacked wondering where these guys have been all your life. I guess my only quibble is that despite its tightness, it still loses a little bit of momentum in the second half. Inevitable when the first five tracks are that good. But hey, that could just be me being a really picky, over critical, bordering on insulting, music reviewer type... this album still rocks.
One other thing... I’m really looking forward to hearing how they pull off a cover of Kanye West’s ‘Love Lockdown’ as a b-side for their next single – good to see that they have an adventurous spirit, let us just hope it doesn’t boil over to insanity like it did with Chris Cornell.
Essential Tracks
Death
A Place to Hide
Unfinished Business
Full Track Listing
1. Death (5:01)
2. To Lose My Life (3:12)
3. A Place to Hide (5:02)
4. Fifty on Our Foreheads (4:22)
5. Unfinished Business (4:21)
6. E.S.T. (5:04)
7. From the Stars (4:53)
8. Farewell to the Fairground (4:19)
9. Nothing to Give (4:13)
10. The Price of Love (4:39)
|
|
