I should probably begin by confessing that I have a tendency to go through honeymoon phases with albums (especially debut albums). For some reason, debut albums tend to be a lot of bands' climax, only to spiral downhill from there. So, I imagine the verdict remains out on White Lies until their sophomore release, but after my first listen I am REALLY pleased with album, To Lose My Life. There will undoubtedly be comparisons to melancholy post-punk bands past, but in light of much of the canned drivel that is passing for music these days, White Lies is refreshing. Despite their morose lyrics and cryptic melodies, White Lies have just enough zip to prevent suicide levels of depression from setting in. I haven't counted (and I'm not going to) the references to death, dying, the end, etc., but I'm fairly certain that they're in every track. It's not an angry fascination with death so much as it is a sense of fearing it. You might get the impression that the songwriter is obsessed with it.
If they're able to maintain this level of music, White Lies is Echo & the Bunnymen for the noughties... right down to Ian McCulloch-sounding frontman, Harry McVeigh.
You might like White Lies if you like: ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN, TEARS FOR FEARS, ARCADE FIRE, JOY DIVISION, INTERPOL, THE KILLERS
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