White Lies – To Lose My Life
Have you ever had one of those moments where you listen to music and all of a sudden have this childhood flashback? With all good and bad memories connected? I had a big one when I first listened to “To Lose My Life”, White Lies’ up-front acclaimed debut. There were some moments that reminded me so much of the 80ies I could almost see the White Lies in jackets with shoulderpads and their groupies with big hair wearing neon leggings. Especially title track “To Lose My Life” was one of those flashbackers. It sounds like re-animated Alphaville got into a time machine in the eighties and fell out of it twenty years later in Rick Rubins garden. And with Alphaville the memories of pink candy cigarettes, my first cassette recorder and me being dressed badly by my mother came back into my mind. I still have to argue with myself if reminding people of a braindead eighties band is a good or a bad thing for a new band, but let’s just leave that open.
When I first heard “Unfinished Business” some months ago the voice and melody instantly crawled into my head and settled there, it was one of those very rare first sight love moments. I was thrilled this would be my 2009 darling who could eventually even last forever. Then I heard some less enthusiastic voices about the album. I have to admit that there are a few weak points and some parts you really have to listen to a couple of times to get used to, but summed up it’s a really conclusive, convincing piece of music! Honestly, this must be the album the Killers wanted to make instead of “Day & Age” but didn’t know how to.
The above mentioned 80ies vibe pushes itself through all of the songs, sometimes more, somtimes less, and wether you like or dislike the whole New Wave-Revival, the White Lies do it in an obvious but unintrusive way you can’t really complain about.
The melodies have these layers that I totally love, when forcing drums and dominating bass have this unrythmic rythm where they seem to want to get to the same point by running in different directions. Also the beat has to fight its way up during every song until he turns to a bombastic orgasm and fades out again at last.
Their words tell stories, very sad and thoughtful, sometimes pushed down like they’re carrying a heavy piece of stone in a backpack. On the other hand there are such wonderful love declaring lines like “let’s grow old together and die at the same time”. It’s something to fall into.
Harry McVeigh’s voice is keeper as well. It’s so beautifully dark and transports all the mood from the written lyrics into the sound.
But let’s talk about the weak points mentioned. Sometimes, especially during the first times hearing, some bits get really lengthy and seem to repeat themselves. I guess that’s what could make people skip or even turn it off.
Highlights are definitely “Unfinished Business”, “Death” and “From The Stars”, three pillars in the construct of ten songs who keep the whole bit together. In the end, it will be really interesting to see the White Lies live to find out if the music appears more catchy then.
(edit: since I wrote this I’ve been followed by Alphaville like never before. Radio plays “Forever Young” and “Big in Japan” all the time, their videos appear on blogs I read and a alphaville myspace fanpage tried to add me – I’m scared! Did the time machine work?)
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