White Lies - HMV Oxford Street, London, 17/12/2010

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 21 / 1 / 2011

intro

Anthony Srutt watches bestselling alternative rock act White Lies play a short, but powerful set at showcase gig to launch their album at HMV's store in Oxford Street, London

Tonight's White Lies' set is short, only five songs long and lasting a mere twenty seven minutes, but these HMV gigs are just showcases showing us the band's new product before security push us into a line to go up to meet the current new hit makers of the day. 'Ritual' is the second album by White Lies and the band are proud to have us there to launch it. The eerie cover of 'Ritual' recalls 'The Stepford Wives' with its picture of two dead-eyed twins, whereas 'To Lose My Life' from 2009 looked like a Factory Records' release. 'Ritual' is a big improvement on 'To Lose My Life'. It has a bigger sound, is more commercial and reminiscent of New Order whereas the first was more of Joy Division. The band tonight are a five piece with an additional guitarist and keyboardist joining Harry McVeigh (lead vocals and guitar), Charles Cave (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Jack Lawrence-Brown (drums). The songs are, however, as deep as ever and just as dark. We get treated to four new songs and one old. 'Strangers', 'Holy Ghost'and 'Peace and Quiet' are the first three songs that they showcase before they play their only oldie, 'Death', which has the crowd almost moshing and screaming out in joy. They end an all too short set with current single, 'Bigger Than Us', which is as instant as the rest of the set. 'Ritual' is a great little album and one that will surely just grow on us even more.

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