In the great
British shift from a field of predominantly finely fettled
folk to darker pastures of moody, mercurial music, White
Lies was one of the primary groups commanding the new wave.
For those lucky enough to be in Austin and it’s immediate
beyond, the trio is set to take the stage at Antone’s next
Tuesday, and despite being the headliner, I feel as if
there’s a need to vet for the group over their opener - the
already well-applauded Asobi Seksu. After making quite a
debut in 2009 with To Lose My Life, the London-based
outfit have since been criticized for the sophomore slump
that was Ritual.
Truly, if I have to be honest though, unsurprising. The bar
was set rather high, and comparatively Ritual just
didn’t make the hurdle. There is, however, an unfairness in
basing this panning on the trio as a whole. Under the shadow
of a great debut, it’s easy to assume progress on what’s to
follow. So here’s what I see on the graph - with the bar set
high, their line of progress didn’t make the mark, but it
didn’t precisely decline either; it didn’t even waiver. As a
whole, White Lies continues to clutch onto a beat that shows
they can still deliver. There’s something to be appreciated
in the skill of shaping songs that carry facades, and the
dark anthems of White Lies are definitely to be counted.
Deep, pitted vocals recoil in such laden, heavy melodies -
it’s music that propagates a palpable weight, and the
pressure builds till you bob your head, tap your foot, or
just straight dance it off. I love music that doesn’t allow
me to just stand there. Be sure to catch the trio with the
always amazing Asobi Seksu on Tuesday at Antone’s.
:White
Lies - Death:
:White
Lies - Holy Ghost:
By the way, I almost feel like I’ve done nothing but dark
and dour doles out here, and that just doesn’t sit well for
me. A person that alliterates as much as I do should be keen
on sharing happier times, so I’m gonna hug you with happy
harmonies next time - I promise.
- Brad Benedict
Corteza -
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