Track Listing

1. Death
2. To Lose My Life
3. A Place To Hide
4. Fifty On Our Foreheads
5. Unfinished Business
6. E.S.T
7. From The Stars
8. Farewell To The Fairground
9. Nothing To Give
10. The Price Of Love

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #255 in Music
• Released on: 2009-01-19
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: CD
• Running time: 45 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the first releases of 2009 also looks dead set to number among the most significant. Epically depressive London trio White Lies were named as number 2 in the BBC’s Sound of 2009 most-likely-to poll, reflecting the intentions and suppositions of industry movers and shakers (critics, DJs, suited big-wigs with expense accounts). And it’s not hard to fathom what sent their collective neck hairs tingling. Morbidly macabre (barely a minute passes without some reference to death), gothically cold and efficient and free of baseless sentimentality yet relatable to, To Lose My Life is a machine of a debut record, an example in really getting the job done. Driven by the propulsive, non-nonsense Larry Mullen-esque drumming (think pre-Joshua Tree U2) of Jack Brown on steady percussive powerhouses like “A Place To Hide” and “From The Stars”, a bold path is lain over which singer Harry McVeigh roams dispensing haunting melancholy, his statuesque vocal pitched between David Byrne, Paul Banks of Interpol and Ian McCulloch. It’s all undeniably derivative, portions of their sound easily attributed to various sombre post-punk stalwarts of the 1980s; Joy Division, Echo & The Bunnymen, Talking Heads. But there’s something so impulsively likable and vibrant about this very consistent set of songs that sees them make peers of Editors, The Killers and for the general dire tone, Glasvegas. Singles “Death” and “Unfinished Business” especially could spar with any of the above. --James Berry

CD Description
'To Lose My Life' is the debut album from West London post-punk outfit White Lies, who have been compared to many bands, including Joy Division and Arcade Fire. Received positively and slated as a contender for the Mercury Music Prize, To Lose My Life was produced by Ed Buller and Max Dingel, who have previously worked with The Killers and Glasvegas. The album includes the singles, 'Unfinished Business', 'Death', 'To Lose My Life' and 'From The Stars'.

Customer Reviews

could be longer, but not better
I read many bad reviews of this album on the web and still I don't understand why... From the firt listening I knew this would be a record I would like for months to come. From the immmense opening track Death to the glorious From the Stars, there are so many good songs here that I would not hesitate to recommend it to everyone. Enjoy music for what you like, not for what they tell you to, and thanks, White Lies, for giving us the gift of your MUSIC.

Bottom line: These guys know how to ROCK
Do we need another 80's Band? On this form - Oh Yes! Why? Because these boys know how to ROCK. They have grabbed all the influences and honed them into one fine rocking machine. Simple tight drumming, throbbing bass lines big enough to move you house off its foundations, guitars that throb like electric eels, synths that send shivers down your back., and huge arcs of melody to die for. Full marks for every steal here that works. To Lose My Life has the best Duran Duran chorus since 1982, and has me hitting the repeat button again and again. Unfinished Business sidesteps an Interpol song by inches, but does it better by chucking out the New York Pose, and embracing some old fashioned British romance, Liverpool style. But really, what sets this band apart - is that for all the influences - this music doesn't sound like a sum of its parts - White Lies have made this musical language their own. This isn't the music of the recession of 1979 - 1983. This is music to see us through our present troubles. This album sets a high standard for 2009. A lot of new artists have seen bad times coming and gone the `lets party and forget our troubles' route. White Lies are made of something stronger, and have given us 10 songs to stiffen our backbones and lift our spirits as the skies darken

Gloom never sounded more gratifying
2009 began rather well, with West London's post-punk trio White Lies debut setting the bar really high for newcomers. Formed from the ashes of A Fear Of Flying in late 2007, 20-year olds Harry McVeigh (singer/guitarist), Charles Cave (bassist/lyricist) and Jack Brown (drummer) wear black and write songs with names such as Death and To Lose My Life. Fear not though as they're not your run-of-the-mill goth miserablists, these lads have way bigger plans.

Their music might sound depressing to some (Katy Perry it ain't), but at the same time it's really uplifting. Think of a gothic Killers with ice-cold synths, anthemic guitars and equally powerful vocals that will have you looking for the replay button after the first chorus has ended. As for their gloomy, morbidly macabre lyrics... well, they'll definitely leave a smirk on Robert Smith's smudged lips, not to mention Nick Cave's.

White Lies' dark pop bring back memories of 80's post-punk icons Joy Division and Echo and the Bunneymen, updated for the 21st century. Although naysayers might call them Interpol (or Editors) copycats, this is hardly the case as White Lies effectively blend their influences into a unique sound. Their debut fittingly entitled "To Lose My Life" marries monstrously dark atmospherics with danceable drums, sing-a-long choruses and huge hooks turning these alluring soundscapes into seductive dark pop gems. It's an album filled with massive tracks, all potential singles - you won't find any stinkers here - that will leave you asking for more. It's not hard to imagine a packed stadium chanting "let's grow old together and die at the same time"...

Although White Lies may lean towards the dark side (which can never be a bad thing, right?), they make gloom sound gratifying. 2009 belongs to them.