White Lies - Friends

Rating:

White Lies are a gloomy band. Or rather – they used to be.

White Lies are a gloomy band. Or rather – they used to be. New album ‘Friends’ sees them depart from their Joy Division like gloom and add shimmering synths. However, this doesn’t work as well as they might have hoped. Single ‘Take It Out On Me’ lacks a punch and could do with a beefed up chorus to deliver the blow akin to their early single ‘To Lose My Life’.

The better songs on the record come when the band fully embrace their 80s influences, with ‘Hold Back Your Love’ peppered with rolling synths whilst ‘Swing’ feels like early OMD with the hook of “you ring I’m running home” literally running round your head. ‘Is My Love Enough?’ proves another highlight with its electronic element at the forefront whilst ‘Summer Didn’t Change A Thing’ is the closest the album comes to the band’s first album but ultimately falls flat.

Ultimately, the album sounds like a band running out of steam. It lacks cohesion and feels like a compilation of songs rather than a record – indeed it also lacks the indie anthems the band are known for. Josh Williams