White Lies - Ritual

Mon 7th Feb, 2011 in Music Reviews

Following on from a 2009 debut record, White Lies second release Ritual isn’t faring well with the fans or the critics, garnering average reviews and criticism towards the English alt. rock group.

When opening track Is Love kicks off, it truly lacks a real wow factor with lyrics and vocals, but instrumentally it is kind of interesting, with attention grabbing synth beats. Strangers steps up in all areas concerned, being about unemotional, physical contact. It’s one of those slow build ups, but with some incredibly catchy choruses. Harry McVeigh spends a lot of time channeling Paul Banks of Interpol as though the future of his singing career depends on it. Not surprisingly, lead single Bigger Than Us is the sure fire highlight, being something for a anthem song but the semi-ambience dully enters the listening space with Peace and Quiet, a blatantly obvious filler track.

For an album that deals with daily rituals and rites of passage, it ironically feels like the album itself is a whole new way of life for White Lies. Holy Ghost comes through as being very literal in the observation of religious ways, a distinct difference from the sexual undertones found within Strangers. That’s where Ritual is one of a kind, allowing for different interpretations of a record and it’s influences and meanings.

The band question the themes of Ritual, asking whether it’s a way of killing time or finding purpose? I just can’t help but juxtapose these themes with the band themselves. After multiple listens, I feel as though they were somewhat lost in the production process as they looked for purpose and meaning behind the influences. Elements work, others falter and hinder the flow. As the album closes, McVeigh’s vocals become haunting, resonating as a reflection in the final track, Come Down, an unsure bow for Ritual.

For a record that was written in five weeks, and recorded in six, it evidently shows, and not in White Lies favour. But that’s not to say Ritual is a bad release, it’s merely an album that with some more studio time, could have had a few better-planned layers of intricate depth added within the overall sound of the record.