White Lies

[Denise]

True, it doesn't mean it sucks, it just means it's not a critical success, and that's what fans need to realise.

You're absolutely right, but that's why I couldn't care less about critics review, I like the music I like not what critics wants me to like because they think it's "innovative" (an adjective rather abused in music imho), their judgment is as right as mine, we just base it on different aspects and most probably listen to the music with different ears and expectations :)

[iPsy]

I never read a review before I listen to the album myself, If I can help it. You should be able to make your own opinion of something, not have someone swerve your opinion. You might have seen a terrible review and then you don't listen to it...but if you did listen to it, you might of loved it! I stay to steer clear of reviews first, but find them interesting for someone elses opinion of the album AFTER I have listened to it.

[Keddie]

I finished it. Still not thrilled. But it wasn't bad.

[iPsy]

^ I feel the same. Not thrilled but not bad on first listen.

[The Final Track]

Not quite. I like to allot these albums into certain categories:

 

Firstly you have an album that does really well on its debut, and then improves, widens and/or changes their sound to create another critically successful and good album. Examples would be Funeral to Neon Bible, or more recently, Vampire Weekend to Contra.

 

Secondly you have an album that does really well on its debut, and then completely changes their sound to something that was quite unlike what they started with, overwelming critics and is usually cast off as a terrible album. Example would be Oracular Spectacular to Congratulations.

 

Thirdly you have an album that does well, or average on its debut and then fails to make a noticeable change or improvement in sound, themes, etc and is classed as *debut album* 2.0. In this category you would find To Lose My Life to Ritual and How to Save A Life to The Fray.

 

There is also a fourth category where a well known artist or one that has been creating average quality music releases a breakthrough that reaches critical acclaim. These are the albums that usually top the end of year lists but music critcs, recent example including My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Teen Dream.

 

I was thinking more like being cast aside despite being a good album, but yeah

[The Escapist]

^hahaha, so we have different interpretations, but ultimately its the same conclusion.

[The Final Track]

Haha, yeah :lol:

[Violet]

I left my computer on overnight so I could download the leak, and it was successful. "Ritual" is my first album of 2011. :awesome:

 

I've only listened to it once so far. I thought the second half of the album was a lot better than the first. I became kinda irritated with "Is Love" when it started with the whole "WOKKA WOKKA WOKKA" thing and kept doing it for that whole bit of the song. I felt like the first half lacked the power that I expected it to have based on what I know White Lies sounds like on "To Lose My Life." From "Holy Ghost" onward, though, I thought it sounded like the White Lies I know and love, and because of that, I enjoyed it a lot more.

 

On initial assessment, I like it. I'm not in love with it at the moment, but I like it. I'll reserve permanent judgment for when I give it a substantial amount of additional listens.

[Vanzel]

My first album of 2011 too.After 4 times of listening to it ,I think that is really nice follow up.It is definately a grower.

[Violet]

Yeah, I'm thinking it might be. It probably will sound better through headphones, too.

[Violet]

OK, so here's the conclusion I came to:

 

1. I was right in saying it sounds a lot better through headphones.

2. Vanzel was right in saying it's a grower.

3. I still like the second half of the album better.

4. The first half isn't nearly as subpar as I initially thought.

5. I'll probably get caught up in this album more than I thought I might.

 

:awesome:

[nouratan]

Ritual, this west London trio’s second album following 2009’s chart-topping debut To Lose My Life, carries on much in the same vein of windswept angst set against the serious-face black-and-white press shots.

 

Broadening their musical palette with electronic touches and nods to Peter Hook’s bass style, Ritual’s references orbit very firmly around a lot of music made pre-1985 – lead singer Harry McVeigh has moved on from the early Ian Curtis intoning, and now has a touch of the Julian Cope about his voice – and is in thrall to the mid-00 new-wavery that the likes of Editors have made their own. It also encourages parallels with early U2, back when Bono considered Echo & The Bunnymen their main threat and before the pomposity that followed their big breakthrough. Produced by Alan Moulder, who has form with the likes of Depeche Mode, Ride, Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine, it’s a step on from the sixth-form Joy Division-isms of their debut.

 

Highlights include opener Is Love, setting the stall out for the whole album by introducing interesting electronic elements. Strangers has a big chorus that could induce a wave of nu-goth arm-waving while soundtracking goals of the week montages, likewise first single Bigger Than Us. The Power & the Glory toys with MBV-style strafing feedback over Human League-lite touches, which is likely to invigorate the tents during the festival season, and closer Come Down channels The Killers doing Kilimanjaro (quite a good thing, actually).

 

Despite being disabled with rotten cover art, Ritual is a sturdy affair, and one that should continue White Lies’ steady ascent towards something serious and important. Their big issues sound perfect for a manky January, but a bit of light relief wouldn’t go amiss among the semi-overblown soundtrack to self-harming and painting-your-bedroom-black that is too often implied. But hey, it’s worked well for others – and you never know, they (and we) may wake up in a few years and find that they’ve become colossal in the States.

 

link

 

i so agree with this review

and i love the baseline in is love

 

maybe i like the album coz i don't really listen to the lyrics when im listening to an album for first few times:shrug:

[Imke]

I haven't listened to the new album yet, but I just bought a ticket to see them in February! :dance:

[Arantza]

I found Tommy's tweets about Bruno Mars really cute and funny :blush:

 

Ritual is good. It's not the greqtest thing ever but it's not bad either. It is still growing on me.

[Hysteria]

My copy arrived this morning so I spent my time listening to it while walking to school. I like it, I think it's a good follow up. Bigger Than Us remains one of my favourites along with Holy Ghost and Strangers. :wacko:

 

Can't wait to see them in February. :D

[Denise]

I found Tommy's tweets about Bruno Mars really cute and funny :blush:

Yes, a great way to start my first day back at work :laugh3:

[Cyan Kat]

I have yet to listen to Ritual :escaping:

[Violet]

maybe i like the album coz i don't really listen to the lyrics when im listening to an album for first few times:shrug:

 

Actually, the lyrics was the first thing I took good notice of in "Holy Ghost." I think it had to do with how sexually driven they are in that song.

[lndnsky]

Well I like the album! I listened to it only twice but for now it really is good!

[Grace.]

Couldn't resist, downloading now.

Looking forward to giving it a listen!

[Violet]

^ Sounds good. Let us know what you think!

[The Escapist]

Ritual just received this scathing review from Pitchfork. Don't read if you don't want to.

 

 

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15009-ritual/

White Lies

Ritual

[Fiction; 2011]

 

2.5

Find it at: Insound | eMusic | Amazon MP3 & CD

 

It's kind of funny that this London band used to be called Fear of Flying, inasmuch as it's possible to find anything funny about White Lies. Fuck merely flying-- these guys want to soar, to be godlike observers proudly watching their music soundtrack the biggest moments of your life. One of the tracks here is called "The Power and the Glory", and it sounds exactly like you think it does, i.e., more needlessly grandiose than both Kanye songs combined. Problem is, for the second straight album, they do so with the same exact set of tools as every other band in this sphere. So critiquing Ritual threatens to be a process of listing obvious influences that's just as dull as actually listening to the thing.

 

I will say that lead singer Harry McVeigh might be just someone incapable of feeling shame rather than someone who has no idea what his own lyrics even mean. Cringe-inducing lines like, "You were crying on the shoulders of the men in the shadows/ Whoever taught you to sell your sex like that?" pop up with alarming regularity, but what makes this most confusing of all is its context in the sort of empathy-rock that's supposed to cue Pavlovian handholding and liplocking amongst concertgoers. Which is why I should tip my cap to Ritual highlight "Streetlights" which at least is such an obvious rip of "Cars" that you feel thankful they sound like someone other than White Lies for a few minutes.

 

Otherwise, you've lived through Glasvegas and such, so you should know the drill by now: guitars whoosh and whir to sound exactly like synthesizers while the actual synthesizer goo provides the empty calories required for nearly every track on Ritual to reach its completely arbitrary five-minute length. The constant hi-hats and thrumming bass are meant to imply some sense of urgent momentum, and the inevitable half-time chorus lets McVeigh over-sing even more. Take all these ingredients, mix them together, and voila-- instant UK buzzband. Hey, I don't make the rules.

 

I mean really, why White Lies? What vacuum did nature abhor that much? Maybe it's the one where the relatively smaller dimensions of the UK make it possible to believe that typical rock bands can become arena-filling gods from their first single. But in the past two decades, the search for the new Radiohead begat the search for the new Coldplay begat the search for the new Libertines begat the search for the new Franz Ferdinand, and now here we are hoping that someone can perhaps fill the gaping void that would occur if Editors decide to pack it up tomorrow.

 

— Ian Cohen, January 20, 2011

 

 

[rudy_o]

This is my response to Bryce's post as above. Don't read if you haven't read his spoiler yet. :P

 

 

 

2.5? That's awful. Anyway I don't really take Pitchfork's review into account. They had written horrendous-sounding reviews for a number of my favorite 2010 albums, so it doesn't really matter to me.

 

 

[The Final Track]

:sick: Ouch, but I expected as much

[Violet]

OW. D: It's a particular "OW" because they dissed "The Power and the Glory," and that's my favorite song of the album (and at the moment.) Considering "Ritual" have been given 4-star reviews by 5 other different sources (one being "Q" magazine), I don't really think this review matters all that much.