"Five" - White Lies: A Brief Review

White Lies initially appeared in a crop of late '00s bands that made a brief fuss for a while and then slowly disappeared. But unlike a lot of those bands - and unlike other more forgettable post-punk acts (The Cinematics, anyone?) White Lies has managed to stand the test of time with finesse.

Celebrating approximately a decade together as a band, White Lies released the aptly named "Five" this Friday.

Although White Lies have gone off in slightly different directions since 2009's "To Lose My Life" and even 2011's similar-feeling "Ritual," "Five" does feel like their most accomplished work to death. The instrumentals feel more polished; Harry McVeigh's signature voice somehow more mature.

For me, the strongest track is indeed the opener - "Time to Give." While "Time to Give" has the distinctive touch of White Lies, it approaches more arena rock territory, too. Like, it's not out of the question to see a slight nod to Muse or Arcade Fire throughout this album.

White Lies may have outlasted many of their peers - and they may have never reached the level of popularity enjoyed by other similarly talented bands, but "Five" shows a strong step in their musical evolution.

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