Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
|
Product Description
Review
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.
--Ian Wade
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
CD Description
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
'Ritual' is a bit samey, without the variety of 'To Lose My life'. It's ok to settle on a style, but I think the boys have gone too far with this.
But there are some good tracks, which the more I hear the more I like. 'In love' is good, not so sure about 'bigger than us', and 'turn the bells' is the one that sticks in my head out of all of them. 'Power & glory' would be brilliant if it wasn't for that annoying little squeak through the first half - what's all that about, totally ruins it.
I usually listen to music in the car, but this is one that does deserve an at-home listen, as some of the musical details get lost in the road noise.
Hoping the next album will rediscover some of the freshness. Please guys.
When I first heard it I must say I was a little bit disappointed. Read more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
