By Sylvia Koh

Listening to White Lies’ sophomore album Ritual evokes an image of a group of immaculately dressed, skinny white British boys, hunching over their keyboards and guitars, faces cast downward, bodies swaying awkwardly.

Ritual has the sound of 80’s darkwave, synth-pop, and post-punk genres all rolled into one, meshed with dark tales of love and drugs. They even enlisted the help of renowned 80’s producer Alan Moulder, who has worked with the likes of Depeche Mode and The Killers — both bands White Lies have been compared to.

Except, unlike these aforementioned bands, the music of White Lies seems to lack something integral to every good rock ‘n roll band: Heart.

Unlike their debut album How to Lose My Life, which landed them a win in the 2009 BRIT Critics’ Choice Awards, Ritual is themed around romance instead of the former’s violence and death.

They’ve traded in that optimistic, youthful spirit for depth-less melancholy.

Harry Mcveigh’s one-key voice intoning lyrics like “bloodshot as a baby and sulking like a valley” renders the tracks, already laden with uninspired instrumentation, into bland mediocre pieces.

Still, there are some tracks worth listening to.

“Streetlights” has a pounding beat overlaid with danceable harmonics. “Bigger Than Us”, the album’s lead single, is instantly listenable without being overly catchy or overdone — in other words, it succeeds in being both radio-friendly and “indie”.

But even by itself, the track’s in danger of being cast into the ‘forgotten’ bin. McVeigh sings with grandeur the lyrics,

I don’t want you to hold me, I don’t want you to pray. This is bigger than us.

The rising vocals are meant to inspire a racing euphoria, yet it never quite hits the right notes, drawing only a distracted hum out of the listener.

If their debut album sparked comparisons with the likes of The Killers, Interpol, and iconic U.K. band Joy Division, Ritual will effectively dispel those comparisons — for good or bad.

Artiste: White Lies
Album: Ritual
Rating: ★✩✩✩✩

Language: English
Genre: Pop
Record Label: Fiction Records
Release Date: 17 Jan 2011

Track list:

1. Is Love
2. Strangers
3. Bigger Than Us
4. Peace & Quiet
5. Streetlights
6. Holy Ghost
7. Turn the Bells
8. The Power & the Glory
9. Bad Love
10. Come Down