Weather Afternoon: 14°c Light showers Tonight: 9°c Light showers

Critics' Choice

Film

Andrew O'Hagan

quoteNew Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of itquote

Andrew O'Hagan The Twilight Saga: New Moon Theatre

Henry Hitchings

quoteA smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusionquote

Henry Hitchings Cock Restaurants

David Sexton

quoteKitchen W8 is a bargain for this area, if such sophistication is what you crave quote

David Sexton Kitchen W8

Reader reviews

Film

Adam, Harrow

quoteToo long and drawn out but very entertaining with excellent special effectsquote

2012 Theatre

Rob, London

quoteThis is a peculiar play and does not work for me. Some of it is very funny but there are real flawsquote

The Habit Of Art Music

Bernard, London

quoteAlex has a strong powerful voice and was faultless, she is far better now than she was on the X-Factorquote

Alexandra Burke

Music reviews London,

White Lies

Your rating
one startwo starthree starfour starfive star
Click on a star to rate
ICA
The Mall, SW1Y 5AH

Evening Standard rating David Smyth's rating
Evening Standard rating Reader rating
 Add your review

Description: The London-based trio play dark, anthemic indie-rock.


Phone: 0207930 3647
Website: www.ica.org.uk

Trains: Tube/BR: Charing Cross Overground network

Extra info: Pub, Party Hire, Food

 
Please wait the page is loading extra content
  • Show details
  • Hide details
  • Show map
Close X

Directions

 

Bright future for White Lies

By David Smyth, Evening Standard  08.10.08
 
White Lies

Dark lyrics: White Lies

Other reviews

Look here too

New bands are aware of the dangerously high chances of following up a successful first album with a resounding flop but in these fast-moving times they can be damaged long before that. It’s only October and White Lies have already been crowned the biggest band of 2009. The same happened to Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong a year ago, and they vanished without even releasing an album.

Hopefully this west London trio are made of sterner stuff. As they aired tracks from their January 2009 album at this small headlining show, it was immediately obvious that these are songs that will sound best in arenas.

With Jack Brown’s rapid, metronomic snares, washes of synth and Harry McVeigh’s resounding guitar chords and portentous, neck-straining vocals, theirs was a big Eighties sound that recalled the widescreen moments of Echo And The Bunnymen and Tears For Fears. Similar-sounding contemporaries include The Killers and Editors, who comfortably fill major venues.

Lyrics were black as their matching shirts. Raindrops, storms and blood all appeared in songs in which bad things invariably happened. Their final number, their epic and tremendously catchy current single, avoided subtlety by being called Death.

It is questionable how much they mean it. Their previous incarnation, the almost successful Fear Of Flying, sounded totally different and for all their glowering, they still seemed jolly nice chaps who might have careers as MPs in 20 years’ time. Will people truly fall in love with White Lies?

More


Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.

 

Other reviews

[ 1 ] [ 2 ]

Reader reviews (0)

 Add your review

No comments have so far been submitted.


Add your comment

 

Your email address will not be published

Terms and conditions make text area bigger You have  characters left.


 
 


 
 
London's Weather
Afternoon
Light showers
14°c
Tonight
Light showers
9°c
5 day forecast
 
 

Daily Mail Mail on Sunday Travel Mail This is Money Metro

Loot | Jobsite | Homes & property | London jobs | FindaProperty.com | Primelocation.com | Educate London | Holiday Villas