White Lies

swiftmaker20 said:To you?

Not to you. 😁

Mark, I honestly think they’re one of a kind. To my mind, they haven't hit that stage where they just start recycling old tropes and running out of steam—which, let's face it, happens to almost every band once they've been around the block a few times. They still feel fresh. 😁

I'm not entirely sure how accurate that Hendrix comparison really is, since we're talking about a whole spectrum of different qualities here. Your example only touches on one specific thing. 😛 (I'm being literal, so yes 😳)

I’ve been spinning the new Ljudotinje record on loop all day, just soaking it all in... what are we thinking, people? Is it hitting for you too?

Hmm... I’m really not one to pass judgment on an album until I’ve given it a few solid spins. That’s actually what I usually tell those self-important critics who love to trash a band or an album without even bothering to learn the group's name. Anyway, for now, it’s looking pretty decent.
It reminds me quite a bit of In the Light and on this Evening by Editors. You should definitely give it a listen first, then we can talk.
I have a nagging feeling it might not quite top their debut, but honestly, it’s a solid listen and feels like a breath of fresh air in my musical bubble.😁
Once I’ve had enough time to really dissect every single track, I’ll share more thoughts... but so far, Strangers is the standout for me. And let’s not even get started on Bigger Than US—that one’s been stuck in my head for ages, so I’m trying to focus my attention on the rest of the record right now.
Alright, what do you guys think?🙂

I’m digging it so far, though I wouldn't say I'm really "listening" to it yet—more like just letting it wash over me, if that makes sense? Not sure how much else to say, honestly. It doesn't feel quite as heavy or punchy as that first one, but those are just my initial vibes, you know? I probably need to sit with it for a few weeks before I can give a real verdict... or maybe even a few years, lol

Which concert are we even talking about here? 😁

It’s definitely worth a listen. 😬

As of right now, my top picks have to be Streetlights (that one track from their set really stuck in my head, though I have to admit the studio version feels a bit off to me now 😳), Holy Ghost 🙏, and Strangers (mostly because I’ve already played Bigger Than US on repeat more times than I care to admit).

It might not quite top the first one, but hey, we shall see. 😛

Eh, honestly, I don’t really have anything profound to contribute here. 🤷 The album is decent enough 👍, sure, but it doesn't quite top the debut, and as for whether it actually holds up over time or just fades into nothingness, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. 🤔

The new album is absolute garbage

You really hit the nail on the head with those points. 🙏

For me, the biggest sticking point is just how loud everything feels lately. 😕
The direction has shifted so heavily toward electronic textures—it’s almost veering into pure synthpop territory. I suppose there's a silver lining in that, since they aren't just pigeonholing themselves into one specific sound, but I can't help feeling like that raw essence from their debut album is missing.

As for the lyrics, they definitely feel like the weakest link here.

Initially, those last three tracks didn't really resonate with me at all. But after sitting with the record in a quiet, dark room for a bit, I actually started to appreciate them—especially Let It Be. 😍

That said, the first album still holds the crown for me. 😳

I had an absolute blast at the concert 👍
honestly, I spent half the night gasping for air like a fish out of water 😵

as for the new album—it’s alright, I guess, but something about it just isn't sitting right with me... hmm

brightridge59 said:You really laid out a solid case there. 🙏

What is there even to argue? The fact remains they couldn't manage to write a single catchy tune, let alone something actually high-quality. The lyrics are absolute bottom-of-the-barrel trash; it feels like reading some middle-schooler's diary. At least the debut album had some actual hooks, but halfway through this one, I was ready to rip my ears off. To top it all off, every single track drags on for five damn minutes. Bravo. LOL

Well, there you have it, proof that it can be done.😁

I’ll admit the songwriting feels a bit thinner compared to their debut, though there are definitely some standout moments scattered throughout—it isn't all bad.
Let It Be, Bad Romance, Larger Than Life, Streetlights, and Strangers all feature pretty solid lyrics.

As for the track lengths, if you take a look at how long the songs were on that first record, you'll see the timing is actually quite similar. 😁

What really grinds my gears is the heavy-handed religious imagery used in the lyrics, certain song arrangements, and the inconsistent volume levels; some tracks are just drowning in noise and feel way too loud compared to others. Honestly, I think it's more of a production failure. In my opinion, Steve Albini would have handled this much better, as these songs actually sound far superior when they play them live.

That said, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a disaster, because it really isn't. 🤷

brightridge59 I can't even begin to tell you how much I disagree with what Charles Hill2 just put out there. Honestly, it’s like watching someone try to assemble an IKEA bookshelf without the instructions while insisting they actually invented the concept of furniture. You’re missing the entire point, man. It’s not about the surface-level stuff you're obsessing over; it’s about the soul of the thing. It’s like when people talk about classic rock and act like it's just loud guitars, completely ignoring the way a track like "Bad Romance" captures that specific, messy tension—it’s the feeling, not just the noise. We've been over this. If you actually listened to the production on those older records, maybe you'd see that the layers aren't just clutter, they're the whole damn architecture. Anyway, I’m probably just rambling now, but it’s frustrating to see such a fundamental misunderstanding of the genre being presented as gospel.
The lyrics? Yeah, honestly, that’s where they really trip up. If you ask me, the songwriting is definitely the weakest link in the whole operation.

Man, I really miss those dark, twisted lyrics from that first album. There was just something about that mood that hit different. 😢

Honestly, those last three tracks didn't click with me at all when I first heard them—I was just totally missing the vibe. But then I finally sat down, turned off all the lights, and gave them a proper listen in the dark, and man, they are actually incredible. Especially Let It Be; that one really hit different once I stopped overthinking it. 😍

Well, honestly, I can’t say I’m even remotely surprised. This was basically written in the stars at this point. 😁 I swear, that electronic intro on Let It Be is driving me absolutely up the wall right now. 😲

Charles Hill2 said:Every single one of these tracks drags on for five damn minutes... seriously, bravo. LOL.

Look, I’m totally lost here. I get it, not everyone has the stamina or the vision to churn out ten or twelve-minute epics every single time they hit the studio, but come on—can we at least put in a little effort? If you can drag a track out to at least seven minutes, that would be a start. Five minutes just feels way too short; it’s like a snack when you were expecting a full meal. 😁

feraltrucker5 said:Yeah, those morbid lyrics from the debut album really hit differently. 😢

True, none of them actually kick things off with some guy at a funeral. 🤣

Oh, I saw this coming. Personally, 😁 Let It Be just grates on my nerves with that electronic intro. 😲

It wasn't really predictable for me, though; I think I just got too caught up listening to Holy Ghost and Streetlights during my first spin. 😁

Eventually, I realized this one is actually quite lovely too. 😳

Yeah, totally subpar. I get that not everyone can pull off tracks that stretch to ten or twelve minutes, but they could at least put in enough effort to make it through seven. Five minutes just feels a bit thin. 😁

That’s a fair point, though he was comparing both albums, and honestly, the long tracks seem to be a recurring theme in both.

To me, the tracks "Strangers" and "Streetlights" feel like they were built from the exact same blueprint, if you know what I mean. It’s this repetitive cycle where I’m singing a bit, then it hits the keyboards, then back to vocals, then more keys, then we land on a chorus that feels pretty much identical to the rest... just rinse and repeat. :/ That being said, "Strangers" is probably my favorite track on the album so far.

taxidermy 😍

I honestly don't have much of substance to contribute right now; I'm mostly just posting to keep the thread alive. 😢

Oh, that reminds me—I’d absolutely love to catch one more concert before the season ends. 😳

Taylor Reed64 said:🤦
What I’m trying to say is—it really bugs me when people try to compare anyone to Joy Division. They’re one of a kind, you know? You can't just replicate that vibe. Comparing every single band that happens to have slightly moody lyrics to them is just pointless. There, I said it.

The Killers have zero connection to Joy Division. I don't see any similarities at all. If anything, they're much closer to Editors.

Don't get me wrong, I love them! They're awesome. I'm a huge fan of those heavy, dark lyrics paired with such euphoric music. It’s like they take the grim parts of life and make them look romantic. Plus, I love how they tease their album releases.
http://youtu.be/4EssYCB_9jM
http://youtu.be/GGEjz12YLiM

New track just dropped! It’s honestly great. 😍

The full album hits shelves on August 12th. 👋

Anyone actually hitting up the show at the local arena, or am I just flying solo here? It’s wild—every single person I bring them up to has zero clue who they are... Either everyone's too young or they just haven't broken through the mainstream here yet, I guess.

I've had their latest album on heavy rotation for weeks now, but honestly, I've been following them since way back in 2009 when I first heard "Death"—man, that track was everything. I didn't dive deep after that—maybe caught a song from the ritual album here and there—until Big TV dropped, which totally hooked me. Still think it's their absolute best studio work to this day.

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