White Lies

A dark-edged trio hailing from London, White Lies take sonic cues from the likes of Joy Division, the Teardrop Explodes, and Echo & the Bunnymen. Indeed, the three musicians are so committed to the U.K.'s post-punk scene that they signed with Fiction Records, a Polydor imprint best known for its '80s releases by the Cure and the Associates. While attending school in West London, singer/guitarist Harry McVeigh, bassist/lyricist Charles Cave, and drummer/keyboardist Jack Lawrence Brown formed the group in 2004 under the name Fear of Flying. After releasing two neo-Brit-pop singles on the Young and Lost Club label in 2006 ("Routemaster" (produced by Brit-pop mainstay Stephen Street) and "Three's a Crowd"), the trio changed musical directions, adopted a new name, adapted a more somber group persona, and began creating doomy material like the funereal murder ballad "Unfinished Business" and the self-explanatory "Death." Following the release of the Nick Cave-like "Unfinished Business" in April 2008, the trio made its television debut on Later with Jools Holland and began recording a debut album with producers Ed Buller and Max Dingel. "Death" was released as a single in September 2008, coinciding with the trio's first headlining tour of the U.K. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide