It used to be that young hopefuls would copy old bluesmen to confer some secondhand authenticity and depth upon theirefforts. This strikingly handsome London trio applies a similarly studious sense of imitation to sad post-punk icons like Joy Division by way of the Killers. Their debut begins with a rousing arena-rock anthem called “Death” and then delivers detached variations on the same subject for the next nine tracks with a professionalism that’s simultaneously compelling and creepy. Should “Death” be this catchy? Maybe so, but certainly not this impersonal.
Listen: White Lies, “To Lose My Life”
