White Lies

I've been wanting to get my hands on the debut album from West London band White Lies, entitled To Lose my Life..., for quite some time now, but as with anything I don't get my hands on right away, I tend to forget about them, only to rediscover them later. Anyway, I finally snagged a copy, and it is phenomenal. I remember how the band quickly became a critic's darling, hailed as one of those post-punk bands that made it okay for the indie hipsters to dance to, which is partially correct. While the band certainly seems to be greatly influenced by Joy Division (although the band claims they're not big Joy Division fans), and while they seem to fit right at home with contemporary gloomy peers Interpol and Editors, they also fit quite nicely in with the likes of Kings of Leon (whom they have supported in the past), relative newcomers Glasvegas, and even the likes of Snow Patrol (who they have also supported) and Coldplay. While White Lies, at the very surface seem to be gloom obsessed alt rockers fond of their effects pedals (some of their song titles will back up this idea), repeated listens and a familiarity with the lyrics and subject matter of each song will subtly reveal that this band is, in fact, uplifting. The boys of White Lies are not lamenting missed opportunities or dwelling on past regrets, they are, instead, calling for some action, and believe me when I say that these guys get off their asses and just plain rock.

mp3s:
White Lies - To Lose My Life
White Lies - Unfinished Business

Catpeople

I stumbled upon the band Catpeople only a few days ago, and despite their absolutely horrific name (which may or may not be inpsired by the David Bowie song of the same name that was in turn inspired by the 1982 film, which was in turn a remake of a 1942 film of the same name), they're actually pretty good. The band is from Spain, so what little information there is on these guys, it's all in Spanish, and despite what my job application says, I am less than proficient at Spanish and frankly I'm too lazy to have Firefox translate it for me. Band biography or not, what it comes down to is that these guys craft some damn fine post-punk songs that I have been enjoying very much, with driving bass lines and catchy, emotive hooks. Upon first listen, one's minds eye will immediately conjour up images of Joy Division, or Interpol, and while yes they do sound similar to a lot of the post-punk bands that are out there right now, one can't deny their melodic songwriting capabilities. Check out the videos below (sorry no mp3s!)