Review Summary: it’s not the way a man like me behaves, it’s not the way the world would have me play my cards
White Lies have always struck me as an underrated band. To many, they perhaps lie in the realm of late-2000s nostalgia with their post-punk debut, To Lose My Life (2009). Sophomore efforts are important, especially in the world of music, and it’d be all too easy to accuse the polarising reception of their follow-up record, Ritual (2011), to be the primary culprit of their modest obscurity. Which is a crying shame, considering how their subsequent records since Ritual have leapt from strength to strength, fusing together a perfect amalgamation of post-punk, synth-pop and indie rock that White Lies absolutely excel at. Their sixth full-length effort, 2022’s As I Try Not To Fall Apart, might just be their finest offering to date.
Above any other White Lies record, there is a distinct focus on storytelling within the record’s lyricism, emphasised most of all with the first two tracks. As I Try Not To Fall Apart kicks things into gear with a terrific one-two punch. White Lies have a solid track record when it comes to opening tracks (think ‘Death’, ‘Big TV’ and ‘Take It Out On Me’) and ‘Am I Really Going To Die’ is no exception. It chronicles the recent diagnosis of a family member’s undisclosed illness, delivered via that distinctive synth-pop flavour that the band has refined throughout the course of their work. It sets the stage for a much more personal affair and the storytelling switches, quite frequently, between narrators. Things morph into a more introspective gear with the title track; a brilliant song that grapples with the inner turmoil of how to function when everything appears too dire. It’s summed up rather well with what I believe to be the record's defining lyric; ‘it’s not the way a man like me behaves, it’s not the way the world would have me play my cards, and why does every fibre shake as I try not to fall apart?’ It’s a great examination of how men’s mental health is viewed in the modern world, for we’re perceived to be beacons of strength at all times without room for even the slightest show of weakness. Even the narrator appears disappointed in himself for buckling under the turmoil of something tragic looming over the horizon, but once again, it’s delivered through a catchy, upbeat structure so as to not feel too bleak, and wherein lies one of the strengths the album's major strengths, for although it sounds easy on the ears, there is valuable substance to be found here. Fortunately, the record never loses its momentum either.
A monumental highlight of the record (and their discography in general) is ‘Roll December’. Beginning with a great bass line amidst melancholic keyboard work, the track gradually builds towards a frantic guitar riff that explodes into an energetic finale of post-punk finesse. The sombre narrative of As I Try Not To Fall Apart concludes with what I would call the band’s finest album closer to date, ‘There Is No Cure For It’. It’s a sombre closing number that sees the aforementioned undisclosed illness solidify itself as something unbeatable. Once again, the lyrical storytelling is strong and brings the album full circle, the subject matter echoing one of the record’s earliest lyrics; ‘looking for cure’s that aren’t invented yet’. Death and mortality permeate throughout the record as they once did throughout their 2009 debut. In a way, As I Try Not To Fall Apart feels like a natural continuation of To Lose My Life…, but this sixth record approaches the subject matter with a more mature lens, exchanging youthful melodrama for sincere introspection, and the end result is something truly fantastic. Though they remain an underrated force, White Lies have never sounded stronger.
