London post-punk band White Lies head to Newcastle this month so Lee Allcock caught up with drummer Jack Brown to discuss musical direction, lyrics, and Europe.
One of the prominent features of your last release, ‘Friends’, was the synth and electronic elements. Can we expect more of the same from the new album? Or how have you expanded your sound?
We have definitely expanded our sound but all White Lies albums are heavily indebted to days spent in studios full of expensive synths so that element also remains – we have just taken it in new directions for certain songs. There are elements of genres like prog, heavy rock and psych rock across this album as well as the pop music and production styles of the 80’s that we still love so much.
Something the band has been credited for throughout your career is the lyrical content. That being said, what’s one of your favourite lyrics from ‘Five’?
There is a fantastic lyric in the song ‘Fire and Wings’ which is easily the heaviest song we have ever done. It is the final song on the record and the final lyric of it is: “All the bravest boys, waiting for the world to end” – a nice if slightly pessimistic way to close an album. But hey, we have standards to maintain.
You’re playing Boiler Shop in Newcastle on Monday 4th February. You’ve played in the North East a few times throughout your career, so have there been any highlights from your shows in the city?
I’m genuinely super excited for this show! It is one of the most welcoming cities in the world, I think, and whenever we have played there people have really given it their all as well. A Newcastle tour highlight for me it has to be the time we played at St. James’ Park with Kings of Leon; I’m a huge football fan and it was an absolute privilege to be on stage in such an iconic ground.
And finally, you’ll be heading all across Europe on this tour so where are you most looking forward to playing and why?
When you’re playing that many shows, honestly, sometimes it’s the things around the gig themselves that get you most excited. So we will be playing at Vega in Copenhagen which is already long since sold out. That venue is also a dream: they have some unbelievable chef catering the place who makes you breakfast, lunch and dinner at a level that I would pay very good money for. And Boiler Shop is actually one of the only venues on this tour we have never played so I am buzzing to see that too! I’m assuming there is a Michelin star chef catering for the day…
White Lies head to Boiler Shop, Newcastle on Monday 4th February. Tickets, priced at £27.50 (including booking fee), are available from seetickets.com.
