Album Review: The Pale White – 'Infinite Pleasure'
Newcastle indie rock trio The Pale White have garnered a loyal fanbase thanks to their raucous live shows and roaring stage presence. Now, they come good on their promise of exciting new material as they share their long-awaited debut album ‘Infinite Pleasure’.
Fans have been patiently waiting to finally get their hands on this debut LP, but ‘Infinite Pleasure’ was more than worth the wait. Old favourites like the re-recorded ‘That Dress’ or mosh-pit anthem ‘Medicine’ are joined by a handful of new material that sees The Pale White elevate their signature sound of prowling riffs and stormy rhythms. "We’ve been talking about our debut album for a long time and now it’s actually happening. It feels surreal,” the band say about the record. “‘Infinite Pleasure’ is the concept that as humans, we’re constantly chasing that ‘something’ throughout our lives. Sometimes the journey can be the most fun without realising. We’re definitely reflecting on everything we’ve done so far and feeling incredibly proud about it as we take the leap into a new chapter of The Pale White.”
This new chapter makes a first appearance on ‘Anechoic Chamber Blues’ that introduces a completely unexpected side to their gritty sound. Slow-moving and sombre, the track feels almost haunting as unusually soft vocals brush against a melancholy-soaked backdrop and give the record some breathing-space. Similarly, closing number ‘Frank Sinatra’ may sound like a tender acoustic ballad but is packed with scathing political commentary (“Brexit for breakfast, we eat what they tell us to bring order to the chaos”) that showcases the band’s knack for clever yet poignant songwriting.
It would have been easy for The Pale White to rest on the successes of the past. They would have effortlessly hit the mark with an album consisting solely of their usual melodic choruses and thundering drums, but ‘Infinite Pleasure’ is a debut born out of a tangible ambition to be more than its indie rock label. Unafraid to push boundaries and unfazed by industry pressures, here is a band with the potential to be timeless. Not only a spectacular live act but a beast in the studio, The Pale White have everything it takes to keep stealing the show.
Words by Laura Freyaldenhoven