A GENRE-BENDING MUSICAL OPERA | THE LAST DINNER PARTY RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM
ALBUM REVIEW | FROM THE PYRE – THE LAST DINNER PARTY By Keira Knox
The triumphant arrival of The Last Dinner Party revived the feminine urge to achieve success and glory in a field dominated by the male presence. A record that transcended the confines of whimsical indie sounds, the band’s debut album, titled ‘Prelude to Ecstasy,’ utterly turned the music industry on its head.
The Last Dinner Party carry that ethos in the same vein with their latest album ‘From the Pyre’, it’s a genre bending musical design made to defy the bounds of the industry. It is more accurate to say that the album is a progression and refinement of their craft, both sonically and lyrically, rather than a change in the creative direction that they have been taking.
Rising above the ever-increasing pressure of the industry this 10-track masterpiece is twisted with tension. An alt-rock theatrical display that’s carving its own pathway to be a modern mainstay. On the warped opener ‘Agnus Dei,’ TLDP creates a dark and foreboding atmosphere that exemplifies their fearless approach to experimentation. Instantly apparent is the new album’s “a little darker, more raw and more earthy” aura, which TLDP described as pervasive.
The album’s recurring themes of romantic disappointment and inadequacy are aptly captured by Abigail Morris’s piercingly emotive vocals. ‘Second Best’ and ‘Count The Ways’ do an excellent job, cinematically speaking, of capturing the emotional anguish. The tracks are haunted with a profound grief. TLDP reimagine narrative by fusing operatic elements with powerful guitar riffs that resonate with the listening audience.
‘From The Pyre’ centres on female-driven wrath in its lyrics, as lead song ‘This Is The Killer Speaking’ is a raucous hymn rife with misery and psychotic inner torture. With its dissonant harmony that sounds disturbed yet wonderfully connected, the haunting vocal melody of ‘Woman Is A Tree’ looms in to further establish the ominous soundscape.
In the little over a year since their debut was released, TLDP have made a name for themselves as industry mainstays. ‘From The Pyre’ is shaping up to be another classic album with its more refined and full-bodied sound. Truly, TLDP has far exceeded all expectations.
