The Last Dinner Party is an English rock band that has quickly ascended from obscurity to relative fame. After releasing only two songs, they were already touring with big stars such as Hozier, and have only gained more attention in the leadup to the release of their debut album, “Prelude To Ecstasy.”
As is bound to happen, their rapid acceleration into the spotlight has brought upon them accusations of being industry plants (an opinion which I suspect is due to them being an all-female group, but I digress). However, I find that it matters little how much industry backing an artist or band has, so long as the music holds up. So, how does “Prelude To Ecstasy” stand on its own as an album?
What I think The Last Dinner Party excels at is taking familiar sounds and genres and performing them exceptionally well. Many artists, especially in the mainstream, have been delving into previous decades for inspiration, The Weeknd and Dua Lipa being some of the more notable examples of this phenomenon. However, there are lots of other artists or bands that try this without putting any personality into it, which has led to some of the more obnoxious songs ever written topping the charts. The flaccid synthpop track “Stay” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, or “I’m Good (Blue)” by David Guetta and Bebe Rhexa, are two of many songs to snag popularity by coasting on an interpolation or aesthetic of an older, better song.
The Last Dinner Party, in contrast, manages to incorporate clear influences from older sounds and artists while making genuinely great rock music. From powerful vocals reminiscent of Florence Welch (of Florence + the Machine fame) to groovy basslines and guitar solos that could fit on an older glam rock album, the LP is consistently well-performed and produced.
The band also discusses gender dynamics and relationships from a feminine perspective in “Prelude,” making the lyrics feel more meaningful and interesting Two examples of this are the songs “The Feminine Urge” and “Beautiful Boy,” which discuss femininity and masculinity, respectively, while critiquing stiff gender roles.
Many of these songs also have great orchestral backing, with soaring strings and bright horns that make the album feel like a grand event. This matches the aesthetic of the album cover, which has an old, regal feel to it. It lives up to featured tracks like “Caesar On A TV Screen,” which evokes a certain grandiosity.
The album starts strong, with the tracks “Burn Alive” and “On Your Side” both sporting memorable choruses. The second half of the album demonstrates some of the band’s best work, though. The undeniable groove of “Sinner” is a highlight, and the band’s debut single “Nothing Matters,” definitely stands out as the best song on “Prelude.” It’s a consistent album, with only a few songs that feel a bit underdeveloped or padded out.
My only other complaint, aside from these aforementioned “weaker” tracks, is that the band is still finding their sound. While their influences are incorporated tastefully, they are still very clearly a product of many other artists. While the music itself is great, I think the band would benefit from developing into their own a bit more.
This is a great debut album from The Last Dinner Party, and I truly think it’s an album that anyone can enjoy. I look forward to hearing more from them, and I hope they can top this already ambitious debut.
For Fans Of: Florence + The Machine, boygenius, ABBA
Overall Rating: 8/10
