Last February, British band The Last Dinner Party released their versatile debut album “Prelude to Ecstasy,” bouncing between pop and indie rock.
If the first record was the prelude, “From The Pyre” is the main event.
The band’s sophomore project solidifies them as a true-blue rock band, diving into blazing electric guitar passages and high-octane drum breaks. The sounds that layer behind those instruments vary from pianos to horns depending on the track.
The opener, “Agnus Dei,” is a perfect scene-setter for the record. The song methodically introduces us to the massive drums that will be present for the rest of the album, with guitar and piano passages bouncing off one another.
The first half of the album further expands the indie rock aesthetic. “Count The Ways” opens on a grinding guitar riff against slow, pounding drums. The track gives us transcendent vocals from lead singer Abigail Morris, who effortlessly shifts between rapid delivery and slow, dragging belts. “Second Best” features more brilliant singing, this time accented with multiple harmonies throughout the intro and bridge.
“From The Pyre” not only sees the band carve out a new sonic palette, but their musicianship has also been elevated.
“This is the Killer Speaking” and “Rifle” each feature mid-song tempo changes multiple times, and neither feels out of place. The former opens with guitar and bass riffs that sound like they could come off an Arctic Monkeys album before launching into an upbeat chorus.
On the other hand, “Rifle” is an operatic rock odyssey, starting with Morris singing over a subdued organ. The track takes its time building to the eventual release in each chorus, which is where the real show begins. The instruments explode and collapse across the measures, creating a constantly cathartic experience.
The back half of the album slows things down a bit. The rock elements don’t leave; they just become less overt. “Woman is a Tree” and “I Hold Your Anger” both feature atmospheric backing vocals that steal the show, while the slower tempo gives the acoustic guitar room to breathe.
“Sail Away” is the most muted track of the album. A dazzling piano ballad, the song sees Morris’s vocals prominently featured throughout its entire four minutes, before she’s supported by a full choir at the end of the track. Morris’s writing constructs a world without needing major support from instruments, detailing an adolescent heartbreak and how her nostalgia is impacted by that feeling. It’s a gorgeous and emotional climax to the album.
Unfortunately, the album ends on somewhat of a whimper. After the subdued and highly emotional “Sail Away,” the final two tracks don’t carry the energy high enough to justify their placement as the finale. “The Scythe,” the album’s penultimate song, feels like it would function better as the closer. Its upbeat pace feels a little jarring after “Sail Away.”
“Inferno” stands out even less. It’s much more reminiscent of the first half of the record. The instruments are tight and methodical, but for an album with as many expansive sounds as “From The Pyre,” something more grandiose would be appropriate for a closer.
Still, “From The Pyre” is a fantastic sophomore outing, and The Last Dinner Party is quickly becoming one of the most exciting artists out there. The band has been consistently great, and this latest album is no different.
Songs like “Rifle” and “Sail Away” make me think the band is capable of even more. These first two albums are great, but it feels like they still have a masterpiece on the way. Hopefully, it comes sooner than later, but either way, if “From The Pyre” has told us one thing, it’s that The Last Dinner Party isn’t on the way up anymore. They’ve arrived, and they’re one of the best rock bands on the planet.
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