ALBUM REVIEW: The Last Dinner Party - Prelude To Ecstasy

English Pop-Rock band ‘The last Dinner Party’, release their highly anticipated debut album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’.

If you’ve been keeping up with the alternative music scene, or mainstream for that matter, you would have definitely heard of these guys. Having only formed as a group in 2021, the band have taken the music industry by storm with only a few single releases to their name. After meeting through university and mutual friends the five piece discovered a shared love of music and have achieved success mainly through live performances and now receiving features from media such as the Rolling Stone and supporting artists like Florence and the Machine and Hozier.

The band have described their sound as music for those of us who enjoy maximalism and want to feel the extremes of emotion in all ways. This is evident in their debut record ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ with tracks such as ‘On your side’; a melancholy ballad depicting a painful relationship marked by both anguish and a desire for connection. The track is offset by ethereal vocals which are both emotive and theatrical, characteristic of the band's eccentricity both musically and aesthetically.

Undeterred by the haunting instrumental swells verging on wonderfully eerie, this track does however give opportunity for a screaming sing along, weaving from softer introspective moments accompanied by piano to more energetic sections as the song builds, rhythmic drum beats are introduced and vocals intensify proving an impressive composition. On first listen, Glam Rock reminiscence is triggered, bringing to mind tracks such as Suede’s ‘Saturday Night’ and elements of influence from David Bowie, an artist the band described as matching their ethos.

In contrast, track 4, ‘Feminine Urge’ , a standout on the album, takes no time at all introducing its anthemic qualities. Themes surrounding the song speak to uncomfortable power dynamics in gender and a craving of resistance to conformity both societally and within relationships. The lyrics "To nurture the wounds my mother held" speak to the breaking of generational patterns particularly. The subject matter is supported by heavy instrumentals, highlighted by how the track resonates and reverberates with a pulsating beat.

The switching of tempos, where the beat picks up from the pre chorus and back again introduces a dynamic contrast and builds momentum for the chorus. What is distinctive in the track is the layered vocals, particularly on the lyrics "cant talk back" which add an element of intensity and impact making the chorus feel less conventional and more of a furied war chant speaking to female rage.

In conclusion, ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ is a wonderfully cohesive expression of maximallism. This debut lays a successful first foundation for the band which speaks to their own self expression whilst staying true to the sound their fans have come to know and love through their live shows.