The Last Dinner Party - Prelude To Ecstasy (Full Album Review) : In English

 

Release: February 2, 2024 | Label: Island Records | Genre: Art Rock, Baroque Pop

The Last Dinner Party emerged out of nowhere in April of 2023 with their single “Nothing Matters”, became a 25 UK hit, supported Hozier in his tour during the summer of 2023 and performed in several festivals including Glastonbury and Latitude. Right now they just released their debut album “Prelude to Ecstasy” and they are in a European Tour, afterwards will be in a North American tour and finally in a UK/Ireland tour, with most of their shows being already sold out. 

The British quintet is a worldwide phenomenon, stealing the spotlight and winning the hearts of critics of several large publications. Their style, a highly theatrical, delightful and energetic mix of pop and rock, is uniquely indulgent.

Their debut album, aptly titled “Prelude to Ecstasy,” is an unabashed exploration of the extreme spectrum of human emotions. From genuine joy to devastating pain, the record neatly ties the emotional journey with a nice ribbon, delivering it to the audience under the soundtrack of baroque classical piano melodies, sensational guitar solos, and memorable lyrics. The poetic depth of “Prelude to Ecstasy” delves into intimate themes, centering around femininity, gendered experiences, and sexuality. The album, in its entirety, embraces unapologetic and gleeful maximalism, presenting itself as if it were an aristocratic lady of the Elizabethan era.

The album opens with the orchestral 96-second overture, which sets the tone and transports you into your theater seat, waiting for the fall of crimson curtains. “Burn Alive,” a frequent opener of their incredible live performances, proves to the listener that the band is already in the position to carefully craft complex melodies with musical depth. There is captivating theatricality and fluidity to their lyrics and performances, and “Ceasar on a TV Screen” perfectly embodies that. 

In the musical adaptation of the Shakespearian tragedy the singer, Abigail Morris, takes on the mantle of Ceasar, touching subjects like gender, masculinity and the public acceptance that the Tyrant craves. On the other side, in “Feminine Urge” they explore traditionally passive feminine roles and the generational trauma, with melodies that remind us of Marina & The Diamonds. 

Personal favorites of mine are the love songs that they insist are not what they prefer to write, but when they do, are indulgent, sensational and deeply touching in a way that I could only imagine hundreds of people screaming the lyrics from the top of their lungs. “On Your Side” is a highly cinematic ballad with lachrymose piano melodies that unfolds as an absolute tale of woe. On the extreme contrary, the ecstatic -one might say- “Nothing Matters” and “Sinner” are youthful, flirtatious and musically brilliant, combining a lot of ABBA elements with euphoric guitar solos, courtesy of the guitarist Emily Roberts.

There are good pieces in this record, and then, there is “My Lady of Mercy.” The first of a holy trinity of exceptional songs is a thundering rock opera, and since I am not the first to make this connection, I will say that there is something very Led Zeppelin-adjacent here in the best possible way. It is bold, and complex and yet does not sound abhorrent or Dedalian. “Gjuha” is another interesting one, as it is in Albanian, sang by the keyboardist Aurora Nishveci with the vocalizations of the frontwoman Abigail Morris. As a person that lives in the Balkan Peninsula, hearing traditional folk sounds merged so seamlessly into a ghostly and dramatic chorus with the accompaniment of a mandolin gave me goosebumps. 

Finally,“Portrait of a Dead Girl” will satisfy any Queen fans, with clever twists and intonations, piano and a very characteristic Sir Brian May guitar sound.

As someone who craves the theatrics, I thoroughly enjoyed the album. The Last Dinner Party has laid out a grandiose buffet of musical and literary flavors inspired by the likes of Queen, Kate Bush, David Bowie, and Florence Welch, and you can taste it all along the way.

Remorseless and flamboyant, I genuinely hope they continue to embrace their unique and captivating style.

Rating : 9 with a✨ /10

Naya for MOPA-Music Webzine