There is one genre that never seems to disappoint me, and that genre is British Rock; a staple of the music scene and one that shows no signs of going anywhere. This is especially true for the band of focus, “The Last Dinner Party,” and their second studio album, “From the Pyre,” released on Oct. 17.
The band consists of five members: Abigail Morris, Lizzie Mayland, Emily Roberts, Georgia Davies and Aurora Nishevci. Their first official debut was in April of 2023 under the label “Island Records,” but they have been doing gigs since 2021.
Since their debut, they have topped the album charts in the UK with their first album, “Prelude to Ecstasy,” and their second album has reached number two as of its launch. This confuses me, as I have heard this album was considered a flop, which I found to not be true. Most reviews of this album range from 82 / 100 on Metacritic to even five stars from Rolling Stones UK, saying that “From the Pyre should cement their place in the biggest of leagues.”
Now the album itself, “From the Pyre,” is by all accounts quite good. It hosts a wonderful blend of grunge, baroque, pop and slower, artsy rock tracks that really complement one another well. The vocal performances by Abigail Morris, Aurora Nishevci and Lizzie Mayland lend the music a great deal of heart; their singing is laced with intense emotion, as seen in tracks five, “Rifle” and six, “Woman is a Tree”, with their long, screaming choruses opening the songs.
I will say that the songs, while being largely unique to one another, do share a certain sameness among them. British Rock tends to all sound largely the same in the beginning, with slow, methodical openings, leading on with the vocals before the music really gets going. I know it sounds quite reminiscent of many genres, but British Rock seems to do it more obviously.
Another thing I would like to mention is the biblical influences in the album. As a very religious person, I will say that I did pick up on a few of the more obvious and even some of the subtle references in the album. Lyrics like, “Lamb of God, or did I spell it wrong?” in “Agnus Dei” (Which actually translates to “Lamb of God”), or even “This is the Killer Speaking,” with lyrics like “God knows I left him by mistake.” Mentioning this now, they don’t really strike me as biblical, as no specifics from the Bible were referenced. It’s more religiously influenced.
The tracks feel as though they are being sung while the characters singing are committing sins of passion and crying out to the Lord while doing so. It’s an album of the lamentation and guilt of sinners. That is, of course, my own interpretation, but from what the band themselves have said about the album, it is quite close to the original vision, which was one of feminine rage and Christian guilt.
Nevertheless, “From the Pyre” stands as a fantastic example of the modern British Rock scene. I could not recommend it enough, and I will continue to follow this group in the future. Something tells me this was only the prelude to greatness.
