There have been few bands coming out of London that have coalesced as much interest so instantly in the way that The Last Dinner Party has. It’s been just over a year since the band first started, and already here we are at their first major label debut single: Nothing Matters.
Of course, this topic in and of itself will be the principle observation of every music magazine across the land, followed by a wealth of theories concerning just how the well-dressed quintet have generated so much hype so quickly. But apropos to speculation, I was most excited to hear what they actually sound like.
The primary characterising element of The Last Dinner Party are lead: Abigail Morris’ vocals, and after seeing a few clips of them playing live I was struck by her fantastic range and fierce energy. Her style follows in the ilk of band’s like Walt Disco perhaps, with a tendency towards the lavishly operatic, but on this single it seems a bit muted.
This dialled-down feel to her vocals doesn’t last the whole running time, with her performance bristling with this fierceness in small pockets, but I was hoping for the band to tap more into this bravado and uniqueness they bring onstage.
Perhaps I wasn’t expecting the simplicity of Nothing Matters, with its sleek guitar riffs swimming above the catchy, echoing chorus that gives hints of early Florence + The Machine (who coincidentally the band will be supporting on her UK tour). But the glistening orchestration and gorgeous vocals layered into said chorus presents a more baroque indie, chamber-pop vision for the group.
However the doomed romanticism of the lyrics and sharp guitar textures gave some real edge to cut through the glossiness of the production, layering the band’s personality like the opening scene of Blue Velvet.
This is a band that will be meteoric in its appeal, and I believe it will be because of this personality they have and sonic direction they’re pursuing. Nothing Matters is a start, but as The Last Dinner Party develops their sound, it will be overshadowed by a hopefully more ambitious discography.
But as for now, I find The Last Dinner Party’s an enjoyable listen to recommend with a begging plea to the listener to watch this space for what’s to come.
