Album Review // The Last Dinner Party // Prelude to Ecstasy

Island Records

4.5/5 stars

The debut album from the all-female London quintet known as The Last Dinner Party is remarkably multifaceted and already one of the year's best. Overflowing with both orchestral scores and indie-pop hooks, it's memorable, ambitious, and expertly done. An exciting and critically acclaimed work, it seems almost too good to be true. It's also raising some minor controversies fueled by sexism and internet speculation. With almost every mention of the band online, there are cries that they're an "industry plant" or a group of "nepo-babies." While these comments can be shut down with facts and comments from the band members themselves, that's not the point. The fact is that this album is simply too good for some people to accept at face value. It's fully-formed, dark, danceable, and fresh. They are embracing their baroque motif through their music and wardrobe, and perhaps understand how to brand themselves a little too well for how we think a new artist should. The music is undeniably solid and layered, with vocals that waver between the histrionic and callous. With standout cuts like "Burn Alive" and "Nothing Matters" balancing each end of the dozen tracks, it's certainly worth a listen yourself.