The Last Dinner Party’s highly anticipated debut album “Prelude to Ecstasy” has finally been released! It came out earlier this month on Feb. 2, and I’ve been listening to it on repeat since.
For some context, The Last Dinner Party is a British indie rock band from London that formed in 2021. They put out their debut single “Nothing Matters” in April 2023 which became a top 20 UK hit, and also went viral on TikTok. They released four more singles, “Sinner,” “My Lady of Mercy,” “On Your Side” and “Caesar on a TV Screen” before revealing their debut album.
Prelude to Ecstasy
While this song is only filled with orchestral and band instrumentals, it sets a great tone for what we can expect to hear in the rest of the album. You can definitely hear their baroque-pop sound in this first song. Overall, I would give it a 7 out of 10.
Burn Alive
I love how the guitar sounds in the beginning of this song; it has such an eerie vibe. The synthesizer in the chorus also meshes so well with the other instruments, making a catchy beat. Abigail Morris’ powerful vocals makes this song one of my favorites on the album. “Burn Alive” talks about a toxic relationship, where the singer would do anything for their partner even if it means disregarding themselves. This song deserves a 10 out of 10 for the instrumentals alone.
Caesar on a TV Screen
This track talks about how much power men have, and the narrator wants to have that type of power herself. This is evident in the lines “When I put on that suit / I don’t have to stay mute / I can talk all the time / Because my shoulders are wide.” The song also mocks male fragility, and how this rage comes from a deep insecurity and a want to be loved. I really like how upbeat the drums and guitar are during the first pre-chorus. I have to admit that I don’t listen to this song much, but I still like it and find it groovy. If I had to rate it, I would say this song is a 7 out of 10.
The Feminine Urge
I could tell Morris did her homework by the way she sings in this one. I also enjoyed hearing the drums do all the work building up in the chorus. This song explores the cycle of generational trauma between women, which is made clear through the lines “I could never give that curse to her / I, I could never live with the guilt of lying / That people are kind.” Alongside with this message, the song mentions how women still have to appear put together when they are going through something difficult. This is another one of my favorite songs in the album, and for that it gets a 10 out of 10.
On Your Side
To be honest, out of the singles that have been put out, I listen to this song the least out of the five of them. However, I do wish I listened to it more, because it would probably be higher up in my rankings. I love how the piano in the synthesizer sounds in this, and Morris’ vocals just sound so beautiful on top of them. This number, like “Burn Alive,” is also about a toxic relationship, and how even though you know how much you are hurting because of them, you just can’t bring yourself to leave the relationship. The ending leaves off with an ominous tone given the instrumental and vocal overlay and the gasp at the end. That said, this song earns a 7 out of 10 from me.
Beautiful Boy
Morris singing “I wish I could be a beautiful boy” is so real of her. Similar to “Caesar on a TV Screen,” this slow song talks about the jealousy the narrator feels towards beautiful men and how they can easily navigate through life. Meanwhile, she feels limited by her femininity, and wishes she was a beautiful boy. I absolutely adore the flute at the beginning of the song. My favorite part of the song is near the end, where all the instruments come together, and Morris’ vocals sound heavenly as always. Because of that, I give this song an 8 out of 10.
Gjuha
“Gjuha” is sung entirely in Albanian and the keyboardist, Aurora Nischevi, sings the entire track. In a YouTube video, Nischevi explains that this track “is about feeling ashamed for not knowing my mother tongue very well.” She also mentions that the name of this song means tongue in Albanian. The rest of the band sings with her in the background, and their voices blend so well together. In an Unclear Magazine interview, the band expands more on their songwriting process. “‘Gjuha’ was written together in a practice room then Aurora went away and added the vocal line. It’s a mix of sharing songs, producing demos and jamming out in a practice room.” The ending of this piece is one of my favorite parts as it seamlessly transitions into the next track. For that, this song is an 8 out of 10.
Sinner
This is one of my favorite singles The Last Dinner Party put out. I greatly enjoy the guitar line in the chorus. Again, the band’s vocals as a whole sound absolutely amazing. Like “My Lady of Mercy,” this song discusses queerness and religious themes, particularly about the singer feeling ashamed about having a crush on someone and wishing that they could go back to their childhood when everything was deemed innocent. In an interview with U Discover Music, guitarist Lizzie Mayland explains the track further, “‘Sinner’ is a story of self-acceptance, and the longing for the past and present self to become one.” For those reasons, I would give this song a 10 out of 10.
My Lady of Mercy
This is another one of my favorite singles they have released. It talks about queerness and also has many religious themes throughout. I love how this song sounds so dark and heavy in terms of how the instruments sound. In an interview with U Discover Music, the band said, “The lyrics explore the anguish of a teenage crush that can only be described through the bloody, carnal language of religious experience…” The visuals of this song reminds me of the TV show “Yellowjackets.” Similar to “Sinner,” this song also earns a 10 out of 10.
Portrait of a Dead Girl
Like “Burn Alive” and “On Your Side,” this song also follows the theme of toxic and abusive relationships. Although, the one difference is that the narrator saves herself by putting a stop to this relationship. She’s determined to not let her life be tainted by this traumatic experience. Again, I love how well the instruments all mesh together so well. I especially love how the drums punctuate Morris’ singing. Another 10 out of 10 for this one.
Nothing Matters
When this single was released, I had it on repeat for a while. Alongside “My Lady of Mercy” and “Sinner,” this has to be another one of my favorite singles they have released. This piece went viral on TikTok, and for a good reason. It has such a danceable beat and is a devoted, upbeat love song. Morris told Billboard that she “very rarely [wrote] love songs” but that this song was an exception, and I’m glad it was. This song totally deserves a 10 out of 10.
Mirror
I love the violins and other orchestral instruments that are played during the chorus. They sound so appealing paired with Morris’ vocals. I’m also a big fan of the ending, which are orchestral instruments paired together with a piano and other band instruments. This song uses metaphors of sinking and drowning to show how the narrator keeps on thinking about mistakes that she has made. She is questioning whether or not the whole world will see the mistakes she makes if she continues to make them. Later in the song, she is no longer reflecting on her mistakes, and she is certain that she will be forgotten by those who matter due to her failures. With that being said I would give this song an 8 out of 10.
Overall, this album definitely met my expectations for how wonderful it ended up sounding. If you are looking for a group with a sound similar to Kate Bush, Florence and the Machine or David Bowie, this may be the band for you.