Art rock band The Last Dinner Party returns with sophomore studio album, From The Pyre.
The Last Dinner Party is a British “baroque and roll” band from London, comprised of members Abigail Morris (vocals), Lizzie Mayland (vocals, guitar), Emily Roberts (lead guitar, mandolin, flute), Georgia Davies (bass) and Aurora Nishevci (keyboards, vocals). The band formed in 2021 and has seen quick success, with their 2023 deal with Island Records leading to their first studio album Prelude to Ecstasy, debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart in 2024. Additionally, the band toured Europe in 2023 and North America in 2024, even playing big shows at Coachella and Primavera Sound music festivals. Thus, the band continues their art rock style and sound in their sophomore album, From The Pyre.
Digging into track one
The first track on the album, “Agnus Dei,” establishes the Catholic imagery used throughout The Last Dinner Party’s work. “Agnus Dei” literally means “Lamb of God” in Latin, and this particular song uses the lamb as a metaphor for the sacrifice necessary to become famous. “The Pyre” from the album’s title is a funeral fire, and the songs throughout the project reflect twisted love and death. The album’s accompanying artwork and imagery show the title “From The Pyre” as a neon sign, reflecting “Agnus Dei”’s repeated lyric “All I can give you is your name in lights forever.”
There are also some hauntingly beautiful choral sections in the album, such as the intros to “Second Best” and “Woman is a Tree.” The choirs also invoke the Catholic ideas ruminated on by the album, with the latter lyrics digging into both the lighter and darker sides of the religion. The songs aren’t just about death, but about murder and mourning. “The Scythe” is about the inevitability of death and holding your loved ones close at the end, while “This is the Killer Speaking” is about crimes of passion, and the narrator of the song mocks her lover by subverting Catholic imagery: “You look like a weeping saint with your infected eye.”
The album continues the band’s established style and themes. It makes sense that the band is doubling down on what has worked for them, resulting in something that will likely bring fans of their first project back for more.
For other excellent album recommendations, check out Off Record’s 2024 best of the best.
I am an Austin, TX-based photographer and filmmaker. I moved from Houston to attend the University of Texas at Austin, where I graduated in 2022. I'm a lifelong music lover and spend tons of time attending shows and making music. Some current favorites are Sophie May, Farmer’s Wife, and K. Flay.
