The Last Dinner Party Weaves Dark and Twisted Fairy Tales on ‘From The Pyre (Deluxe)’
The Last Dinner Party are bringing us tales “from the pyre” and beyond on the deluxe edition of their sophomore album
The Last Dinner Party have risen from the ashes of their ribbon clad inferno and graced us with three new tracks on the deluxe edition of their immaculate sophomore record From The Pyre. The initial album saw the band expanding on and delving into a heavier sound and thematic throughline in comparison to their debut record Prelude to Ecstasy. With the deluxe edition of this record, The Last Dinner Party have proven themselves to be masters of their craft and an act that demands listeners full attention.
The deluxe is home to three new tales from the pyre beginning with “Come All You Beasts,” a spoken word poem, and “Big Dog.” The poem interpolates verses from the bible with popular adages about women's safety, like “Do not give to dogs what is sacred” and “They know not the difference ‘tween hunger and loathing. But it’s what we know best” The meter of the poem lulls the listener into a fairy tale like trance, but quickly goes from Walt Disney to the Brothers Grimm as it transitions to the intro of “Big Dog.”
The pair work together like a sinister retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. It points to the horrific warnings that are given to children in the name of safety but also towards the bone chilling realities of being a young woman in the public eye. This is most prevalent on the bridge as lead vocalist Abigail Morris chants “Don’t take your clothes off when you're famous” before quickly following it with “What sort of thing is that to say to a child?” It paints a blood stained picture of what it means to be a young star, perfectly setting the stage for the next track: “Knocking At The Sky.”
“Knocking At The Sky” takes us into the ultimate perverted fairytale land: Hollywood. In a statement accompanying the deluxe, the band wrote “Hollywood is the ultimate fairytale; the stakes are at surreal heights, the landscape is unruly and plastic and it's populated with a cast of Grimm characters all striving and struggling at the centre of their own hero’s journey.” The song wraps up the Hollywood glamour thematics present in songs off of the main album such as “Agnus Dei” and “Second Best.” It’s the story of risking it all for your art and relishing in every gaudy and painful detail of it. The music video accompanying it pays homage to the art of cinema with allusions to film noir, MTV, scream queens, slashers and the work of iconic avant garde filmmaker John Waters.
The deluxe edition of From The Pyre solidifies that maximalism is The Last Dinner Party’s greatest strength. They have continued to build their own distinctive sound and visual world by being entirely fearless when leaning into the theatricality of performing in a rock band. The Last Dinner Party commands attention like no other, and it is because of their consistent ability to infuse a razor sharp modern edge into their lush poetry. From The Pyre (Deluxe) is a gripping cinematic masterclass on how to craft a memorable rock record, and is available everywhere now.