"In a year where the pop star praised most for being a songwriter put out a lyrically narrow album, I was drawn over and over again to The Last Dinner Party's sophomore album, From the Pyre, because of its density. The British five-piece band could have taken the easy road on their followup album and produced a simple pop album like everyone else did this year, but I found it brave and interesting that they went the other direction."
"From the Pyre is almost baroque in its saturation. It has tempo changes, harmonies, big strings, big guitars, and great vocals. The artists I am most interested in right now are the ones who are willing to stretch themselves in new directions, to try something more ambitious, even if that risks falling a little short. It's an album I've put on to do the dishes, walk my dog, and lie on the ground in silence. - Kelsey McKinney"
"Often, when I am "going through it," as the kids say, I'll play a song on repeat until the feeling leaves me. Needless to say, this can take a while, and this means that certain songs become like time machines, catapulting me back to whatever emotion was wrecking me when I first listened to it, for better or for worse."
From the Pyre presents a dense, baroque sound with tempo changes, harmonies, big strings, big guitars, and strong vocals. The Last Dinner Party chose ambitious, saturated arrangements rather than a simpler pop approach that characterized some contemporary releases. The band's first album featured catchy, earworm melodies, while the followup embraces complexity and risk. Songs often function as emotional anchors for listeners, recurring during moments of upheaval. Several tracks are described as immersive and evocative. Ethel Cain's "Nettles" is singled out as an eight-minute pastoral epic ribboned with banjos and synths that evokes a forest-like atmosphere.
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