Prelude to Ecstasy

This is a cracking album, and a couple of tracks from it appeared in my 2025 "most listened" list. It's great to know that acts like The Last Dinner Party exist. One of the hilarious things that surrounded their entrance to scene is that a load of people piped up accusing them of being "industry plants". Now, Justin Hawkins of The Darkness, a bona fide entry from (at least later editions of) the 1,001 list, discussed this at some length on his podcast/YouTube channel (episode: "Are they the latest industry plants?") where he says "If this is what it means to be an industry plant, I think the industry should keep on planting stuff" - and you kind of have to agree with him. Sinner is an amazing track, as is Nothing Matters. As performers, they are theatrical and campy, clearly drawing from rock legends like Queen and Roxy Music, but also new wave and baroque pop like Adam Ant. There's huge talent on display and I look forward to hearing more of their stuff.

I've been a fan of TLDP since mid-2023 when they had only one or two singles out. I was fortunate to see them 4 live times in 2024. They played Berlin recently and I couldn't see them because it was the same night as Magdalena Bay (whose album I've raved about here in that review). I'm seeing them at least twice this year (their follow-up album From The Pyre is a really good follow-up but definitely different) so am a massive fan and already love this album. The other comment addresses it but I hated the industry plant allegations. They are amazing live and have a strong point of view musically which I love. Plus the guitarist, Emily Roberts, is a massive Queen fan and has styled her playing after Brian May, which is an instant win for me. Now should they be on the list? They are so good but is it something that the OG list is missing? I feel like yes, they are doing something unique now but it's a throwback to an older sound but through a modern lens. I feel like with TLDP, they are still so fresh and their longer term impact is harder to evaluate. It reminds me of Wet Leg where I also wasn't sure. My personal rating: 5/5 My rating relative to the list: 5/5 Should this have been included on the original list? Slight yes.

These folks are totally new to me. Initially I thought maybe the tone was a bit strained, a bit overblown, but then I realized it was Queen-style bombast, and everything clicked into place. Yeah, this is awesome! Fave tracks - I really dig the cinematic intro "Prelude to Ecstasy" and the interlude "Gjuha". "The Feminine Urge" is where they won me over, and "Sinner" is tremendous! "Portrait of a Dead Girl" and "Nothing Matters" both slap.

Had a track pop up in a Spotify discovery playlist a while back, so I came into this with a taste of what to expect — and the full album absolutely delivered. Burn Alive opens with this air of mystery that hooks you in straight away, and the build through Caesar on a TV Screen and On Your Side sets up The Feminine Urge perfectly. Sinner is the undeniable highlight — what a track. Nothing Matters hit me right in the chest ❤️. The whole thing has this theatrical, cinematic energy that feels grand without being overdone. Incredibly impressive for a debut. These five are onto something special.

Loved this when it came out. Great example of good new music and album That did live up to its hype.

Prelude to Ecstasy is a (glam)rock album by British band The Last Dinner Party. It is very theatrical and campy. Not only in composition and performance, but also in lyrics. The ladies have listened a lot to Queen, David Bowie, Marc Bolan and Elton John. The music may not be that original, but the writing is strong and it sounds like a fresh take on the (sub)genre. Maybe years later it will become clear it was an important album, but at the moment it's just lots of fun and there is nothing wrong with that.

Every now and again I wish I could rate something 6 stars in this project, and this is one of those times. A great album that wanders somewhere in the neighborhood of Florence and the Machine with its own unique style. Really impressive and something I’ll keep listening to.

Strong vibes of a much earlier era to me - that orchestral rock thing which is mostly a thing of the prior century. Back in a Millenial reincarnation. Pretty good stuff, a bit marred by a sense of self-importance. Oh well, mid-late 20s is prime time for taking onesself a bit too seriously so I'll grant that some grace. Off the beaten path and good on them for that.

Take Chapelle and add some more rock chords and Queen-esque power harmonies. I love it! Sinner and Nothing Matters have come up a few times on my algorithm, and I enjoy them even more in context

Rare to hear an indie effort nowadays that draws on so many inspirations yet feels entirely new. I’ve enjoyed a few singles from this band, but never dove into the full LP and definitely missed out as a result. It’s incredible how rich and full in the arrangements are here, the production space packed to the gills but never feeling melodramatic or overstuffed. The vocal harmonies/instrumentals are incredible as well, and create layered tracks that feel like albums of their own. Need to break out my good headphones and listen to this one again because I’m sure I missed some immaculate element somewhere in the mix. Great add, exciting to see some modern indie recognition on a list that has felt increasingly skewed towards milquetoast singer-songwriter efforts.

Not normally my jam, but dug it.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Burn alive, Caesar on a tv screen, On your side, Sinner, Nothing matters

Banger 4

Queens

I read the first bit of the blurb and thought “yeah, right”. And then it began. I was charmed.

By daVinci

Enjoyed this! Good tunes

This is some good Indie rock!

What the fuck is going on in The Windmill, Brixton.

I remember when this album came out, it seemed like there was some big marketing hype machine behind it and honestly, that made me wary. But it's a great album. 4 stars.

This is an interesting album, it's a band trying to do something and it stands out. Why not.

Much better than I anticipated from the album name and art. Had me right from the opening notes. Big, dramatic and kind of rockin'. Great share.

It was pretty good even though there were some parts I didn’t like that much

Not first listen I wasn't immediately taken by Prelude to Ecstacy, even though it has much in common with my favourite rock and pop. A potential reason for my initial coldness is the producer, James Ford. Not because he does the Last Dinner Party wrong, but because I was starting to really notice his presence in bands I listened to. The grand, reverby treatment one hears in The Last Shadow Puppets' The Age of the Understatement (2008), Florence and the Machine's Ceremonials (2011), Arctic Monkeys' The Car (2022), and Blur's The Ballad of Darren (2023)? All produced by him. As much as I like those albums, when I started to notice the similarities TLDP has with those other bands' orchestral pop, I started to focus more on the style than the substance of this album. Ford might as well be shorthand for "I am sophisticated and British, now where's my Mercury Award?!" I regret the opinions I held in the past (aka 2025), because I now think these songs get better and better after repeated listens. "Burn Alive", after the bombastic intro, wasn't the easiest introduction to this band, veering between that odd, suspenseful guitar line and synthpop, and back again. But now, next to the amazing track "Nothing Matters" (featuring vocalist Abigail Morris at her best), it has become one of my favourites. There's a 90 second piece of Albanian folk in there, "Gjuha", that I somehow don't remember from past listens. In a way it kinda sums up my feelings for this album: lush, immaculately produced, very pretty, even if it's a little confounding the first listen. My fears that the Last Dinner Party would be a one-album fluke were ended when From the Pyre quickly followed their debut, a slightly darker, gothier affair that matches this one in quality. 4 stars, maybe more

My partner hates this band with a passion. She thinks they're bland and overrated, and she very rarely uses that word. She broke the news one day as we were driving to somewhere, and one of the hits from this album played in the car radio. We had a good laugh after that. For once, I wasn't the one grumbling about some of the appalling choices of the supposedly "rock" radio station we listen to in the car... Because, well, there's been a heavy rotation of the singles taken out from this LP in my neck of the woods (which might also explain my partner's tiredness). A girl band of a new kind, The Last Dinner Party indeed made a strong impact with this debut album, moving between refined pop, abrasive rock, and symphonic flourishes. Showcasing a clear talent for enchanting melodies and ambitious arrangements, the five Londoners here throw open the doors to their electric ball, without bothering about any midnight curfew. Admittedly, the atmosphere can feel a bit stiff on first listen, but the devil lies in the details—like a flask of gin hidden in a corset: iconoclastic lyrics, sinuous and sensual vocal lines, and a richly layered instrumental palette. Much like the surprising evolution of Fontaines D.C., The Last Dinner Party proves that sugary pop doesn’t always mean insignificance -- at least for listeners ready to go past the rococo surface gloss. Produced by James Ford, and sitting somewhere between Danny Elfman, Weyes Blood, and Sparks, Prelude to Ecstasy is thus a baroque record that’s as playful as it is captivating.in its best moments. Just don't tell my girlfriend I said that, lol. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list dedicated to essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3.5) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ---- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 87 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 110 (including this one) Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 223 ---- Yo, Émile. Je t'ai enfin répondu. Regarde sous... *Demon Days*, de Gorillaz, au-dessus ! 😉

Not bad

A poppy descendant of Siouxsie and the Banshees types which is a pleasant listen

Jag vill också lägga till tre album som denna användare har gjort. Han har i och för sig ganska bra musiksmak. Denna platta är förvisso lite medelmåttig. En stark trea får det bli.

Baroque pop, indie pop, orchestral rock. Ni fu ni fa.

Sounds to me like they tried to make a 70s album in 80s style in the 2020s. They did it well, but it's not my taste.

I listened to this a little bit when it came out. Not sure why it faded from my rotation. It’s an enjoyable record. I like what they are doing.

Maybe worth a second spin? Weird Brit band straight from the 80s but something's there

I was a bit disappointed with this- I expected more. They felt very retro - maybe a pop version of Siouxsie? There was a hint of folky pop there too.....I'm confused.