Hannah Reid, Dan Rothman and Dominic Major make up the British dream pop trio London Grammar, and their latest album creates a truly ethereal listening experience.
“Truth is a Beautiful Thing” is the band’s second album, and in it, London Grammar builds upon the delicate vocals accompanied by soft melodic instrumentals, which the band is known for.
The album opens with the somber song “Rooting for You” which deals with loneliness and the fear of unrequited love. It’s hard to tell from the lyrics which party is unable to return the love and dedication, but it is obvious this love is something they both want, though it might be impossible.
Photo courtesy: Consequence of Sound
“Oh Woman Oh Man” is one of the more powerful songs on the album. The song centers around an ex-lover who is giving up on life. While Reid sings that her ex-lover’s suffering should not mean anything to her, she can’t help but care. She admits she always will have feelings for her lover, but she can’t do anything to make them want her more. These heartbreaking lyrics are beautifully delivered, which makes this an extremely moving song.
The song “Non Believer” shows a little bit of growth stylistically for London Grammar. This song has a more prominent tempo and is heavier in percussion than most of the other songs on the album. Although different in style, this song showcases London Grammar’s versatility. The song still preserves the beautiful sadness that runs through all of their songs and still uplifts Reid’s sirenic voice. This stylistic shift can also be heard in the song “Leave the War With Me.”
“Truth is a Beautiful Thing” is the track from which the album takes its name. This song is soft and piano-centric. The song is mainly carried with vocals that make listeners feel as if they are floating on Reid’s voice.
The best track on the album is “What a Day,” which opens with beautifully belted holler that is then manipulated in the background and leads into the piano intro. The song does not have many lyrics, but showcases Reid’s incredible vocal talents and range accompanied by an elegant piano arrangement. This song is very relaxing and fills the room with beautiful noise. “What a Day” shows that a song can be moving without lyrics weighing it down.
Overall, “Truth is a Beautiful Thing” is a stunning album. London Grammar took their sound and pushed it to the next level by creating a polished album that preserves their identity, but also pushes their musical boundaries. Not just any band can make sadness sound so appealing.
