FEATURE:
Second Spin
London Grammar - Truth Is a Beautiful Thing
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I have always been a fan…
of London Grammar (Hannah Reid, Dan Rothman and Dominic 'Dot' Major), and I think the combination of the evocative and inventive compositions matched to Hannah Reid’s stunning vocals and honest lyrics make them one of the best groups around. I loved 2013’s If You Wait and, to many, that is their definitive moment. Songs like Wasting My Young Years, and Strong are remarkable tracks, and the entire debut album is wonderful. It was four years until we got their second album, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing. Released on 9th June, 2017 by the trio's imprint, Metal & Dust and Ministry of Sound, it came as a relief that the trio were continuing. I think there was a lot of fatigues and stress from the touring of their debut album, so there needed to be a period of returning to normal life. I will bring in an interview from NME, as the band were promoting Truth Is a Beautiful Thing. They were asked about the demands and rush after their debut album:
““We definitely came back and lost our minds a bit,” nods London Grammar guitarist Dan Rothman, looking back at their return to ‘normal life’ after the whirlwind success of their debut and relentless tour schedule. “I think that’s natural. Most people in their mid-20’s have an existential crisis – or a quarter life crisis.”
Singer Hannah Reid chuckles: “That’s what people said about our first record, so we’re still in it!”.
Their debut ‘If You Wait’ drew universal critical acclaim, with their slick but loaded trip-pop taking them from being three Notts Uni student mates jamming in each others’ bedrooms, to ending their tour with two sold out nights at Brixton Academy and accepting an Ivor Novello Award from Jimmy Page.
Then, they disappeared”.
There were rumours that the band had broken up or that they were taking an extended break. I can appreciate that they needed some space to create but, after such a great debut album, one can understand that people would have expected a second album within a year or two. It seemed like the time gap was a good move:
“No they hadn’t split, nor were they hibernating. Their years in the wilderness saw London Grammar return to what made them want to be a band together in the first place: friendship, songwriting and living life as normal human beings. As you can tell from the two taster singles of ‘Rooting For You’ and ‘Big Picture’, the result of this and years at the drawing board is a ‘dreamlike, widescreen cinematic’ album – packed with ‘more variety’, a fuller spectrum of colour, and above all ‘more life’.
“The first album was a lot more about relationships, but then the second one is too – but in a different way,” reveals Hannah. “It’s probably about the relationship you have with yourself, rather than one specific other person. The relationship that us three had on the road, and there’s a lot about the meaning of life in general, which is SO lame, but that is what we talk about!”
So after time away on their own terms, London Grammar 2.0 is an entirely different beast – fully confident in its own skin and highly-evolved beyond any misconceptions or weak comparisons you may have once had about them.
“Oh, [back then] it was just The xx thing,” shrugs Dan. “I think that is going to be even less so now. It sounds like a completely different realm. No disrespect to them, because I think they’re amazing. It is the fact that there’s three of us as two girls and a boy – but it’s just lazy.”
Dot diplomatically interjects: “I do think that’s totally natural. The attention span that people have, and that’s not negative because I have it as well, but you look at something and you want a point of reference to mean if it’s going to be worth even five seconds of your time. Having some kind of comparison is inevitable. The xx are amazing, of course.”
So misconceptions aside, what can fans expect from London Grammar in 2017?
“They expect an emotional connection, above all else,” Hannah replies. “That is the most important thing”.
I really like Truth Is a Beautiful Thing, even though it did not score the same sort of reviews and praise as If You Wait. I am writing this now as the group’s third album, Californian Soil, arrives on 9th April (pushed back from 12th February). In some ways it seems like a return to the form of their debut but, in another, it is them moving forward and exploring new ground. One of the criticisms for Truth Is a Beautiful Thing is that it lacked variety and was not a sufficient move from their debut.
There were some good reviews for Truth Is a Beautiful Thing, though some critics were more mixed. This is what AllMusic observed in their review:
“Four years after their debut, English trio London Grammar returned with their sophomore set, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing, featuring production by Jon Hopkins (Imogen Heap, Coldplay), Paul Epworth (Florence + the Machine, Adele), and Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia). Once again, vocalist Hannah Reid takes center stage with her powerful, angelic instrument, which can stir the soul at the smokiest depths before jolting everything to the heavens in a fashion much like Florence Welch or Annie Lennox. Dan Rothman and Dominic Major provide lush accompaniment to Reid's voice, creating a gorgeous cinematic landscape that ranges from dreamlike wisps to fully enveloping grandeur. The first half of the album takes time to pick up, as Reid slowly eases listeners into "Wild Eyed," an expansive moment that recalls 2013's "Hey Now." The thumping heartbeat of "Oh Woman, Oh Man" gives the band equal time to shine. Other highlights include the throbbing "Non Believer," the uplifting Florence-esque "Bones of Ribbon," and the sweeping "Leave the War with Me." These tracks provide a much-needed jolt of energy to balance the album's other quieter moments, which tend to lull the listener into a dreamlike haze. While it's an overall relaxing experience, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing is never boring; it's a comforting and often heartbreaking listen that really gets under the skin, especially with Reid's emotive delivery”.
Truth Is a Beautiful Thing is a rich and rewarding listen. I think the songs are more varied than on their debut – despite what some say – in terms of lyrics…and Reid’s voice seems stronger and more astonishing – if that was even possible! I want to source from CLASH, who had a lot of positive things to say:
“London Grammar’s second album ‘Truth Is A Beautiful Thing’ mirrors the blueprint of the band’s 2013 debut ‘If You Wait’, marrying understated electronics and synths to transcendent melodies and vocals. Singer Hannah Reid’s voice remains the centrepiece, flowing like liquid gold through the intricate soundscapes, shaped by a fragile loveliness, and underscored by a Tolkien-esque otherworldliness.
Her voice leads and dictates proceedings but never feels overbearing, with the band deftly balancing the interchange between Reid’s vocals and the twinkling keys and subtle instrumentation that envelop it, notably on lead single ‘Rooting For You’, and on the elegant title cut.
Thematically, the LP is set against the backdrop of youth’s eternal quest for love, and the pitfalls we must navigate along its treacherous pathway. Heartache, angst and endless introspection bleed into all eleven tracks: “I’m no better than those I judge,” implores Reid on ‘Hell To The Liars’. And elsewhere on ‘Who am I’ there’s obvious self-denial when she bemoans “Who am I to want you now you are leaving?”
The main criticism you can level at the LP is that it lacks variety – that it doesn’t stray far enough from the space that the band so ably carved for themselves on their debut. Ultimately, though, this is a beautiful album that’s as absorbing as it is emotionally affecting”.
If you overlooked Truth Is a Beautiful Thing or felt that it lacked the impact of If You Wait, take a listen to it again and check out gorgeous singles like Oh Woman Oh Man, and Big Picture, in addition to deeper cuts like Hell to the Liars, and Who Am I (that are stirring and hugely memorable). Ahead of London Grammar releasing their third album, I wanted to throw some love on their second. I don’t think it has received the praise and deep dive that it deserves. Maybe it is not quite as mighty as their debut but, to me, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing is stronger in many different ways. I am looking forward to Californian Soil arriving and, in preparation, I am listening again to the fantastic Truth Is a Beautiful Thing. It is a solid and really interesting album that should be seen…
IN a new light.