Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
12:00 AM 5th October 2024
arts
Interview
Albums: London Grammar: The Greatest Love
London Grammar: The Greatest Love
House; Fakest Bitch; You and I; LA; Ordinary Life; Santa Fe; Kind of Man; Rescue; Into Gold; The Greatest Love
(Ministry Of Sound)
Greatest Love marks London Grammar's fourth album release and treads the same territory as their previous recordings:
a laid-back sound that is pleasing to the ear with strong melodies that weave into your subconscious.
Vocalist Hannah Reid has a pleasing tone that has an emotional bite to it, though at times you could imagine Dido or, to a lesser extent, Clean Bandit covering any of the songs on this ten-track album.
The dance element is evident on several tracks, with the opening number House serving as a fine example. The track feels very comfortable, akin to sitting in your favourite chair, while
You and I continue in the same vein: pleasing, welcoming, and unchallenging.
With
Kind of Man, the trio only ventures outside their comfort zone. The track features a nifty guitar riff that, if remixed and sped up a bit, would likely find its way onto the nation's cooler dance floors.
Sante Fe comes with a subtle hook, with Reid’s vocals contrasting against layered vocals, while a crescendo of instrumental passages soothes the listener.
The title track of the album closes this fine return—a delicate ballad that is both euphoric and luscious.