4/5
Country Grammar.
The greatest romance that's ever been told...since Prince. The Big Smoke of London Grammar are back. Hannah Reid, Dan Rothman and Dominic "Dot" Major. Nottingham's finest, from the forest to the concrete jungle of London, going forth with the 'Truth Is A Beautiful Thing' pop star's fourth album. And like those who can't tell the difference between "your" and "you're (*my pre-English teacher days self puts his hands up*...or is that, "hand?"), it's hard to believe it has been three years already since the Grammar's last album, for a group who usually release a record every four years. But new standout tracks like 'LA' and 'Santa Fe' call back to the roots of London's 'California Soil' in 2021, like an extended play of Cali' love for their Los Angeles times.
Once they're back in the 'House' with electro pop, headlining your stage, you just know London Grammar are welcomed back to 'The Greatest' Love', all the way to the self-titled curtain. With a new look, Hannah and her company, in perfect harmony, could even give 'Jolene' a run for her money, like Norah Jones 'Miriam' with the single 'Fakest B####'. "Talking about miracles/The fakest b#### in all the world/Fingernails that make me curl, uh-huh/Given half the chance you'd steal my man/Think I'm naive/Girl, you can give it up, uh-huh/I saw your mum across the road/I feel guilt, and it hurts my soul/Maybe if she loved your dad/You'd have the things that you should have had/We'd be friends for real, not popping party pills", Reid berates with the best barbs of the year. Ready to post-up on all those Instagrammable phonies who start disingenuous posts with the "POV" of, "can we just talk about this person."
Can we just talk about this band, "though?" One of the best of the Brits, stinging with the bees of their new buzzing record for your music week and new Friday. The red room focus of this new album of Hollywood highlights for London town is as cinematic as it is photogenic. The heaven sent lyrics of 'You And I' bring us right back to the beauty of dedication with, "Did somebody tell you that/Life was easy?/They were wrong/All the lines are blurred/Your emotions, they get so lost/And I wish I could tell you now/How much my heart breaks like a song/I love you forever/And I hope forever becomes." This is that kind of love that is so bright it might burn you...or anoint you. Whichever path you choose to take. On 'Ordinary Life's it's the same song of heartbreak as us ordinary people sing-a-long to these legends in the making. Their relationships can relate to ours. Taken as gospel for the record. That's why many like a communion head to the altar of their stage at a festival. Even in concert with headlining at the same time as fellow generational greats like SZA and The National.
"Know you like the powder, it makes you louder/It makes you feel so goddamn beautiful/But I saw you fading, becoming jadеd/You can't believe it, lifе's a challenge", is the 'Kind Of Man' you're looking for, as you say "hey" to the "Na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na", like Jude. Those same kind of harmonies continue on the 'Rescue' that Hannah Reid gives us with the bridge of "Oh, they wanna tear you apart/Tear you apart, they wanna tear you apart/I'm your rescue calling/If my number's dialing", to carry us over. But on this top ten of tracks for 'The Greatest Love' and romance to no longer be sold, they go 'Into Gold' with "Rivers run red, river run dry/River run red and whitе/I am the fire and you are watеr/Drown me out, but I learnt/So if you see me, cross the street/But I still see you in people I meet/And I am fire and you are water." And perhaps platinum...even in this day and age. This is the kind of pure pop, full of heart, that life, like the feelings in those echo chambers, promised. London calling it like they see it. Love is the greatest. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'You And I', 'LA', 'Santa Fe'.
Spin This: London Grammar - 'California Soil'.
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