It would have been easy to write London Grammar off following the success of their debut record If You Wait. The pressure of living up to the 2013 release proved incredibly hard for a band already railing against the misogyny of an industry that had thrust Hannah Reid, Dominic “Dot” Major and Dan Rothman into the spotlight.
Truth Is A Beautiful Thing, released in 2017, offered up more of the same, and while receiving terrific reviews, reaching Number One in the UK album charts and featuring across numerous tv and film scores, it neither satisfied the critics nor the band themselves.
Happily Californian Soil sees London Grammar up their game and return with a cracking set of tracks which build on their past and point to a brighter future.
Their’s far more confidence in the writing and lyrics here. Something more honest and true. There’s a real connection present that radiates from the speakers with each listen. Whether that be on the title track’s opening up on personal concerns, or the evisceration of an unfaithful lover on Lord It’s Feeling to the bound for the dance floor (whenever they reopen) delights of Lose Your Head, there’s enough magic dust sprinkled by electronic-music producer George Fitzgerald to keep things interesting.
London Grammar has always been built around Reid’s stunning voice and on this collection Reid has taken a more prominent role in the songwriting process and stepped up as a more vocal leader.
Though some will inevitably say that London Grammar’s music can fade into the background, Californian Soil is well worth the investment.
Key Tracks:
Californian Soil
Lord It’s A Feeing
Lose Your Head
How Does It Feel
Baby It’s You
I Need The Night
Click the album cover to head to tour dates
