London Grammar | ||
| Allmusic Biography : English trio London Grammar combine sparse electronic pop in the model of the xx with dramatic, big-voiced lead singer Hannah Reids vocals, which evoke Annie Lennox and contemporaries like Florence Welch and Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes. Reid and guitarist Dan Rothman met in the dorms of Nottingham University, where they began writing music together in 2009 and later added multi-instrumentalist Dot Major to complete the lineup. The following years saw them refine their sound with atmospheric electronics and subtle percussion, and they often played to rooms of no more than ten people. Their popularity rose with the 2012 release of "Hey Now," which they uploaded to the Internet, instantly finding a digital cult following. Their fans were not just in the U.K., but also on the other side of the world in Australia, where their self-released 2013 debut EP, Metal & Dust, reached the top of the digital charts. The same year they signed to Ministry of Sound and the single "Wasting My Young Years" appeared as their first release on the label. The year 2013 also saw them play a sold-out show at the Islington Assembly Hall and make an appearance at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton. In September 2013, London Grammar released their eagerly awaited debut album, If You Wait, with the album debuting on the U.K. album chart at number two and hitting the Top 20 in Australia, New Zealand, France, and Ireland. With the album receiving positive reviews, the trio headed out in support of the release in 2014, culminating in two sell-out shows at Londons Brixton Academy. That same year they also picked up two Ivor Novello awards for the single "Strong," as well as two AIM awards for Breakthrough of the Year and Most Played Independent Act. After a whirlwind 2014, the trio retreated into their normal lives, rekindling friendships and writing new music. At the beginning of 2017 the group released the first fruits of those sessions: the single "Rooting for You," followed a month later by the Jon Hopkins-produced "Big Picture." Two more singles followed -- "Truth Is a Beautiful Thing" and "Oh Woman Oh Man" -- before their sophomore album, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing, was released. Working with the likes of Paul Epworth, Youth, and Hopkins, the album saw the trio taking their sparse electronic pop into more cinematic territory. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 10 Title: Metal & Dust Released: 2013-02-25 Tracks: 4 Duration: 15:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Metal & Dust (03:28) 2 Hey Now (03:27) 3 Darling Are You Gonna Leave Me (03:00) 4 Hey Now (Dot Major Remix) (05:37) |
 | Album: 2 of 10 Title: If You Wait Released: 2013-09-09 Tracks: 11 Duration: 43:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Hey Now (03:21) 2 Stay Awake (03:04) 3 Shyer (03:05) 4 Wasting My Young Years (03:23) 5 Sights (04:13) 6 Strong (04:34) 7 Nightcall (04:28) 8 Metal & Dust (03:28) 9 Interlude (03:59) 10 Flickers (04:43) 11 If You Wait (04:46) |
| If You Wait : Allmusic album Review : English trio London Grammar have quietly amassed a body of atmospheric, electronic pop material since they first posted "Metal & Dust" on the internet in 2012. Partnered with an appearance on Disclosures Mercury-nominated album Settle, the Nottingham University alumni had set the internet hype machine in motion, less than a year after forming. With obvious nods to the unfussy, reverbed guitar motifs of the xx, alongside Hannah Reids beautiful, emotive vocal ability -- which rises and falls with an alarmingly disarming effect -- the album is a practice in refrain, where each song is pushed to the brink of an inevitable climax and achingly, no further. The percussive production, synths, and basslines provided by multi-instrumentalist Dot Major, build on this sense of drama and urgency and are displayed perfectly in one of the highlights of the record, "Wasting My Young Years." Its throbbing chorus is chastened by the slow-burning synths and guitars that come together with stunning results when coupled with Reids vocal delivery. The obvious confidence Reid has in her own voice belies the apparent vulnerability in the words she sings throughout, and the piano ballad "Strong" is testament to the loneliness and heartbreak that encapsulates the brooding feel of the album, which conflicts with the almost upbeat, danceable moments scattered amongst "Flickers" and "Stay Awake." They pay homage to their electronic influences mid-album with a rework of Kavinskys "Nightcall" that unfolds gently into one of the most boisterous cuts on the record. Its no surprise that Reids strong vocals are at the forefront of London Grammars sound, and her voice dominates their music in much the same way as Florence Welchs does in Florence + the Machine. However, although at times they come close to overshadowing the subtle instrumentation provided by Major and Dan Rothman, it’s actually the intrinsic balance between the contributions of all three that defines their sound. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 10 Title: If You Wait (Remixes) Released: 2014-05-06 Tracks: 6 Duration: 37:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Hey Now (Arty remix) (05:51) 2 Strong (Jonas Rathsman remix) (06:23) 3 Metal & Dust (Friend Within remix) (06:28) 4 Nightcall (Isaac Tichauer remix) (06:20) 5 Strong (RAC remix) (04:07) 6 Hey Now (Sasha remix) (08:32) |
 | Album: 4 of 10 Title: Sights Released: 2014-07-01 Tracks: 5 Duration: 26:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Sights (radio edit) (03:45) 2 Sights (Tourist version) (05:13) 3 Sights (Andy C remix) (05:14) 4 Sights (Waze & Odyssey remix) (05:55) 5 Sights (Joshua James remix) (06:21) |
 | Album: 5 of 10 Title: If You Wait (Remixes 2) Released: 2014-08-25 Tracks: 6 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Strong (Claude VonStroke Remix) (?) 2 Strong (Evian Christ Remix) (?) 3 Hey Now (Zero 7 Remix) (?) 4 Hey Now (Tensnake Remix) (?) 5 Sights (Tourist Version) (?) 6 Hey Now (UNKLE Remix) (?) |
 | Album: 6 of 10 Title: Big Picture (Remixes) Released: 2017-02-24 Tracks: 4 Duration: 25:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Big Picture (SG Lewis remix) (05:48) 2 Big Picture (Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas remix) (08:34) 3 Big Picture (Gui Boratto rework) (07:05) 4 Big Picture (THRDL!FE Remix) (03:53) |
 | Album: 7 of 10 Title: Truth Is a Beautiful Thing Released: 2017-06-09 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:19:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rooting for You (04:29) 2 Big Picture (04:41) 3 Wild Eyed (04:28) 4 Oh Woman Oh Man (04:35) 5 Hell to the Liars (06:05) 6 Everyone Else (04:05) 7 Non Believer (04:18) 8 Bones of Ribbon (04:34) 9 Who Am I (04:22) 10 Leave the War With Me (05:05) 11 Truth Is a Beautiful Thing (05:07) 1 What a Day (04:54) 2 Different Breeds (03:29) 3 Control (03:05) 4 Trials (demo) (03:42) 5 May the Best (Church mix) (04:09) 6 Rooting for You (demo) (04:13) 7 Bitter Sweet Symphony (live at Maida Vale Studios, London / 2017) (03:53) |
| Truth Is a Beautiful Thing : Allmusic album 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 Reids 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 2013s "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 albums other quieter moments, which tend to lull the listener into a dreamlike haze. While its an overall relaxing experience, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing is never boring; its a comforting and often heartbreaking listen that really gets under the skin, especially with Reids emotive delivery. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 10 Title: Oh Woman Oh Man (Remix EP) Released: 2017-06-30 Tracks: 4 Duration: 22:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Oh Woman Oh Man (Tiga remix) (08:12) 2 Oh Woman Oh Man (DC Breaks remix) (04:11) 3 Oh Woman Oh Man (MK remix) (05:43) 4 Oh Woman Oh Man (Chrome Sparks remix) (04:15) |
 | Album: 9 of 10 Title: Live at the American Cathedral in Paris Released: 2017-07-28 Tracks: 5 Duration: 22:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Oh Woman Oh Man (Live for Deezer) (04:59) 2 Truth is a Beautiful Thing (Live for Deezer) (04:28) 3 Wasting My Young Years (Live for Deezer) (03:28) 4 Strong (Live for Deezer) (04:24) 5 Big Picture (Live for Deezer) (04:52) |
 | Album: 10 of 10 Title: Non Believer (Remix EP) Released: 2017-08-18 Tracks: 2 Duration: 10:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Non Believer (Groove Armada’s revival edit) (04:02) 2 Non Believer (Richy Ahmed remix) (06:44) |