Review: Last July, A True Story Of A Lie
Just dropping in to post this review I wrote for Last July's first album, since I don't currently write for any darkwave/goth type sites so haven't got an obvious place for it. Great album though so it deserves to be plugged somewhere...
***
It's unusual these days to see a darkwave/goth type band who've evolved from a two-piece to a full lineup, most bands tending to go in the other direction, but Last July have always been something a little different. Starting out as a duo consisting of vocalist Alix (formerly of Cambridge folk-rockers Skelliga) and synth maestro Dvae, this hard-working act earned some early respect in the UK goth and darkwave scene for their catchy, heartfelt songs and charismatic live performances. Looking for some extra depth to their sound, they went on to recruit guitarist Nevla and, later, bassist H, both former members of underground goth legends Rome Burns.
With all of that, it took them a while to get around to releasing a full debut album, but the wait was definitely worth it for the evocatively titled A True Story of a Lie. Last July are still building on a basic darkwave format, the songs structured around Dvae's synths, but the addition of guitar and bass does a lot to fill out their sound and moves them towards full-on goth territory. Their true showpiece, though, is Alix's vocals; she has a powerful, clear voice that can transition smoothly through an impressive range of moods, from husky, sensual tenderness on the romantic "Steal You Away" to the gleefully catty snarl she deploys on single "Glamorous Parasite". For me though she's at her absolute best when she cuts loose and soars, as she does on "Scars" and especially on the chorus of the title track where you can hear the debt she owes to the great female vocalists of the eighties - there's shades here of the passion and power of a Bonnie Tyler or Pat Benatar. Meanwhile, the refrains that back her up range from pensive to playful, all loaded with plenty of dancefloor-ready beats thrown in to keep an audience on their feet. Dvae's synths evoke a concert-hall sense of scale, sweeping wide in rich layers of sound, with a rumbling low end that adds a hint of menace to keep the sweet melodies from becoming cloying. Nevla's guitar work more than justifies his addition to the band, with his swooping, fluid high leads playing beautifully off the synth lines. Lyrically, the album embraces a full range of topics from hope to despair; but the strongest motif here is that of deeply felt love, whether for good or ill. The tearjerkingly tender "Restless" belies its title with a devoted lover's promise of sanctuary, while "Muses" is a searing indictment of one who played the singer false - that fierce chorus refrain of "What are you afraid of?" is perfect singalong material for the broken-hearted and pissed off. You certainly couldn't accuse Last July of a shortage of passion in either direction.
While there are a couple of tracks that might possibly be called filler ("Deadfall" in particular never sticks in my head for some reason) the only things on this album that could really be faulted do sound like simply the teething troubles of a debut. The mix is a little thin in spots, with Alix's voice coming somewhat too far forward at the expense of everything else, especially on the earlier tracks; and sometimes this betrays that she's perhaps struggling to get the same conviction into her vocals in the studio as she's accustomed to delivering live. Having seen Last July several times, though, I can certainly vouch that these aren't problems inherent to the band per se (while this album is a great piece of work and I'd fully recommend it, I'd even more recommend going to one of their gigs if you get the chance.) I'm hoping to hear these minor niggles ironed out on their sophomore release; but until then, A True Story of a Lie is well deserving of your attention. 4/5
***
Laters,
Rath
***
It's unusual these days to see a darkwave/goth type band who've evolved from a two-piece to a full lineup, most bands tending to go in the other direction, but Last July have always been something a little different. Starting out as a duo consisting of vocalist Alix (formerly of Cambridge folk-rockers Skelliga) and synth maestro Dvae, this hard-working act earned some early respect in the UK goth and darkwave scene for their catchy, heartfelt songs and charismatic live performances. Looking for some extra depth to their sound, they went on to recruit guitarist Nevla and, later, bassist H, both former members of underground goth legends Rome Burns.
With all of that, it took them a while to get around to releasing a full debut album, but the wait was definitely worth it for the evocatively titled A True Story of a Lie. Last July are still building on a basic darkwave format, the songs structured around Dvae's synths, but the addition of guitar and bass does a lot to fill out their sound and moves them towards full-on goth territory. Their true showpiece, though, is Alix's vocals; she has a powerful, clear voice that can transition smoothly through an impressive range of moods, from husky, sensual tenderness on the romantic "Steal You Away" to the gleefully catty snarl she deploys on single "Glamorous Parasite". For me though she's at her absolute best when she cuts loose and soars, as she does on "Scars" and especially on the chorus of the title track where you can hear the debt she owes to the great female vocalists of the eighties - there's shades here of the passion and power of a Bonnie Tyler or Pat Benatar. Meanwhile, the refrains that back her up range from pensive to playful, all loaded with plenty of dancefloor-ready beats thrown in to keep an audience on their feet. Dvae's synths evoke a concert-hall sense of scale, sweeping wide in rich layers of sound, with a rumbling low end that adds a hint of menace to keep the sweet melodies from becoming cloying. Nevla's guitar work more than justifies his addition to the band, with his swooping, fluid high leads playing beautifully off the synth lines. Lyrically, the album embraces a full range of topics from hope to despair; but the strongest motif here is that of deeply felt love, whether for good or ill. The tearjerkingly tender "Restless" belies its title with a devoted lover's promise of sanctuary, while "Muses" is a searing indictment of one who played the singer false - that fierce chorus refrain of "What are you afraid of?" is perfect singalong material for the broken-hearted and pissed off. You certainly couldn't accuse Last July of a shortage of passion in either direction.
While there are a couple of tracks that might possibly be called filler ("Deadfall" in particular never sticks in my head for some reason) the only things on this album that could really be faulted do sound like simply the teething troubles of a debut. The mix is a little thin in spots, with Alix's voice coming somewhat too far forward at the expense of everything else, especially on the earlier tracks; and sometimes this betrays that she's perhaps struggling to get the same conviction into her vocals in the studio as she's accustomed to delivering live. Having seen Last July several times, though, I can certainly vouch that these aren't problems inherent to the band per se (while this album is a great piece of work and I'd fully recommend it, I'd even more recommend going to one of their gigs if you get the chance.) I'm hoping to hear these minor niggles ironed out on their sophomore release; but until then, A True Story of a Lie is well deserving of your attention. 4/5
***
Laters,
Rath