Album Review: London Grammar – Truth Is A Beautiful Thing

After four long years since having released their well-received debut album If You Wait (2013, Ministry of Sound Records), UK-based triphop trio London Grammar revealed their long anticipated follow-up sophomore full-length Truth Is A Beautiful Thing to the world on June 9th.

Opening track ‘Rooting for You’ had been revealed to the world earlier this year as the first single of the album. The song has the classic London Grammar sound that is loved by so many: quiet, eery, and hauntingly well sung by vocalist Hannah Reid. The second song is also coincidentally the second single the three-piece released: Big Picture is slightly more upbeat, lighter and less heavy on the ears than the previous track.
The band has toured quite a bit since the release of their debut album, but they have also given proper attention to developing their sound further to a more complex and deeper level. On Truth Is A Beautiful Thing, this is done truly effortlessly. A prime example of this flawlessness is ‘Oh Woman Oh Man’, a track so simple yet perfect that every respectable songwriter wishes he or she could produce something similar. Actually, the same can be said for pretty much every single song on this album, but that would make a pretty boring review.

The album changes between moves and vibes without ever losing their trademark ambient sound. Tracks ‘Non Believer’ and ‘Bones of Ribbon’ give us something we don’t hear often from London Grammar, especially after the beginning of this album: a proper beat. After a relatively quiet and mellow first half of the album, where most albums seem to have a drop in energy halfway, the album starts to pick up speed with these two songs. Yet, the ambience and melodicness is never lost.

The album contains eleven songs and its musical structure is pretty much the same as debut album If You Wait: the albums both happen to have the exact same number of track, open with a somewhat dark, eery song and end with the album’s respective title tracks, both mellow. Might this be a coincindence? Maybe. There’s also the possibility that London Grammar have found a formula that works, because they not only met the dreaded expectations of delivering a stellar sophomore album, they completely exceeded them. Truth Is A Beautiful Thing is an exceptionally well written and well executed album that proves once again what an amazing and unique band London Grammar are.

London Grammar are currently touring and playing several festivals across Europe. For dates, visit their official website.