“The Last Party” - The Hampdens
They say every day deserves a soundtrack. If that’s true then I’d pick The Hampdens debut album The Last Party for
my Sundays. This isn’t your dance til your feet hurt and drink til you puke kind of party. Instead it evokes chilled out cocktail parties, with some mellow jazz in the background and some good conversation.
It’s one of those sleeper albums, which may not immediately grab you on the first listen. Instead it wraps around you slowly, and becomes richer with each and every listen.
Susannah Legge’s voice is exquisite, ethereal and warm all at the same time. Her lush vocals sit nestled in the mix of synthesizers and strings, a strange blend but one that somehow works.
“Asleep on the Lawn” and “Croupier” are standouts, but this album is really bigger than its parts. The tracks are sewn together to create something rare and beautiful which begs to be played again and again.
Image source: JB Hi-Fi
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2 opinions for “The Last Party” - The Hampdens
Jay
Jun 16, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Agreed. The Hampdens are brilliant and are soooo underrated. I don’t understand why they go completely unnoticed in the media given that their music is very accessible and is pop orientated….so it’s nice to see a mention here. Standouts for me are “Miami” and the cover of The Postal Service’s “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight”.
lkatulka
Jun 17, 2008 at 3:12 am
This is one of the things I love about this album … everyone has different favourite tracks because it’s all so good. I agree Jay - I can’t figure out why they’re not bigger. They’ve landed some massive support slots - I saw them supporting Ray LaMontagne, Rob Thomas, John Mayer, and Thirsty Merc - but for some reason they still haven’t seeped into the mainstream consciousness. I just hope maybe my review can encourage some people to check them out!
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