Prelude to Ecstasy

The debut long-player from the London baroque pop provocateurs, Prelude to Ecstasy combines the sweeping, Bronte-esque indie rock of Florence + the Machine and the come-hither decadence of Suede with the winking pop acumen of Sparks and Wet Leg. The groups swift ascension to rock royalty -- they nabbed an opening slot for the Rolling Stones in Hyde Park without releasing a single yet -- was met with knee-jerk accusations of nepotism and industry chicanery, charges that the group rebuked by being really f*cking good. 2023s "Nothing Matters," a lusty, festival-ready anthem that comes off like Anna Calvi fronting ABBA, stormed the U.K. charts and set a bold precedent. The arrivals of "Sinner" and "My Lady of Mercy" answered the call, with the former channeling Roxy Music and Bowie -- check out the gnarly, Carlos Alomar-inspired guitar work from Emily Roberts -- and the latter pairing Abigail Morris Russell Mael lilt and syllabic gymnastics with the operatic splendor of Miranda Sex Garden. The remainder of Prelude to Ecstasy draws from all those influences, delivering a remarkably assured set of bold-faced indie rock and maximalist goth pop teaming with earworm melodies, intelligent, darkly romantic lyrics, and thespian bluster. ~ James Christopher Monger