Album Review: The Lathums - 'Matter Does Not Define'
The Lathums return with a record that explores happiness, pain, and optimism in a manner that solidifies them as one of the country's best indie bands.
“When will they learn that it’s not matter that defines a being? It’s the reflections of the lessons they leave” is a beautiful lyric in which the album title takes inspiration from, and it’s perhaps the headspace in which this song was written with frontman Alex Moore revealing on stage that his father had passed away when he was 16. Such tragedy may cause a songwriter to fall into a shell, and create a mood that reflects such a tragedy. But this shows the personality of Alex more than anything, with this album having such a positive and reflective tone.
And this is what makes The Lathums so unique and bold. It’s a sad perspective but there just aren’t many artists within the genre creating such an uplifting melodic and instrumental sound. The singles on this record are massive, and songs that may propel them to the next level. Heartbreaker is a real throwback to that mid-noughties indie boom, with a melody that mimics the guitar rhythm throughout, and wouldn’t sound out of place on a Pigeon Detectives or Strokes record. When speaking about the song, Moore says “I wanted to break away from my usual style, which tends to be more introspective and fictional,” explains Moore.“Lately, people seem to have really been embracing their true selves more, with a sense of pride and confidence. So, I wanted to create a feel-good song that captures that energy, something empowering that people can sing along to and feel unstoppable. Like they’re owning who they are.”
And this energy is ever present throughout the record, and throughout Lathums discography to date. There’s real foot stompers such as Dynamite with a driving snare coercing with an attacked jab of a guitar, and a beautiful walk down melodic chorus that The Lathums have mastered so well over the years. Stellar Cast sounds as if The Specials and Arctic Monkeys had a lovechild; a real aggressive ska feel that discusses a figure of Alex’s imagination. He says:“I got the inspiration for this song after one of our early gigs at the Brudenell in Leeds. We were joined by a stellar lineup. It was one of the rare times I’d had a bit too much to drink before going on stage. That night on the bus back, I had a crazy dream, probably fuelled by all the Jamaican ale I refer to in the song. In the dream, there was a strange figure at the end of my bed that I couldn’t get out of my head for a long time after. “When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time writing my own comics and stories, and that’s probably where my love for songwriting really started. This song is about someone who gets completely drawn in by this mysterious, almost otherworldly figure. They leave the person with more questions than answers, but it’s the kind of obsession they can’t shake, even if they tried”.
This song highlights the bands confidence and reassurance in what they're doing, and knowing the formula to be a unique success in such a competitive market. Alex said “We’ve had a lot of fun creating album three. Though only a couple of years have passed since our last album, it feels like we've matured immensely as musicians. One of my favourite lyrics on the album is from track three, ‘Reflections of Lessons Left’. “When will they learn that it’s not matter that defines a being? It’s the reflections of the lessons they leave” was actually the first lyric I wrote for this album, long before we even started planning it properly. It felt powerful and important to the times we live in, and I wanted it to resonate with others. That lyric became the catalyst for the whole album, setting its tone and message”.
The band embark on a UK tour beginning on March 13th in Glasgow, and ends in Manchester on the 11th April, and with festivals such as Neighbourhood Weekender already announced, a combination of this record, and a summer tour could equal The Lathums biggest year to date.
Words by Doug Dewdney
