The Lathums are a British-indie rock band, known for their songs “Struggle” and “How Beautiful Life Can Be.” Their new album, “Matter Does Not Define” was released on Friday and did not disappoint fans.
The opening track, “Leave No Stone Unturned,” has a very similar sound to some of The Lathums’ earlier works, including “Villainous Victorian” off of their self-titled album. With lyrics like, “Devoid any answers / corruption, it’s madness / in a common crisis / unrighteous devices / feed vices, advices / brothers and sisters, conform,” The Lathums encourage people to speak out against the corruption found in society.
According to frontman of the band Alex Moore, the song is a “call to dig deep and uncover hidden truths, both in our own lives and in society.”
The next song, “Reflections of Lessons Left,” continues this theme, saying, “Cause we’re all the same / we bleed and complain / No, no need / For violence, can’t you see.” This song reflects on the human experience of searching for meaning while also hoping for a better future for humanity.
The third song on the album is “Stellar Cast,” which was released as a single back in October. This upbeat song is about an “otherworldly figure” that won’t leave Moore’s mind. “No, I can’t get you out my mind / Oh, I’ve thought about it once or twice / No, I can’t get you out my mind / And even if I could, I wouldn’t try,” he sings.
The fourth song is another single, titled “Heartbreaker.” It’s an empowering song about embracing your true self, saying, “We are human, we’re breathing, we’re one and the same / Why do we fight, baby? / It just don’t make sense / We got more in common than we sometimes think.” “Heartbreaker” introduces a new sound for The Lathums, with a more techno-based song than the others.
The next track, “Dynamite,” is a beautiful song about exploring vulnerability while falling in love. This song had the best chorus on the album by far with the lyrics, “If the sea should hold me / If the words command me / If the lights are blinding / When the world is frightening / I’ll know it’s you, dynamite.”
My favorite song on the album is the sixth, titled “Unrequited Love.” It is a sweet ballad that explores the themes of missed chances and unrequited love; holding onto the past while simultaneously trying to move forward, “… maybe someday later on / They’ll meet again in the coffee shop / And he’ll pull from his coat the love song he never wrote.” The entire song tells a story, something that The Lathums are great at.
Next is yet another single, “No Direction.” Released last July, “No Direction” is a fast-paced song with an emphasis on drums. Repeating the line, “For there’s no direction, but up,” The Lathums encourage listeners to realize that they shouldn’t focus on the past, instead they should look toward the future.
“Knocking At Your Door,” the ninth song on “Matter Does Not Define,” is arguably the most important and necessary song on this album. Moore says the point of the song is to criticize how “ordinary people are taken advantage of by those in power.”
The song begins slow, with the chorus saying, “They’re knocking at your door / Won’t take no for an answer / Always asking you for more,” before picking up the tempo before the line, “But you’ve become so clever / You understand the system … now they deem us as a threat.” This song asks its listeners to recognize the fact that the government is taking from them with no concern for their well-being and to become empowered against their oppressors.
“Surrounded By Beauty” is number 11 on the album, showing how Moore wants to become more present and aware of the things happening around him rather than only focusing on himself. The chorus includes the line, “I stand here surrounded by beauty and think that I’m cursed,” and is such a relatable line for anyone who hears it. It is an overall catchy song that is easy to pick up on the lyrics.
The final song is “Long Shadows” — it’s also the longest song on the album at almost five minutes. It talks about the darkness of love casting a shadow over yourself, while also using metaphors of light to represent how one can hurt and heal at the same time. This song drags for most of the song, but ends on a fast tempo with the lyrics, “Nothing is free, nothing is free / We are free, and are free / We are happy tonight, tonight.”
“Matter Does Not Define” is able to capture the fears and hopes of people world-wide in an ever changing world. Their sound has definitely matured over the years and this album is just one example of how amazing their music is.
5/5 stars
rcassio@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @thelathums, Instagram
