In the year of 2025, genuine success stories from the music industry seem to be increasingly hard to come by. With reflection on Sam Fender recently saying the line of work is ‘rigged’ against working class musicians, it’s hard to think of a new voice to emerge prominently onto the scene that doesn’t have the backing of a major label or a large loan from their parents’ pockets. The Lathums, in all of their jingle indie pop, act as one exception to the rule.
Their breakaway single, ‘The Great Escape’ was initially discovered in a Twitter frenzy when the band had less than 50 monthly listeners on Spotify. It felt like a genuine lightning-in-a-bottle moment – a discovery of brilliance that was undeservedly yet to be heard by the rest of the UK’s guitar scene. Fast forward six years and the band would have likely snapped your hands off to achieve just a fraction of what they would go on to do. Two number-one albums and a massive homecoming gig last summer at Wigan’s Robin Park in front of 11,500 people spells out life-changing success for four lads originally coming from working-class backgrounds. Now with the imminent release of their third album, ‘Matter Does Not Define’, they’ve mostly stuck to the fool-proof formula that provided them that success in the first place. At times, it can feel overly safe in sound, but it is hard to fault them for wanting to stick to their roots; after all, it’s what made them who they are today.
Album opener, ‘Leave No Stone Unturned’ features a rollicking instrumental that serves as an impression of what’s to come. Lead guitarist Scott Conception shines here as he has typically tended to in years gone by; his guitar solos are often begging to be played in front of the biggest amp imaginable, and nothing has changed here in the opening minutes of their third record.
Follow-up ‘Reflections Of Lessons Left’ is where the album really shifts into gear, though. Its acoustic playing kicks into a groove that never seems to let go, and frontman Alex Moore’s lyrics see him attempting to be optimistic in a world that won’t let him: “There’s a lovely world out there/A beautiful divine”. It strikes the right balance between comfort and challenging, with songwriting that’s trying to provide solace to Alex as much as it is to the listener. From here on songs come in thick and fast, albeit sometimes to its detriment. The consistent pace initially set can often suffocate the earlier stages of the record, with some songs struggling to find breath when put against each other. ‘Stellar Cast’, ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘Dynamite’ all adequately stand on their own but when following on from one another, they can feel
Thankfully, ‘Unrequited Love’ comes at a perfect time in the midpoint. A slower ballad, Alex’s singing is a standout here on a song that could have easily come across as soppy before it felt sincere. The latter is true, though, and perfectly mixed backing vocals only help elevate the track to a grandiose feel. As songs continue on the album returns to its steady pace, with ‘The Jester’ being notably punchy. However, the band left their strongest effort until the penultimate moment with ‘Long Shadows’. Recorded in one take, the track keeps you at bay for the majority of the runtime, relentlessly building upon its atmospheric noise to create something truly cathartic in its climax. Album closer ‘Love Of My Life’ features an acoustic chord progression that could have been written by Paul McCartney, and Alex’s lyrics ring sweetly across.
For the most part, ‘Matter Does Not Define’ finds strength in its safety. Longstay fans will welcome it to their ear just as kindly as they did six years ago with ‘The Great Escape’, but you can’t help but think how easily it would also slot into their third album as well as it did their first. However, a lack of progression can’t be confused with complacency. There are still 12 well-written, produced and thought-through tracks here, and they’ll easily find their way on a setlist and please fans for years to come. It feels as though that is what matters most to The Lathums, and who can fault them for that?