– Fenton Wright, Web Services Coordinator
“This is the Killer Speaking” by The Last Dinner Party is some of the most fun that I have had listening to music all year. Each part of the song feels like a different chapter in a modern Western murder-mystery. The song is the first single off their upcoming album From The Pyre, which is set to be released in October.
Here Comes the Killer
One of the best parts of this song is the meaning of it when you read between the lines. On the surface, this song is simply about someone being on the run for a murder that they have committed. They trusted another person to be with them, but they abandoned them and are now on the run alone. If you look a little deeper into the lyrics, the murder in question is the failure of a relationship that could have been avoided if the narrator’s partner had been honest from the beginning. This kind of wordplay is one of the reasons that I love The Last Dinner Party.
On many of their songs, The Last Dinner Party tells grandiose stories about love. On From The Pyre, they have dedicated themselves to putting even more attention on these underlying stories and creating subtle meanings in each line.
Killer Video
Another aspect of this song that is amazing is the music video. The video gives the song this mythical, modern Western feel that adds another layer to the storytelling. In this video, we follow this cowboy as he walks around town looking for this centaur. In between shots of him and the town, we also see the band performing in an underground nightclub setting that makes the song feel even more intimate than it already is. Parts of the video seemingly don’t make sense, but to me, that just adds to the fantastical element of it.
On top of it being well shot, this video is simply just fun to watch. There are so many moving pieces and so many different subtle references and meanings that each time I watch it, I find something new to love about it.
Modern Western
The composition of this song also adds to the mythical/western feel of it. At the beginning, it sets the tone and scene of the song. It sets this kind of bandit on the run, feel to “This is the Killer Speaking.” Add to that the vocals, and this song is spectacular from start to finish.
What’s Next?
Next for The Last Dinner Party is their album release in October. But, before that, be on the lookout for other singles from the album releasing leading up to it. This is a fantastic band and a fantastic song, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
