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All-female quintet alt-group The Last dinner Party are blowing up – and the world is talking about it. With such a rousing success in a short span of time, the band have been accused of being “industry plants.” What truth is behind this statement and is all just a “nasty lie”?

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Mixing baroque-pop with alternative post-punk, the five members of The Last Dinner Party – Abigail Morris on vocals, Georgia Davies on bass, Lizzie Mayland on guitar, Aurora Nishevci on keys, and Emily Roberts on lead guitar – have caused quite a stir in the music world as their music is drawn comparisons to everything from ABBA, Sparks and Kate Bush to everything in-between. Following on a swoop of Island Records from their early shows, their debut single of Nothing Matters has brought about an added sense of showmanship, musical depth and strong songwriting to the world of alternative creativity. But alas – with anything that comes at us too fast for us to handle, our guard is drawn. As such, the music dorks and dweebs have clawed out of their holes and accused slander.

Their rise may be a little bit odd – with the band missing out the long overhauling stretch of empty rooms and quiet singles – but funnily enough, it can happen. It’s not like the music is mediocre either. It’s a blazing triumph of songwriting to say the least – some say an overload of the senses for many. A catchy chorus, pragmatic vocals, a guitar solo. With the band being in the right place at the right time, they’ve hit the ground running with Glastonbury slots, BBC sessions, support slots with the likes of Florence and The Rolling Stones and a sold-out UK tour, all within mere months of dropping their first whiff of what they sound like. The magic of an early signing has pumped capital and word-of-mouth to a magnetic band with all the right qualities.

With it, comes the sting of this term an “industry plant” – you think that this term would be in the circles of more mainstream pop, as opposed to its more alternative cousins in the industry. It rather seems all a bit unsettling to me. It’s just a band that are so different that they’ve had this meteoric rise, simply because they’re pumping out the same indie drivel we’ve all grown accustomed to over the years. I think there’s more this yes though, oh yes. I think it’s more to the fact that they’re an all-female band. Wet Leg had it and their a female-fronted band. Take Inhaler for example. A band that is also being talked about. But unlike TLDP, they’re being credited for their musicality and nothing else – despite the fact that the lead singer, Ellijah Hewson, is Bono’s son. Moreover, when it is finally drawn up in conversation, it’s often celebrated that fact that the same musicianship runs in the family. That’s a real nepo-band. This? This is just a band that are simply good at what they do and they’ve been spotted for it. Nothing else to it.

Just like Justin Hawkins squawks on his recent opinion, “if this what it means to be an industry plant, they need to keep on planting…” Here, here. What’s wrong with simply enjoying the music for what it is? Why does it have to have these labels swinging along with it?

In retaliation to all the nonsensical gibberish, play their most recent 6Music Live Session loud, make sure to throw in a few guffaws there too. You can listen to the original recording for a more spicier take on the matter, of course.

At this point, I would also provide a link to their upcoming UK tour dates but like mentioned earlier, it’s all sold out so good luck scranning for any.