The Greatest Love (album)

The Greatest Love is the fourth studio album by English indie pop band London Grammar. It was released on 13 September 2024 through Metal & Dust and Ministry of Sound.

Background and singles

Arriving over a decade after their debut album If You Wait (2013), The Greatest Love was set to "celebrate a new chapter as they leave their past behind them" with a "newfound sense" of freedom. The album was preceded by four singles: "House" on 5 April, "Kind of Man" on 17 May, "Into Gold" on 21 June 2024 and “Fakest Bitch” on 9 August 2024. A fifth single, “You And I”, was released alongside the launch of the album on 13 September 2024.

Critical reception

The Greatest Love received generally positive reviews from music critics. Christopher Connor of Clash labelled the project a "finely measured return" in what felt to Connor as a "real statement" from the band with their presentation of a "variety of influences and textures". The author further opined that it contains some of their "best work to date" that rewards new and old listeners alike. Martyn Young at Dork also picks up the inclusion of variety on the record, saying how the "stunning vocals" of Reid find themselves "employed in an ever more rich and dynamic form as she employs different facets of her voice for different moods".

In a more critical review, MusicOMHs John Murphy noted that the band is stuck "very much in a comfort zone" with a sound that "has never really developed over the years", a state that is only elevated by Reid's "impressive vocals". Murphy concluded that The Greatest Love is "exactly" what the listener expects.

Track listing

Notes

• signifies an additional producer
• signifies an additional vocal producer

Personnel

London Grammar

• Dot Major – keyboards (tracks 1, 3, 5–10), vocals (1), drums (3–10)
• Hannah Reid – vocals
• Dan Rothman – guitars (all tracks), keyboards (tracks 1, 3–6, 8–10), vocals (1)

Additional musicians

• Tim Bran – additional programming (tracks 1–5, 7, 8, 10), additional piano (2)
• Seth Tackaberry – bass guitar (tracks 2, 3)
• Sally Herbert – conductor (tracks 3–6, 8, 10)
• Everton Nelson – string leader (3–6, 8, 10)
• The Rhythm Studio Choir – choir vocals (track 3)
• Pablo Bowman – additional vocals (track 6)

Technical

• John Greenham – mastering
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
• Isabel Gracefield – string engineering (tracks 3–6, 8, 10)
• Matt Wiggins – engineering (tracks 5, 10)
• Drew Dungate-Smith – engineering (track 6)
• Liam Hebb – string engineering assistance (tracks 3–6, 8, 10)
• Sally Herbert – string arrangement (tracks 3–6, 8, 10)

Visuals

• Imogen Snell – creative direction
• Riccardo Castano – creative direction
• Alex Bois – design
• Tarek Mawad – photography

Charts

References