Public Service Broadcasting – ‘The Last Flight’ album review: an atmospheric and emotional rendering of the Amelia Earhart story
THE SKINNY: The concept album is so often viewed as the peak of musical expression and artistry; difficult to master but utterly groundbreaking if you manage to pull it off. Speaking both to their skill and ambition, Public Service Broadcasting have carved out a name for themselves almost solely based on the creation of concept albums. Since their formation in 2009, the London band have used music and composition as a means of exploring important moments and figures within the world of history and culture. Their latest target is Amelia Earhart.
Let us deal with the elephant in the room first and foremost: Public Service Broadcasting often build their work around audio recordings, samples, and soundbites from the time period or historical event that their music pertains to. For arguably their greatest work, The Race For Space, for instance, the band used news reports from the time, presidential speeches, and audio exchanges from the Apollo missions themselves. However, there are not many recordings of Amelia Earhart, so many of the samples used on The Last Flight were recorded by actors like Kate Graham, using Earhart’s writings and a biography of her to influence the recordings.
These faux recordings, which had been altered with effects to make them sound period correct, give a strange atmosphere to the album; it certainly does not feel as honest as some of their previous work. Nevertheless, the atmospheric soundscapes and strong narratives that Public Service Broadcasting has so often been noted for remain intensely captivating. Over the course of this record, the band and its various collaborators manage to capture the pioneering excitement, romanticism, and ultimate tragedy of Earhart’s story.
This is certainly not the first time the groundbreaking aviator has provided artistic inspiration; it isn’t even the only dedicated concept album about Earhart to be released this year, following Laurie Anderson’s Amelia earlier in the summer. However, few musicians could hope to imbue the story with such emotion and detail as Public Service Broadcasting. Each of their records feels as though they are part musical composition and part history lesson, and this new album is certainly no different.
The Last Flight might not seem as authentic as some of Public Service Broadcasting’s previous work, thanks in part to the fabricated samples, but that should not take away from the incredible concept at the heart of the band. For over a decade now, the band has been operating largely on its own wavelength, creating a sound and atmosphere unparalleled by virtually any other artist currently in operation.
For fans of: Spending a Sunday watching history documentaries but wishing that the filmmakers put a little more effort into the soundtrack.
A concluding comment from a history teacher: “These bastards are putting us out of a job! I can hardly teach kids about anything historical anymore without somebody suggesting I play a synthesiser at the same time.”
The Last Flight track by track:
Release date: October 4th | Producer: J. Willgoose Esq. | Label: SO Recordings
‘I Was Always Dreaming’: Using atmospheric soundscapes and short clips of dialogue recorded by actors supposedly taking on Earhart’s thoughts and feelings, the opening song provides a gentle yet emotionally affecting introduction to this challenging new project for PSB. [3.5/5]
‘Towards The Dawn’: In contrast to the opener, this song sees the band embrace the optimism and defiant innovation that drove Earhart. Public Service Broadcasting manage to capture the excitement of the early days of flight and the incredible achievements of the female aviator. [4/5]
‘The Fun Of It’: This track sees the band collaborate with Andreya Casablanca – of Berlin duo Gurr – in the creation of this pop-centric account of Earhart’s aims. “I do it because I want to” seems to be the rallying cry of both Earhart and this album as a whole, though this particular song fails to capture the same exciting spirit as some of the other efforts on this record. [3/5]
‘The South Atlantic’: Another collaborative track, this time with the folk-oriented sounds of This Is The Kit. Although the transition between the previous song and this one feels a little janky, the gentle voice of Kate Stables helps to pull it through. [3.5/5]
‘Electra’: An ode to the relationship between humanity and machinery, this is undoubtedly the album’s standout track. ‘Electra’ is Public Service Broadcasting at their best – evoking a similar atmosphere and excitement to their previous record, The Race for Space. [4.5/5]
‘Arabian Flight’: Public Service Broadcasting have an uncanny ability to make you, as the listener, feel as though you are on some kind of journey with them. Everybody knows the story of Amelia Earhart and her tragic fate, but upon listening to this, you cannot help but get wrapped up in the romanticism of early flight. [4/5]
‘Monsoons’: Continuing that journey, the band begin to hint at something darker and more tumultuous in this instalment, speaking of clouds and storms, hinting at the disastrous circumstances which would eventually see the end of this album’s subject. [3.5/5]
‘A Different Kind Of Love’: The last of this record’s collaborations comes with this romantic song, made alongside Norwegian musician EERA. Both she and the band aim to detail the romanticism of Earhart and her aims, though the track is certainly at risk of being far too on-the-nose at points, which tends to detract from its message. [3/5]
‘Howland’: Ending on an eight-minute atmospheric epic, the band do justice to the emotionally complex and inspiring story of one of the world’s first female aviators. Although, again, the flow between this song and the previous one does not seem to have been fully thought through, it is hard to deny the emotional weight of this final song. [4/5]
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