I, personally, am much more of a Pandora radio fan than an iTunes fan. It takes more than a short fandom to make me actually want to purchase an album; however, my wallet is wide open for Bastille’s new album.
After discovering them on Pandora and learning about Bad Blood,”I knew that this was an album that I would love to have for keeps.
The opening track, “Pompeii,” is definitely the most well-known of all the songs. While many song messages are used up, Bastille poses its themes in new ways. “How am I going to be an optimist about this?” is much more telling and emotional than some sappy overused lyrics. Sometimes, people have to ask themselves just this.
Instead of drowning in sadness, Bastille is actually posing questions. I cannot get enough of the lyrics to this song, as well as the catchy background vocals.
“The Things We Lost in the Fire,” is also relatively well-known. Honestly, I find it quite repetitive. It definitely doesn’t display Bastille’s over all greatness.
The third track, “Bad Blood,” is also sure to be a crowd pleaser, and relatable to college students. It is all about finding yourself and growing up. The beats are really what make it a winner. Although it isn’t exactly dance music, there is no way to listen to a Bastille track without doing a little bit of foot tapping.
“Overjoyed,” probably has the most chilling vocals. Warning: expect goose bumps! The high slow breathy sound alternated with an urgent tapping drum is captivating enough to make even the most distracted listener stop and enjoy.
“These Streets,” involves awesome percussion: drums, a xylophone, and snapping dominates the track. It is the most dancey track of the album. The song is all about giving memories away to the other person. “I won’t show my face here anymore.”
“Oblivion,” is pretty much the opposite of “These Streets.” It revolves around a constant remembering of memories.
“Flaws,” is probably my second favorite, after the opening track. It has a constant fast beat that crosses into a techno area. It is almost relatable to video game sound effects, which is way cooler than it sounds. It compares people who wear their flaws and those who bury them. The great message is to “dig them out” for the world to see. Being yourself may bring up some flaws, but also releases great burdens and feelings of being uncomfortable.
“Laura Palmer,” was new to me before purchasing this album, but the musical greatness is right up there with “Pompeii.” Fast speaking and loud booming make this song the most intense and anticipation-building track of the album. This track will definitely wake you up through those long midterm study sessions everyone is experiencing right about now.
“Get Home,” was one of the songs that originally persuaded me to purchase this album. The track has an eerie feel, like much of the rest of the album. “How am I going to get myself back home?” it asks, an analogy for the crazy situations life puts you in. Once again, Bastille is posing a question instead of giving the listening audience the same boring clichés.
The iTunes album also includes three bonus tracks worth checking out, the favorite of mine being “Laughter Lines.” The opening sounds perfect for Halloween, but the song is much deeper than it first appears. It tells a beautiful story about needing to say goodbye to people, with the trust that you will meet again when you are wiser and older.
