It’s not often that bands hit mainstream success while still maintaining their indie credentials. “Bad Blood,” Bastille’s first studio album, proves the band is capable of accomplishing both.
The album’s opening track, “Pompeii,” is at once anthemic and exhilaratingly catchy, mixing a grand, sweeping melody with tribal percussion and lyrics that make it eminently memorable. The rest of the album quickly follows suit, displaying a refinement of sound usually not present in acts so young.
Tracks like “Things We Lost in the Fire” and “Overjoyed,” while not as dynamic as “Pompeii” — admittedly a hard song to follow — drive home the rich almost uplifting quality present in most Bastille songs. “Bad Blood” and “Flaws” typify the variety of infectious beats that reside within each track.
That’s not to say that the band isn’t capable of more subdued fare. “Oblivion” and “Get Home” see Bastille put away the drums and heavy choruses for a stripped down piano that showcases both the band’s knack for polished arrangements and frontman Dan Smith’s powerful voice. Although he is not a remarkable singer, Smith is able to lace even the grandest of melodies with a layer of emotion. This goes a long way in guiding the tone of each song and creating a difference in feel.
This proves to be a testament to not only his skill as a musician, but also as the creative force behind the band. Smith doesn’t only have a clear vision for the kind of music he wants to create, but he’s also blessed with an ear for what connects with the listener.
Adding to the experience are Smith’s lyrics. Rather than focus on love-life woes, Smith reaches for myths and epic stories. “Icarus” and “Daniel in the Den” are perfect examples. With the first, Smith draws on Greek mythology (“Icarus is flying to an early grave”) while on the second, he reaches for the Bible (“And you thought the lions were bad”).
But ancient texts aren’t the only place he draws his inspiration from — pop culture is also represented. “Laura Palmer” is based on the David Lynch cult classic TV show “Twin Peaks” of which Smith is a huge fan (“You ran into the night/you can’t be found”).
Overall, “Bad Blood” proves to be a strong debut album, with the potential for many fall hits, chief among them, “Icarus” and “Flaws.” However, it may be a tad disappointing, as “Bad Blood” pales in comparison to an earlier, standout work, Bastille’s iTunes Festival EP.
Recorded live, the EP features some songs from “Bad Blood” (“Icarus,” “Overjoyed”) and shows how powerful the band can be when performing on stage. Also palpable on the EP is Smith’s ability to creatively interpret and cover songs, such as City High’s “What Would You Do?” If Smith could again channel the rawness of that EP, Bastille’s next album could easily be a classic.
A version of this article appeared in the Thursday, Sep. 5 print edition. Nivea Serrao is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].
