Bad Blood

Bastille is apt to draw comparisons to contemporary acts like The Fray and OneRepublic, but thematically they are also reminiscent of '80s greats like The Fixx, INXS (before they went too mainstream) and Midnight Oil. I am puzzled by reviewers that say it all sounds too much the same, as this album boasts more musical variety across its 15 tracks than I've heard in quite some time. Tribal choral vocals, xylophones, occasional orchestration, and electronic flourishes merge in wonderful synergy with more traditional rock instrumentation. Some tunes (like the irresistibly energetic "Pompeii," "Icarus" and "Laura Palmer") are punchy and bursting with enthusiasm, while others are more driving and deliberate ("Laughter Lines" and "These Streets" -- should appeal to fans of Imagine Dragons). The ballads ("Overjoyed" and "Get Home") resemble some of the better work by Matt Kearney. There is a curious tension at play in many of these carefully-crafted songs, as the music surges and soars across infectious beats while the lyrics tend to have an undeniably gloomy and dark aspect (see, e.g., the two parts of "Weight of Living"). This tension is evident in "Pompeii" as well -- a bit like R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine)." Although the title interpreted literally applies to the ancient Italian tragedy, the lyrics could just as easily be about 9/11, America's misguided Middle Eastern Odyssey in its wake, and back to banking business as usual. Nothing changed at all. How am I gonna be an optimist about this? Simple: express my gratitude that there are outstanding musicians like Bastille out there telling it like it is.

Bastille are an incredible new band from England. Their debut album "Bad Blood" is one of the most impressive first efforts I've heard. The group takes their name from the French national holiday Bastille Day, which is the same day that the lead singer Dan Smith was born on. Dan Smith sings in his natural British accent, which brings a unique flair to the band. There are so many hits on this album that it's hard to decide which tracks I love best. I think the standouts are Pompeii, Things We Lost in the Fire, Bad Blood, Oblivion, and Laughter Lines. However, all of the tracks are catchy and deep, referencing moments in history such as the volcanic eruption in Pompeii in Italy as well as Icarus from Greek mythology and Daniel from the Bible. If you're not too sure about these allusions, try brushing up on your reading to better understand the songs. Definitely give "Bad Blood" a try. I hope Bastille comes out with more amazing music in the near future!

First of all, this is absolutely stunning: Dan's voice is chillingly perfect, the melodies are fantastically haunting, and the lyrics are beautifully poetic and enchanting. Bastille's songs are laced with simple rhythms but filled with haunting melodies that leave the listener still enveloped and entranced even after the song has ended. Most bands are directly relatable to ones from the past, Bastille is not at all like this. It's fresh, new, and amazing as its subtle influences are many great ones. I'd also like to point out that so many of the songs are emotively based off of past events and fiction such as Icarus, Weight of Living Pt 1 (hidden track), Laura Palmer, Daniel in the Den, and Pompeii. What other artist has been able to put past stories and events to music and still reach the top of the charts? So, all in all, best album of the year, no doubt. Five stars from me. If you're on the fence, don't be. I cannot wait for these guys to come see us in America! Also, check out their "Other People's Heartbreak" cover albums if you're dying for more B∆STILLE.

Bastille's sound is different from most pop music I hear. It's not just the British accent, it's a mellow, yet uptempo sound that I love to listen to. The other thing that sets this album apart is its consistent quality and style. Many times an artist has one or two great songs on an album, but the rest are not in the same style or at the same quality. I can listen through this entire album without wanting to skip a single song. While not all of the songs are as great as Pompeii, the rest are all comparable quality to each other and feel like they belong in the same album. Each one is a joy in their own way.

"Bad Blood" is a great pop gem of a CD. The breakout track "Pompeii" is so infectious that it's hard to stay in your seat with Dan Smith's lead vocals, "And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love." "Things We Lost in the Fire" is the second track and starts morbidly slow for the first 30 seconds before bounding into full bounce mode, "I was the match and you were the rock -- maybe we started this fire?" "Flaws" is another entrancing track with pounding energy, "You have always worn your flaws upon your sleeve; and I have always buried them deep beneath the ground." "Laura Palmer" starts with a heartbeat and jets into a driving pop tune, "You ran into the night from all you had." While the sound is similar throughout the set, many of the other tracks like the title tune and "Weight of Living" are also gems. My daughter to whom I continually subject my musical tastes came to me and said, "Dad I think you'd like this music." She was right! Enjoy!

Esté sin duda fue una de las mejores entregas del 2013, la primera entrega de esté grupo donde sin duda dejaron una buena impresión a nivel internacional. Pompeii es solo una canción mas, ya que todo el disco contiene temas igual ó mejores.

Vinile strepitoso!!! Le 12 tracce che lo compongono sono TUTTE straordinarie! Lo si ascolta milioni di volte e non stufa mai. Musica particolare, a tratti tribale, innovativa e bellissima! La qualità del vinile vale i soldi spesi, suoni profondi che incantano. Anche a volume generoso il suono è limpido e graffiante. Sono assolutamente soddisfatta dell'acquisto e lo consiglio caldamente! Rispetto alle tracce digitali il vinile restituisce mille volte il suono rendendo i pezzi unici, anche con un giradischi vecchiotto come il mio.

Parfait

Otro acierto

Intelligente, bewegende Popsongs. Music that matters. Nur zwei der dreizehn Lieder empfinde ich als entbehrlich, aber trotzdem noch sehr gut gelungen. Den Rest finde ich hinreißend, mitreißend, überwältigend. Eingängige Melodien, Texte mit augenöffnenden 'Catchphrases', in denen sich wohl vor allem Leute in ihren 20ern angesprochen fühlen ('all that you desired when you were a child was to be old / now that you are here, suddenly you fear you've lost control / do you like the person you've become?'). Eine Stimme, die diese Texte nicht nur vertont, sondern sie mit einer Extra-Schicht an, ich nenne es mal, 'Dringlichkeit' ausstattet. Trotzdem ist es keine Musik, die man mit dem Kopf hört - es ist einfach echt Pop - wenn man in der Stimmung ist, gehen die Beats und Rhythmen direkt in die Beine, und man singt die Texte enthusiastisch mit. Tipp: Laut anhören, von vorne bis hinten. Wenn das letzte Lied vorbei ist, könnte es sein, dass man ein bisschen glücklich ist. Und gleich noch mal auf 'Play' drückt.