Tessa Jillson
Staff Writer
Bastille has come a long way since the release of “Bad Blood” back in 2013. The band features frontman Dan Smith, keyboardist Kyle Simmons, drummer Chris “Woody” Wood and guitarist Will Farquarson.
Fans, or so-called Stormers, have been eagerly waiting over a year to hear new music from Dan and his mates, and on Sept. 9, Bastille finally released their newest album “Wild World.”
Dan Smith in a DIY interview said that human condition was the major theme of their album. His songs express the problems of society in different fictional realities. He plays a short story in your mind using words and instrumental tones to describe how realistically the world works.
“Way Beyond,” which happens to be the only explicit song on the album, criticizes how cold-heartedly the media treats serious issues. The song has an old hip-hop feel to it, ironically describing new first world problems. He talks about the media as if it is a source of entertainment on critical news that should be taken seriously. Dan Smith’s words striking a nerve as he asks why issues are news one day, then forgotten months later. Later on in the song a news clip is played stating, “Victims have to respond to the pressure of the media while still in shock,” which leaves us wondering how fake everything around us seems to be.
Dan Smith states in an interview with Radio.com that he wants his listeners to hear “Blame” as if two gang members are in conflict, one pointing a gun at the other about to pull the trigger. There seems to be a back and forth conversation in the song. One member begs, “Don’t pin it all on me,” and the other states he is sending a message. The first verse ends emotionlessly with, “Send my regards to Hell.”
“Four Walls” is a song written about Perry Smith, a man convicted of a quadruple murder back in 1959. The song is dark, seeming to discuss the problems with capital punishment. His tone expresses the misery of Perry Smith’s certain situation. How jail is there to save you, only to be put to your death, which he states “You’ve only these four walls, before they, in cold blood, hang you up.” He conveys his disgust toward capital punishment by using yet another clip that says, “Being brought up one way and trying to see another way is very difficult,” which in Perry Smith’s case is a reason authorizing to kill someone should be illegal.
One of last songs on the album is titled “Campus” and evokes the college atmosphere using clapping or the taps of cups. Dan Smith is stating what every college kid is thinking, but doesn’t want to hear, new ideas don’t exist. He says, “Someone else’s words in your mouth, someone else’s hard work and research taking you up in the world,” but also encourages his listeners to keep pursuing by stating “Oh never leave me out” as if a plea to add your place in the world.
“Wild World” is available on iTunes and Spotify.