Hey guys, so in case you didn’t know what today is, it’s Bastille Day! This day, also known as French National Day, is celebrated due to the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution, turning the tide. So, “Why is this significant?” you might ask. Well, my band for this week is Bastille, whose lead singer, Dan Smith, has a birthday today (hence the name). They were my first concert on June 1^st, 2015, and out of all of the others I have been they still rank pretty high.

So let’s get to it. As you would expect, I will be analyzing Bastille’s first album, Bad Blood, because debut albums are usually the greatest. One of the things that I love about Bastille is that every song is like a puzzle to figure out; the meaning of the lyrics is not immediately evident after just one listen. I really enjoy just processing the words and connecting them to things in my life. As far as their sound goes, Dan Smith’s voice is captivating, clear, and piercing. It fits well with their lyrics, which are generally a bit pessimistic. However, there are different types of music for different moods, and Bad Blood would be a good album to put on when feeling a little down in the dumps, if you want to stay there that is.

“Pompeii”- Rhythmic, characteristic, and enticing chants begin this song, giving it a seriousness that is expected for a song about a volcano destroying an entire city. The idea here is that two people ignore their crumbling relationship until it all falls down, much like the citizens of Pompeii ignored all signs that their city would be destroyed. Despite the dismal message, it made a great radio hit.

“Icarus”- If you know the legend of Icarus, this should make a lot of sense to you. He and his father crafted wings made from wax and feathers to escape from Crete. They were flying over the ocean and his father told him not to fly too close to the sun. However, Icarus did not listen and his wings came apart, dropping him into the water. Bastille uses his story as a metaphor for a young person who wants to make their own decisions and not listen to their parents, but ultimately suffers harmful effects. Again, quite a depressing song, but it uses a desperate kind of melody to support the message.

“Oblivion”- Dan’s voice could be described as tender but almost painful in this song. It’s probably the most emotional song on the album, and it’s about loving someone but not understanding where their mind is going, which is to oblivion. I didn’t understand it was about depression until I looked it up, but it makes me appreciate the song even more. Rather than the other tracks on the album, it doesn’t sound refined and produced.

As usual, there are several other songs from Bad Blood that I could obsess over, but I think you get the gist of it. Bastille makes such awesome (but quite depressing actually) music that really challenges the listener to think and look inside of themselves. I know I’ve had realizations about life just through their songs. So go on, check them out, and keep exploring new artists!