The duo played a few songs on Later…with Jools Holland back in May, and ‘Mountains’ stood out, which showed that this was an album to look forward to. Contrary to what occurred at BBC’s 1 Big Weekend festival, where Mike and Ben showed their disdain at the crowd for not giving their performance enough attention, their teasing of the record on Jools’ show showed that that would be water under the bridge as the duo still had the sound that everyone fell in love with in the last decade.
This is the Brighton duo’s fourth studio album, and despite being short, I enjoyed it. I have heard indifferent opinions on the record. My only complaint is it was far too short at 31 minutes 22 seconds( Even the bonus tracks see it under 40 minutes.). Still, at the same time, the duo appear to be taking it back to the days when a single played on the radio was extremely short (Usually just under 3 minutes or barely over.). The album is also their debut in producing their music, which has borne fruit. It is not because it has obviously hit the top of the chart, but because the songs are good. One of the factors of Royal Blood experimenting in the studio was there was no one to tell them to play it safe.
There are plenty of influences of the late David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust-era on ‘the Firing Line’ and the Beatles during their psychedelic phase. We then have funk on ‘High Water’ and the usual metal sound on ‘Shiner in the Dark’. There are even quieter moments with piano ballads—something which we are unfamiliar with the duo.
I loved the guitar solo on ‘There Goes My Cool’. The album is an eclectic mix of sounds that has inspired Mike and Ben at some point in their lives, and we are only starting to hear it now the duo have self-produced. Of course, there is the usual lull, which is found on every record you have ever heard during the middle, but overall, despite its short length, this was an excellent listen.
Song recommendations: ‘the Firing Line’, ‘There Goes My Cool’, ‘Everything’s Fine’
Who could forget 2015 when Hozier went toe-to-toe with James Bay for the anthem of the year? I am trying to remember who won precisely, but both anthems are now somewhat iconic. That was the beginning of Hozier’s already lengthy career. We might not have heard of him until then, but he was in a band before and did several live performances as a backing vocalist, et cetera. His anthem, ‘Take Me to Church’, finally got him noticed. The whole album was good, and the songs performed live were quite celestial. According to an interview with Jools Holland, “Unreal Unearth”, his third studio album, is inspired by literature, such as Danté.
What I found somewhat surprising is Hozier has written only two songs on the record, and the rest are co-written. You would think Hozier wouldn’t find this necessary, as he has shown he is a great songwriter on many occasions. As you can imagine, the two he wrote are by far the best work on the album. One of them would be seen as controversial over here as it details how the Irish citizens suffered at the hands of Britain during the invasion. Particularly the holocaust, which is dressed as the “famine”. The track in question is called ‘Butchered Tongue’, and over this plucked acoustic tune, Hozier gives a fiery vocal delivery about the injustices. If you can’t handle sheer honesty in the song, then don’t listen. He doesn’t hold back. It was also refreshing to hear a Gaelige song that introduces the album—further stamping his Irish identity. The second, written by him, is towards the end of the album ‘Unknown/Nth’, an ethereal track riddled with metaphors.
Another of my standouts are songs I had earlier in the year when he performed on Later…with Jools Holland. ‘Eat Your Young’ is quite a disturbing track. Still, it has some fantastic guitar work by Hozier and then ‘Francesa’, a highly emotional track about someone dying of an incurable disease. The vocal delivery on both are raw and sung with absolute conviction. Hozier’s lyrics go from biblical references, to the outlandish naming of car parts. It is beyond insane as the record progresses. The biblical references kind of blend in with the whole Danté-inspired premise.
In the Spring edition of Later…with Jools Holland this year, Jools felt the album was eclectic, and Hozier agreed. Indeed, this record has funk, soul, Celtic, and rock, to name a few. As well as having co-writers, Hozier also did an indie-inspired track called ‘Damage Gets Done’ with Brandi Carlile. Then there is a jazz track, ‘All Things End’. You would be forgiven for detecting a metronome, but it is surprisingly finger clicks, complete with a gospel choir in the chorus.
It was disappointing to find Hozier acquired co-writers for this album, and you feel cheated knowing he did. Yes, co-writers can write, but they need help understanding the meaning of your songs. As mentioned earlier, Hozier, in his own right, is a great songwriter, so this decision seems odd. Hozier is known for writing passionately about things he is interested in or his life. I can only think the record label browbeat him into using co-writers because they would be able to stem his creativity on what can be controversial opinions. The real test is how they hold up live. Although the album might be slightly manic with the genre-hopping, I still find it quite a good listen.
Song recommendations: ‘Francesca’, ‘Butchered Tongue’. ‘De Selby Part 1’
I was incredibly pleased when I saw Derm get to number one. I have known him for a while now. He first followed me on twitter back in 2018 (I think.), and I have been pursuing the Dubliner’s career since. I was also proud to see him on the autumn edition of Later…with Jools Holland last month, where he performed ‘Dreamer’.
You’re probably looking at the title and wondering, “What the fuck is ‘sonder’?” I found while researching that it means “the realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own, ” which fits in with how Derm writes. He doesn’t appear to write from personal experience per sé but instead tells a fable that reflects the lives of his listeners, which is quite evident in most of his songs. Also, a lot of rappers can write from that perspective (I believe it is the third person perspective, but right now, I am writing while listening to Groove Armada, so even though I can still write this review, I am having brain fog on the exact term I am looking for.) Another songwriter who has a knack for writing like that is Kelly Jones of Stereophonics.
The album contains love, loss and optimism. Another thing I like about Derm is his vocal delivery. You believe what he is saying when he sings with an aching heart. I also like the way he can sing while his voice breaks. What do I mean by that “voice breaks”? Well, for instance, on ‘Dreamer’, which is quite melancholic, you can hear the tears as he talks about the subject. He isn’t crying, but the way he delivers it is like the individual breaking down and crying.
Although the record may be titled “Sonder”, there is no title track. The nearest to it would be ‘Something to Someone’, which, as you can tell, is about breaking up in a relationship. I suggest going to his YouTube and listening to the album through that route because videos accompany the songs, and you get a true sense of what the songs are about. There are some compelling videos on there.
Like most artists who have had a record out last year or so, this was done while in quarantine, and Derm perfects how everyone was feeling on ‘Better Days’. The leading single talks of having optimism that we will get out of this mess and look ahead to better days.
The album is what you expect it to be—polished production-wise and vocally. Derm is a superstar back home in Mother Ireland and spent the last year doing outdoor events. He will play London’s O2 Arena for the “Sonder” tour next spring. He is about to become a star all over Europe and the world. Oh, I almost forgot, the opener ‘Any love’ has a touch of Bon Iver to it, which is an exciting start, and as I like Bon Iver, I liked what Derm did.
Song recommendations: ‘Something to Someone’, ‘Better Days’, ‘Dreamer’
You may recall sometime in 2020, I reviewed their third album, “CALM”, which was an acronym of the members’ names. So, instead of an introduction to who the band is, let’s begin the review of the Australian band:
I noticed that the band finally discovered their wall of sound and style. The beginning of the record is ‘COMPLETE MESS’, which happens to be the leading single. The song has a catchy chorus (Which is a perfect ingredient for a mainstream hit.)that you will find yourself singing along to long after you have ceased listening to the album. There is also a beat drop, which I haven’t heard utilised before.
Next up is my standout. ‘Easy for You to Say’. Thought-provoking lyrics over a piano. This song is about fleeing the nest and how hard it can be to leave the family home. The song is also personal to them as they mention Sydney, where they are from. So, it is also a song about them finding it hard to be away from Australia while they are on the road. They miss all the home comforts. For example, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka Self Esteem, told Jools Holland during an interview on his recent Later show how she misses all the little things like doing the laundry. They also say despite being on the road, they learn to grow as individuals become more mature and wiser.
The record is a blend of the old and new versions of the band. For some reason, they always remind me of Panic at the Disco or Alkaline Trio. I feel they are more in that ballpark, sonically. On ‘Best Friends’, they take a trip down memory lane and talk about the early days of their friendship and the band. Michael Clifford has a reminiscing tone, but there is no denying his vocals have grown stronger as he has got older and gained more experience in honing his vocals.
On ‘You Don’t Go to Parties’, you can hear a song that could easily slot into their debut album. Fans will also be propelled back to the past with ‘Emotions’, a song about being trapped in a dark moment with your emotions being uncontrollable that sonically could belong on “Sounds Good Feels Good”. ‘Moodswings’ also brings nostalgia, with all the members chipping in on vocals. Something that was absent when I listened to “CALM”.
Luke Hemming’s fianceé Sierra Deaton appears in the reflective piano ballad ‘Older’. You can hear how much they are in love with each other as they exchange verses about how they couldn’t grow old without their relationship. You can feel the chemistry on this one; it is a lovely refrain.
The final track I will end with is ‘Caramel’. This is apt; the song has layers which synchronise with the tastes we experience when eating the confectionery. The first layer is sweet, so in terms of the song, it is about the wonderful feeling we have during the infatuation stage of being in love. The second layer is salty/savoury, so in terms of the song, it reflects the harsh reality of the sweet and sour of a relationship and coming back down after feeling the rush coursing through your veins. It’s quite a melancholic track about a relationship fading away, with the tempo starting quick and gradually slowing down to reflect the nature of the topic.
It was beautiful to hear the trials and tribulations of Luke, Ashton, Michael, and Calum’s lives and their friendship on this album. Although every member has a turn at vocals, Calum and Michael are on most tracks. I loved the powerful lyrics and topics used, which show their more mature side, and the risk they took to experiment with new sounds. I enjoyed listening to the record and would highly recommend you do, too. Much better than their previous albums.
Song recommendations: ‘Easy for You to Say’, ‘Older’, ‘Caramel’
I first heard of Jamie T in 2009 after hearing ‘Calm Down Dearest’ in a supermarket. I thought it was a good song with heartfelt lyrics, but that was about as much attention I paid to his music until 2010. I attended several Indie discos to find myself again after having woman trouble and needing to let loose, have some fun, socialise, and chat with other women in clubs. A song besides Phoenix ‘1901’ getting the absolute shit played out of it was ‘Sticks n Stones’. Now, I initially thought it was the Libertines or Babyshambles (I have no idea why. Carl and Pete sound nothing like Jamie.), so I scoured the internet to find it and saw it was by Jamie T. That’s when I started to pay attention to his music and sought out live performances. I also saw them when he was on shows like Later…with Jools Holland. The next time I would hear of him until recently was when he performed ‘Zombie’ on Later…with Jools Holland.
Jamie would disappear for some time after that, and since he seldom uses social media, it can be challenging to stay in the loop. People started asking questions in 2020, and two years later, he emerged on Twitter to let the music world know he was working on an album, and a release date was slated for the summer as well as a tour. In June, he would appear on the most recent series of Later…with Jools Holland, where he performed his classic ‘Zombie’ and two new songs, ‘the Old Style Raiders’ and ‘A Million One New Ways to Die’. Noel Gallagher, his kids, and Rita Ora would watch his headline set at Glastonbury on the John Peel stage as he closed out the Saturday. Noel, among others, is a fan of the London artist.
The first thing that strikes you when you first see the album is the cover art of Jamie playing golf. I don’t know its meaning, but he is now 36, reflecting that he is more mature and wiser. However, that might contradict his closing remarks at Glastonbury, where he addressed the crowd with, “I don’t give a flying fuck anymore. Thank you for coming to see us, but it really makes no difference to my life. I couldn’t give a fuck. I’d play to an empty room, I don’t care.”
That’s quite enough of that. I am now going to proceed to a track-by-track review:
90s Cars:
Slow drumming over keys, stuttering vocals that stop abruptly. It’s a good backstory over a slow but great melody.
the Old Style Raiders:
This is a quintessential Jamie T song with rap vocals over guitars, an anthemic chorus, and his version of indie rock. As mentioned earlier, I first heard this on Later…with Jools Holland. It was also the lead single that Jamie used to tell us all that he is back and what we should all expect from the new album.
British Hell:
A punchy song with riffs to match, where Jamie foretells about the shit storm created in Britain and how it has become hell. The title is quite apt with the shit and corrupt government currently in charge who makes the general public’s lives miserable.
the Terror of Lambeth Love:
Jamie doesn’t hold back and tells it how it is over synths. It is a quick and angry rant, which makes the short length of the track quite apt.
Keyring Lamborghinis:
The story depicts a female who is a menace to society. She ruins people’s lives by terrorising them and the borough. The synthesiser is utilised once again.
St George Wharf Tower:
I am still trying to decide what to take away from this track, and the video wasn’t any clearer. He is just walking with the tower of wealthy business people behind him. The song sees the acoustic make an appearance with the strings plucked. It is slow, quiet and calm. I guess this is the hangover track.
A Million & One New Ways to Die:
Again, this is another song I heard on Later…with Jools Holland back in June. There is no time to catch your breath with this one. Jamie goes all-in from the first struck chord, and you can hear his passion and anger. One of the many qualities that attract people to Jamie’s music is that no-nonsense attitude. The guitars and the riffs play at a searing volume with an intensity that keeps you pumped for 3:17. Certainly, one of my favourites immediately caught my attention when watching it performed on Jools Holland’s show.
Thank You:
This sounds like a song that Damon Albarn would write for Blur. The story appears to be about a black cab driver and the pitfalls of being one.
Between the Rocks:
This relates to the same ferocity you experience in ‘A Million & One New Ways Die”. I don’t believe anyone can rap at the speed he does over indie rock. I am yet to witness it, anyway. In this, Jamie thanks those who have stood by him during the times when he struggles with his mental health. He also states that he still has a passion for songwriting, even though he doesn’t need to keep being creative with his songwriting. He still has the will and drive to carry on, which is fortunate for him and all involved.
Sabre Tooth:
It is a song rich in instrumentation. Guitars, drums, keys, you name it. A lot is going on instrumentally.
Talk is Cheap:
Jamie gets out the acoustic guitar again, bringing down the tempo and gently singing from his heart. This track is about karma. The leading character has done many bad things in the past and is now paying for them.
Old Republican:
Jamie sings about pushing away someone you now realise you long for over the keyboard. Another clever thing about the track is that as the character’s feelings grow more intense, so does the instrumentation, which you sense in the guitar and the keyboard.
50,000 Unmarked Bullets:
Jamie closes the album with a soft piano ballad, reflecting the character’s mood, which is falling apart as the romance in his heart slowly disappears. However, instead of the record ending on a melancholic note, the character has optimism and reassures himself that someone is still there for him to be loved by.
Song recommendations: ‘A Million & One New Ways to Die’, ‘British Hell’, ‘Old Republican’
Paolo Nutini is like buses. Two come along at once. What do I mean by this? Since 2019, Celtic Twitter has enquired about where he was (Lewis Capaldi revealed late last year that they were in the studio working on Paolo's new album, which I am currently reviewing). Then, three years later, "Last Night in the Bittersweet" announcements were revealed, and a tour was announced. I wondered where he was, but I surmised he was busy recording new material. Hence, he is like buses.
I have been a fan of Paolo's since his debut album, "These Streets". He was offering something different at the turn of the 2000s. No one appeared to make music like that, and it was only as we entered the 2010s that someone had a similar vocal style in Maverick Sabre. His debut was followed by "Sunny Side up" in 2009, where his fan base snowballed, which spawned the hits, 'Candy', 'Pencil Full of Lead' (Adopted by fellow Celtic fan and snooker player John Higgins up until 2020 as his walk-on song.), 'Coming up Easy', and the reggae-inspired '10/10'. My fondness for his music grew stronger after an appearance on Jools Holland's Hootenanny, where he performed '10/10' (among others.), and his falsetto vocals echoed those of the late Bob Marley.
Funnily enough, I thought it was a cover of a reggae song, but to my amazement, it was written by Paolo. However, it sounds like a typical timeless reggae track.
He followed up the highly successful "Sunny Side up" with 'Caustic Love' in 2014. Despite hitting the top spot, the album had mixed reviews and spawned fewer hits or accolades than its predecessor.
Amazingly, "Caustic Love" is the predecessor to "Last Night in the Bittersweet". He was still touring until 2018, but that is some gap to wait for the fans to hear new material. That's a gap of eight years. You can understand why his fellow Celtic fans were asking where he was. This record also makes that eight-year wait worthwhile. Paolo is back with the drum banging loudly. It shows his versatility in turning his hand to anything from ska, reggae, country, indie, RnB and soul. His vocals vary across the sixteen tracks, so you get more than just that deep falsetto.
For example, 'Through the Echoes' sounds like something you would have heard on his previous album, but 'Lose it' is a cross between Fontaines DC and the late Lou Reed. On quite a fair chunk of the album, many Lou Reed-esque songs are complete with spoken word, which Lou was known for.
I first heard Paolo's new song in the recent series of Later…with Jools Holland, but I, unfortunately, cannot remember when writing what songs they were. However, they sounded different from what I had heard him do—Lou Reed-esque and with plenty of attitude. Seeing him with an electric guitar over his shoulder was also refreshing.
The same goes for 'Acid Eyes', another song wedded to rock, sitting nicely with Paolo's vocals over bombastic drums. I look forward to seeing some rockier songs added to his setlist on the current tour.
I told many of my peers to listen when I heard the album because it isn't your typical Paolo record. This album has attitude, punk spirit and rock n roll lashings. Even fleeting moments resemble the sounds of the Stone Roses, so Paolo returned to his musical influences as a teenager.
It doesn't get much recognition because of his vocals, songwriting and mellow acoustic playing. Still, he is a good guitarist with the electric guitar and can match any lead guitarists who play to an excellent level (We are excluding the late Jimi Hendrix here), which is no more evident than on this record.
It has been worthwhile waiting for Paolo to release the successor to "Caustic Love". Sometimes, such a long wait leads to an anti-climax, but he has returned, and don't you know it? The songwriting, guitar solos, spoken word, vocals, topics, and instrumentation are fabulous. It is going to be extremely exciting to hear these songs performed live. I doff my cap to you, Paolo. It is an outstanding record, and if you produce the next one like this, you can release that in eight years, too.
Song recommendations: 'Lose it', 'Through the Echoes', 'Heart Filled up'
Yes, I know it is yet another cliché moment. I DID discover Wet Leg while watching Later…with Jools Holland in November last year.
They performed their famous hit ‘Chaise Longue’, which I found extremely funny for its lyrical content, but I also loved its raw, punky sound, and the ladies singing had those typical punk vocals.
The duo hails from the Isle of Wight and consists of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers. Of course, other members feature on the album, but they are regarded as session musicians and touring members.
Going back to ‘Chaise Longue’, it was refreshing to hear a track that wasn’t by some fucking idiot who has no business in music just because their song went viral on TikTok because of some shit dance craze. ‘Chaise Longue’ is known for its bassline and guitar riffs instrumental-wise, but the lyrics are delivered with deadpan by leading vocalist and guitarist Rhian taking quotes from the film Mean Girls. Like I said earlier, I found some of the lyrics quite funny, especially the one about going to school and not learning anything but having sex (Listen to the song. You know what I mean.). The chorus wasn’t that great, with “On the Chaise Longue” repeated throughout, but somehow, it becomes a catchy hook that adds to the track.
I then listened to the band via live performances on YouTube during the earlier part of this year, and I was highly impressed by what I heard. The songs are short, but whereas some might describe them as Indie, they have more of the punk spirit. Funnily enough, I felt like I was listening to Amyl and the Sniffers sans the Australian accents.
I saw a tweet from the duo saying their self-titled debut was about to go to number one, and I was delighted to hear what the album sounded like. Unfortunately, I didn’t have to listen much because I had already heard the songs featured on their promotional tour. However, I checked out the streaming figures on Spotify and was amazed that they had amassed 13 million streams! I could not believe just how widespread this duo was when most of the videos on YouTube were them playing in dinghy bars and pubs. Although they have yet to do any significant events or play at big venues, they have done the Late night chat shows in America and were voted runners-up in the BBC Sounds of 2022 poll. Because of ‘Chaise Longue’, many will say that Wet Leg might not be more than just a fleeting moment. However, I disagree with them. The duo have other songs in their arsenal. Okay, they might be on the same level sonically and lyrically, but it is more than just one hit.
Okay, I may have gone overboard saying they are punk. They are like a soft version of punk. You can’t even say they are pop-punk because they sound nothing like bands like Green Day. They remind me of Lush, who were around in the 90s (If you can’t remember, there are videos of their performance of ‘Lady Killers’ on the short-lived Channel 4 show, the White Room. They have that same element of punk. I wouldn’t call them energetic rebellion as I have done for IDLES or shame. Staying with punk, their producer for the debut happens to be Dan Carey, who has produced for Fontaines DC, no less. You’re always onto a winner when Dan is involved. I recommend it if you have yet to hear Fontaines DC’s first two albums. The only difference between Wet Leg and Lush, I will even throw in Shampoo (Remember ‘Trouble’?) into the mix, is that the lyrical content is more based on 21st-century themes.
For example, ‘Being in Love’ over punky guitars turns to delicate strumming as the song changes the subject mood. So, the music goes from, I imagine, Rhian/Hester or both being infatuated to them suffering from anxiety about the possibility of being hurt. The second example is ‘Too Late Now’, which, funnily enough, closes the album, whereas ‘Being in Love’ started it. This time, however, the girls feel alone and fret about missing out on opportunities. There is even a breakdown in the track where Rhian says, “I’m not sure if this is a song/I don’t even know what I’m saying/I’m not sure if this is the kind of life that I saw myself living” Now, I am not sure if she is talking about that music wasn’t the planned destination of her career, but it is powerful nonetheless.
You then have the psychedelic element on ‘Don’t Wanna Go Out’, like David Bowie’s ‘Hallo Spaceboy’.Although, Rhian talks about being in their late 20s and still living it up. ‘Angelica’ is about a girl at a party who thoroughly hates the idea of being there, and ‘Oh No’ seems to be about an individual trying to control a panic attack.
There are, of course, the punk tracks, which I mentioned earlier (Not the tracks. The element.) ‘Supermarket’ made me laugh because who hasn’t been stoned while shopping in one? Especially when you got the munchies. Then there is ‘Wet Dream’. That one doesn’t need a genius to work out the theme. Songs like these are more sinister than ‘Chaise Longue’, but their wit remains. One line that made me laugh on ‘Loving You’ was “I hope you choke on your girlfriend”.
I also have to big up ‘Ur Mum’ just for the title alone, but the song is hilarious and reminds me of when I was young and using it as a light-hearted insult. That was my favourite, and it has been my favourite since I watched them perform a whole set via YouTube.
I loved their debut. Okay, I didn’t have to listen to much of it because I had heard most of the songs performed live before its release. But it is an enjoyable, witty, sarcastic, punky record. The only qualm for me is that it needed to be longer.
Song recommendations: ‘Ur Mum’, ‘Supermarket’, ‘Loving You’
I first came across Alex O’Connor, or Rex Orange County, while playing FIFA 18 and his song ‘Never Enough’. I liked it, but I was invested in setting up the squad, tactics, formation, and playing the game rather than paying attention to the songs. The next time I came across him on Later…with Jools Holland in autumn 2019. I only knew who he was once I heard his vocals. Why? Because on FIFA 18, I avoid looking at who the songs are by. If they sound good, I keep them, and if they sound shit, well… they go. I was impressed by his live performances of the songs and then sought out his live performances via YouTube. I was further impressed and added him to my gargantuan list of artists/bands I like. Apparently, in the 21st century, he is like Paul McCartney to the kids. It is a stretch, but there is no doubt that Rex is talented.
The first thing that struck me about Rex’s fourth album, “Who Cares?” was how short it was. Before listening, I saw that the total time was under 35 minutes. I have heard records this long, so songs can be uploaded for teasing videos to Tik-Tok, and therefore, get those watching to buy and download the stream. It is a clever marketing strategy, but an album should be an album to me. From what I witnessed, those who use TikTok usually have a short attention span.
An album was designed to be a long play and hold your concentration. My highlight was ‘OPEN A WINDOW’ with Tyler the Creator.
The album is happy-go-lucky, as usual. Something Rex is known for. Of course, there are moments of swearing and some songs about his recent split, but overall, Rex remains. It isn’t necessarily bad, but maybe Rex needs to face adversity to bring out the all-rounder we know that is hidden within him.
Song recommendations: ‘OPEN A WINDOW’, ‘ONE IN A MILLION’, ‘THE SHADE’
This is a band I heard initially without even knowing who they were. I only knew once I saw them appear on Later…withJools Holland back in 2013 (I think.). Before then, I didn’t know much about them, and the songs I had heard without knowing who they were neither excited nor annoyed me. I remember Noel Gallagher said, “If Bastille had been around in the 90s, they would have been finished.”…now, I like Noel Gallagher, as regular readers know, but although it probably would have been true with the music around back then, I quite like Bastille. My opinion of Dan Smith and company changed after seeing them at Glastonbury, reading about them, and watching a few concerts on YouTube. Dan knows how to work with the audience, and they put on a great show. ‘Pompeii’ used to drive me around the bend, but that grew on me. I am often caught whistling or singing the chorus when I hear it.
“Give Me the Future” is their latest and fourth album, which has already amassed five singles. That is just below half of the record itself. Once again, Bastille plays it safe (Sort of.)with their usual songs, but there are some elements of new creativity. For example, the opening track ‘Distorted Light Beam’ takes some influences from the defunct French Houseoutfit Daft Punk, which is quite apt due to the band’s name.
According to reports, Dan Smith began embarking on this album before the pandemic started and flirted with the idea of combining Bastille’s sound with elements of futuristic sounds. At the same time, you could argue that it takes something from the 80s. However, due to what has happened since 2020 or late 2019, Dan’s idea of this record has seen fact and fiction become convoluted, to say the least. Everything we believed to be fiction through music might be a reality now. At the moment, no one within any industry knows what is inevitable. We have seen the world shut down during these testing times despite it still spinning. Immense industries have seen companies and businesses suffer or fall, and music artists like Bastille suffered heavily because they could no longer go on tour worldwide. Some music artists signed just before the pandemic or after suffered even more. So, at the moment, it is no surprise a fair chunk of people look at the future with caution in mind. In “Give Me the Future”, Bastille takes all of that away and looks to embrace whatever happens in the future.
As usual, the band set the stall out with their dancefloor fillers to give the listener a chance to escape from what was happening and lose themselves as they mentally picture themselves enjoying life in the club again. We are gradually getting back tothose days and nights, but listening to music that propels us back to those feelings is excellent. Bastille have always beenknown for their hard-hitting subjects shrouded in upbeat instrumentation, and they have done just that yet again. The lyrics are pretty dark, but the instrumentation diverts your attention. For example, in the Daft Punk-Esque opener ‘Distorted Light Beam,’ Dan says, ‘It isn’t enough, if this is real life, I’ll stick to dreaming, come see what I see.’ That is powerful. No one can deny that that lyric reverberates the current feelings the majority of us have. I’d rather escape from the trappings of reality and stay in a dream just for my sanity. My standout has to be ‘Promises’, which is Spoken Word performed by Riz Ahmed over strings and other instrumentation. Why ‘Promises’? I am a spoken word artist, so for that reason alone. I love to hear what poets have to say. Of course, I like other tracks on the album, like ‘No Bad Days’, the title track, and ‘Future Holds’. The latter features Bim, who you will be familiar with if you attend Bastille concerts. Her rich vocals complement Dan’s on the uplifting closer with a message of hope about who cares about the future as long as we all have someone to love and care for us.
The album is also structured cleverly. The listener goes on an adventure where they will be lost but find themselves again. Now, this could be explained by Dan’s love of cinema. He wants the songs to be a cinematic experience rather than music-related. I only know a few bands or artists that use the method. Most tell a story, but not in this manner. I can only think of Clannad or London Grammar in recent times. “Give Me the Future” wasn’t made to pick out tracks and listen randomly, but to listen from start to finish due to the cinematic nature.
Yes, you can listen to any tracks you like. I mean, that’s your choice, but it takes away the premise of the record. Is it their best? Well, it’s up there. Although, it is bloody short for a Long Play. The longest is the title track at 3:39. One thing I will say is, going back to “is it their best?” is that it is incredibly creative, and they have moved with that but have still kept that distinct sound we associate with the band. So, they have yet to complete 360 and lose their identity.
It’s pleasant to listen to an album that gives you hope about the future rather than being bogged down and depressed by the shit we are surrounded by. The record is uplifting and sends you off into a dream.
The attitude adopted by Bastille is one of “Fuck it. Let’s have fun while the world is falling apart”.
Song recommendations: ‘Promises’, ‘Give Me the Future’, ‘Distorted Light Beam’
This will be a short review. I have never been a fan of the band, which is a great shame because, as a person, I like Olly Alexander. During the Lockdown Edition of Later…with Jools Holland, he spoke to Jools and gave reasons for selecting certain songs. These are songs that surprised me when you consider his age. There were some rather bizarre choices of bands from before he was even born. He came across as warm and spoke about the songs as if he was there before he even came to exist. I had a lot of respect for him after.
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since their last album in 2018. It is no longer a band but a solo moniker for Olly. I ended up zoning out or skipping tracks on the record. My interest didn’t pique until the tracks with Kylie and the version of ‘It’s a Sin’, which also features on Elton John’s album released last year.’A Second to Midnight’ and ‘Starstruck’ are phenomenal uplifting tracks and make you want to go out and find the nearest dancefloor to enjoy yourself. I loved the club feel to them. Of course, ‘It’s a Sin’ is excellent, as I mentioned in Elton’s review, so there is nothing more to say. It’s a shame the rest of the album was generic pop.
Song recommendations: ‘Starstruck’, ‘A Second to Midnight’, ‘It’s a Sin’
Honest Opinions 