Describing a song, or a melody, as “arena-sized” is a popular backhanded compliment. It implies ambition and grandeur, but with a qualifying sense that the whole thing is a little calculated. It suggests a band writing to suit their future plans rather than following the pure artistic impulse we hope is at the heart of the music we enjoy. Bastille’s second studio album, ‘Wild World’, is arena-sized.
Still, there’s something disarming about the way they go about their work. Maybe it’s Dan Smith’s unassuming manner, or the wide-eyed surprise they expressed as Pompeii levelled charts the world over a few years back, but Bastille get away with things on their second album that others - Coldplay or Mumford and Sons, for example - might not.
There is a pleasing openness to Smith’s lyrics and an earnestness that allows some of his writing to escape rote beginnings, while a pervading air of disquiet pushes some straightforward declarations onto unusual angles.
On Good Grief, the album’s first song and one of its singles, an anxious Smith hides behind his fingers before singing: “Every minute of every hour, I miss you more.” The sentiment is wrapped in an effortlessly bright, surprisingly funky, jacket.
Such transparent emoting has a tendency to run aground quickly, but Smith often appears to be on uneven footing when delivering lines like this. Belting a love song to the back of a big room is a task achieved countless times by many, many pop automatons, but Bastille approach it with the hope that their audience might see something of themselves in these imperfect renderings of familiar situations.
Yet, for all its good points - the string stabs and filthy bass of The Currents, Power’s easy hooks - there is nothing here with the authority of Pompeii and little in the way of musical deviation. Say what you will about the ubiquitous singles from ‘Bad Blood’, but they had staying power. Bastille’s efforts here are largely channelled into initially pleasing songs that fail to stick around for the long haul.
It’s very easy to imagine ‘Wild World’ doing a similar job to its predecessor, though. If Bastille started from a couple of rungs above the bottom and ascended to playing big theatres by the end of album one’s cycle, then this LP will comfortably push them through the arena ceiling for good. What it won’t do, though, is convince those who see more streaks of vanilla than sauce in their mix that they should start paying attention.
Bastille Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Fri October 28 2016 - BOURNEMOUTH BIC
Sat October 29 2016 - PLYMOUTH Plymouth Pavilions
Mon October 31 2016 - CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
Tue November 01 2016 - LONDON O2 Arena
Wed November 02 2016 - LONDON O2 Arena
Fri November 04 2016 - LEEDS first direct Arena
Sat November 05 2016 - NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena
Sun November 06 2016 - MANCHESTER Arena
Tue November 08 2016 - BIRMINGHAM Barclaycard Arena
Wed November 09 2016 - BELFAST SSE Arena
Thu November 10 2016 - DUBLIN 3Arena
Sat November 12 2016 - GLASGOW SSE Hydro
Sun November 13 2016 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Metro Radio Arena
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