Bastille- "VS. Other People's Heartache Pt III" Review

Following on from the success of previous hits such as ‘Pompeii’, Bastille return with a brand new album, a mash-up of collaborations and covers, which brings with it a rather new sound. Opening with ‘Fall Into Your Arms’, accompanied by the Gemma Sharples Quartet, there’s an anthemic feel to the number, but it’s nowhere near up to the standard of previous releases. ‘Bite Down’, featuring 2014 breakout band HAIM, fares better despite the electronic twang to it, while the chorus will no doubt have the masses singing it back to them once they hit the road again. It’s a shame therefore that bad_news, which sees the band work with MNEK, continues the bands’ run of lacklustre, rather unoriginal material, but things improve greatly at the arrival of ‘The Driver’ which, despite the slow start, soon kicks itself into gear and reminds listeners of just what made them listen to the group in the first place; their talent.

Mixing the group with Tyde as well as Rationale helps deliver ‘Axe To Grind’, a rather catchy, dancey little number and certainly one of the best of the collection, which is fortunately followed up with ‘Torn Apart’, however when Torn Apart Part II begins, it presents a huge change of gear and sound - some listeners may find it doesn’t work, while others will absolutely lap it up. ‘Weapon’ maintains the almost hard-core bass-beat based music for a few more minutes, assisted greatly by Angel Haze, F*U*G*Z and Braque. With the instruments then stripped back for closer ‘Remains’, teaming them with Rag N Bone Man and Skunk Anansie, there’s finally a real glimpse of Bastille as so many know them – a great pop-rock-indie band; it’s just a shame it’s been left to the last song for them to finally work out what they’re great at.

2/5

For fans of: Imagine Dragons, To Kill A King

Review: Rebecca Haslam