Currently Listening To...

I never got round to posting this yesterday and I'm so mad because I've been waiting all week to post it. I had such a busy day, I didn't stop until 8pm where I went straight to bed. I've got another busy day today but I have to get this post done before I explode, because I'm so damn excited! So I've sat down with my kittens snuggled up at my feet, and my new favourite songs playing...

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Okay so I started the week off listening to all my oldies goldies that I posted about last week... And then, I came across a new song that had just been released from a band I hadn't listened to in so long. So after that one song came many more. Until I was head over heels in love with them. I have this annoying thing -I think it's just a fangirl thing (which I hate being) where when I listen to a new band that takes over my life, and I get butterflies every time I hear them or get a song stuck in my head.. So this new, but old band I'm in love with. Is Bastille. Back in the Pompeii days I loved them, I heard that one song and then every time a new song of theirs was on the radio I instantly recognised them and became obsessed with that new song. But that's as far as it got. Now I'm really getting to know their stuff, and I still haven't actually listened to that much so next week I'll be posting a whole load more of their songs, because mostly I've been watching acoustic sessions or live performances because I've never known an artist to be so naturally good at what they do whilst jumping around on stage or in the crowd. 

Anyways, here are the songs, I'm not writing a great deal about them because I've wrote this paragraph and that's enough reading for someone on a Tuesday morning.

Hangin' - Bastille, this is their new one, it seems to remind me of Death Of A Bachelor by Panic because it's so low pitched, the vocal abilities of Dan is actually insane, he can sing stupidly high and still sound like an angel with a really deep voice. I also love how they "let" Will use a guitar for this song.

What Would You Do - Bastille, I think this may be my favourite, although it's so hard because I change my mind every two minutes. This is just a cover and I haven't heard the original, but I really like the lyrics in this, it's brutal and honest, and it seems to be this sad story about this girl but it turns around to this person telling the girl to sort her life out, stop making excuses, that everyone has tough times. Which at first threw me back a little because, it's not easy for people to just do that. But then I realised that if you had that life it's in your hands to say "no I don't want this" and fight to make your life better. Which relates to me a bit, it makes me want to get off of my arse because hell, there's people going through worse than me and they're being told to get off their arse.

Also I'm a sucker for long notes in songs when the singer pours their soul out, and this song is so good in that sense.

Get Home - Bastille, I love this one. The deeper vocals (which I think are coming from Kyle (and others at some points), but I may well be wrong) at the various points sounds so good with Dan's higher vocals, and I think it's a good song to listen to, to keep yourself grounded, because the lyrics are quite powerful with stripped back instrumental, and it's so moody.

Laughter Lines - Bastille, this is another favourite, I have two perspectives of this song. I feel like either two people have this special connection, and they are -or want to be together but it's not the right time, so they tell each other they'll find each other in the future and nothing would have changed. Or, whether two people have this special connection and they're saying that they will forever have this little infinity between them, and when they're old, they will still have this connection. It makes me think of the film UP with the way the lyrics create this infinite, magical feeling. Bastille are just so talented, Dan's way with words are so detailed that you create your own little story in your head and you can picture everything he's saying because he speaks about the little things that other singers don't...

The Silence - Bastille, again the lyrics. They're so visionary. I love this one because of the "my dear, my dear, oh de-oorrr" he has such a pretty voice. I'm still working the song out right now, but so far I feel like it's about standing up for things you believe in, I think he's saying that you need to have an opinion on things, not be a monochrome person (probably not the right word but I like it) who goes along with everything, and is then put on the spot. 

There's loads more -obviously. But 'm going to save them 'till next week when I know I've figured them out and have something intellectual to say about them. Aside from "I love the tune and the beat" etc. This next bit is what I've mostly been listening to this week.

Bad Blood LIVE from any show - Bastille, Dan has even said it's "more full on, it's a little bit kind of rockier live" and I love it, I love the way he sings it live, all of the members are more hype, and Dan jumps around the stage, and his dance moves are what I'm living for. Honestly. And when Dan songs "forever" he kind of goes "foreveoor ah-ah-ah" and not to sound like a fangirl, but it slays my life. They have a "Live at the Troubadour" video on their YouTube VEVO and I watch it 5 or more times a day (no exaggeration.) I'm so in love with this song live. Also, also, also, Will. On the bass, live, in this song. Blows me away.

Flaws LIVE - Bastille, my favourite live performance is also from the Troubadour, I love how Dan climbs all over the stage in this song, and goes out into the crowd, the reason Troubadour is my favourite is because when he goes into the crowd the fans don't overly mob him and they all just dance together like they're at a club, and it's the most beautiful thing to see because fans these days (with any artist) are stupidly crazy about everyone. I love this live because similarly, like Bad Blood Dan does the "fla-aws" thing, and in this song when he sings "you, always wear you flaws.." he kind of breathes out the "you" so it's really low and it sounds so cool. He also does it with "there's a hole in my soul" -italics being the breathy notes.

Of The Night #VEVOHalloween - Bastille, I love the original of these songs, two songs which are also childhood anthems, I love this performance because everyone dances too early and Dan tries to tell them to wait and he's so awkwardly cute about it (again, not to sound like a fangirl). My favourite bit ever is at the end of the song when Kyle comes over and both him and Dan beat the crap out of a drum. And Dan loses himself when he sings "rhythm of the nIIGGHt" in a raspy voice which has been well established that I love. I just wish I could have been there to witness that, it's my favourite performance of that song that I've seen so far.

Oblivion (Live At Capitol Studios) - Bastille, this is getting quite long now, but I've only got two more to go. This song is such a beautiful song, when I heard the studio version I was very dubious as to how well this could actually be sung live -because there's a fair amount of musicians who can't get their voice that high without autotune. But when I saw this, just wow. He hits those high notes perfectly, and it doesn't seem like he's even trying hard to do it. The strings in the background make the song all the more emotional and beautiful, it's such a simple, delicate but deep song.

Things We Lost In The Fire (Live From Queen's College Cambridge) - Bastille, Okay, this is one of my favourite songs because the climax of the song is so so perfect. The whole atmosphere of the song changes. The beginning and the ending of the song is beautifully simple too which I love for such a powerful chorus. I love this version because -the strings. And the choir really go well with Dan's voice. And Woody on the drums in this is amazing, he creates such a good atmosphere! In the climax Dan does my favourite raspy voice thing when he sings "the future's in oOOUURR hands" and it sounds so good!!! I love songs that are more stripped back, especially when the singer actually has a really good voice out of the studio.

Okay I've finally finished, I said  I weren't going to write much about the songs.. turns out I had quite a bit to say. But it's new band I've fell in love with so there's bound to be a lot to write here..

Shaan x