“The Bastille boys are back with a ‘Quarter Past Midnight’, a very British and much needed bop for the Summer”

So today is a big day for me being a Bastille fan. The band, which consists of Dan Smith, Will Farquarson, Chris “Woody” Wood, and Kyle Simmons, just released their first single off their upcoming record (no release date yet, but soon). The single “Quarter Past Midnight” premiered on BBC Radio 1 as one of Annie Mac’s Hottest record. Lead singer, Dan Smith had been filling in for her with an actual BBC Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw all week.

The single “Quarter Past Midnight” is a beautiful and major change of pace stylistically for the Bastille. With the lyrics exploring the themes of crazy yet fun nights out. The times where most of us have already retired for the night or heading home to do so. The song explores in a unique way the alternate life of people who are not home, they are just getting started at a “Quarter Past Midnight”. It’s theme that Bastille is not a stranger to, it’s a theme that they truly find home in thus taking it to a more truly poetic and universal level.

The music still very much Bastille and with all of the lovely Bastille quirks intact reminds me of late 80s to early 90s Brit Rock/Pop from bands like Placebo, Oasis, Blur and My Bloody Valentine in some places. With heavy hits of Europop and Dance spiking in between as the music on the track slides up and down in tempo. Dan’s vocals match perfectly going from a beautiful frenetic pace, to a softer tone, to high falsetto all in the span of only a few seconds. Sounds just like a night out right? The bits of guitar add grit and yes somehow the band managed to add their signature movie quotes into the song. Although I can barely make them out.

All in all this is a fantastic start to the Bastille era. They have made so many fans (including me) very happy. I cannot wait to hear the rest of the record and see what a “Quarter Past Midnight” music video looks like.

P.S. Major props to the guys for the epic Joy Division reference in the opening lines!

Listen/Buy “Quarter Past Midnight”

Official Bastille

Bastille Socials:

Dan Smith:
Twitter: @bastilledan
Instagram: @bastilledan
Chris ‘Woody’ Wood:
Twitter: @woodythedrum
Kyle Simmons:
Twitter: @Kyle_JSimmons
Will Farquarson:
Twitter: @willyfarquarson

– Brittney W. 🙂 xx

(All photos courtesy of Bastille and their management)