British alternative band Bastille, led by the ever-compelling Dan Smith, returns with “Quarter Past Midnight,” their first new single of 2018.

Bastille lays claim to one of the best albums of 2016 in Wild World.  Unfortunately, Dan Smith and company didn’t get enough credit for their dazzling sophomore album. In 2017, the band released a single, “Mad World”, which appeared on Bright: The Album (soundtrack to the Netflix film).  Soundtrack single releases don’t necessarily suggest an album is on the way. The good news with the release of “Quarter Past Midnight,” a single that isn’t associated with a film, likely, the crew has something bigger brewing.  Until then, “Quarter Past Midnight” is more than enough to whet the palate.

On “Quarter Past Midnight,” Dan Smith brilliant paints a portrait of freedom for the night.  Both of the verses focus on 12:15 (aka “a quarter past midnight”), used the time as a marker for being out ‘beyond curfew,’ potentially breaking every rule in the book, and making the night last as long as possible. At the end of the first verse, he sings, “Still avoiding tomorrow / It’s a quarter past midnight / But we’re just getting going.”  On the second verse, Smith speaks of dreams as opposed to accepting the mundane – “We want the bodies on the billboards / Not the lives underneath them.” On the chorus, he sums things up.

“We keep on running

Running through a red light

Like we’re trying to burn the night away

Away-away, oh, away-away, oh

Why are we always chasing after something?

Like we trying to throw our lives away

Away-away, oh, away-away, oh.”

Final Thoughts

As always, Smith is top-notch vocal form.  He sounds incredibly British, something that’s always been the appeal of Bastille. Beyond the lyrics, theme, and vocals, the sound of the record is alluring.  Things kick off with piano, but quickly thing expands to include busy drums, driving guitar, and of course, synths.  All in all, this is signature Bastille. Perhaps it doesn’t supplant the singles that graced the underappreciated Wild World (“Fake It”, “Good Grief”, and “Send Them Off!”), but it’s definitely ‘good stuff.’

Bastille • Quarter Past Midnight – Single • Virgin • Release: 5.9.18

Photo Credit: Virgin