Bastille, Send Them Off! | Track Review 🎵

Ahead of sophomore album Wild World, alternative rock band Bastille releases one final pre-release single, “Send Them Off!” Prior to “Send Them Off!,” the band spoiled the listeners with two home runs – “Good Grief” and “Fake It.” “Send Them Off!” marks a third consecutive home run.

The third single from Wild World opens with another spoken word interlude:

“It was a slight on my honor, so he deserved it / but we’re talking about the most brilliant mind this world’s ever seen”

The record features edgy production work. There’s a bite about it – synthesized horns and pummeling drums. All in all, “Send Them Off!” makes excellent use of piano, synths, and bass on the first verse (no percussion). This script changes the second veres.

Aside from superb production work, clever lyrics are the selling point throughout the record.  There is no shortage of clever lyrics. “Won’t you lay your healing hands on my chest? / Let your ritual clean” is the highlight of the first verse.  A Shakespearean reference drives the second verse:

“Desdemona, won’t you liberate me / when I’m haunted by your ancient history”

Bastille confirms references to Shakespeare (Othello) and the Exorcist via Twitter.

@alexandra_hurts indeed! It's Othello meets The Exorcist

— BASTILLE (@bastille) December 17, 2015

The chorus features full-fledged production. Simply put, Bastille go for the kill.  Here is where the exorcising rears its ugly head.

“Set me free from my jealousy / won’t you exorcise my mind? / won’t you exorcise my mind? / I want to be free as I’ll ever be / exorcise my mind / help me exorcise my mind”

Final Thoughts 

All in all, “Send Them Off!” is another fantastic promo single from Bastille ahead of Wild World.  The production is electrifying, while the theme – “Othello meets The Exorcist” – is ambitiously brilliant.  The first three singles from Wild World definitely suggests it will be an epic album.

Bastille • Wild World • Virgin • Release: 9.9.16

Photo Credit: Virgin