Music Review: Pompeii

Bastille - Pompeii

Hooray, it's my favorite genre of all time, indie rock. Wow the crap that has spewed out from this genre is unbelievable. Hoping to buckle the trend this time are the breakthrough British rock, and I use that term lightly, band, who sort of sound like a middle class version of Jamie Oliver, who for some reason people seem to love.

On the face of things I'm slightly confused, I would've thought this song would be about the Roman city of Pompeii that was destroyed by the erupting Mount Vesuvius like any normal person, or at least a metaphor based around it anyway. But the original message I get from the album cover is rather strange, it appears to be a rip off version of the twins from The Shining playing a multiplayer game at their local arcade, which is where they appear in the music video, what that has to do with the ancient city of Pompeii I have no idea. The video doesn't exactly help either, it's like something out of The Walking Dead and is set in Los Angeles, which is exactly the same as Pompeii apart from in every single way, but I suppose we'll find out why when we analyse the lyrics.

The song begins with some sort of ethnic chant, it certainly isn't a bad thing although it does sound like something you would hear at a football ground, and it also annoys me how it continues throughout the whole song, it definitely overstays its welcome. However the harmony does set up the first verse nicely and creates a nice atmosphere for the verses to flow from. The chorus too is expertly applied to great effect, the short pause before the increasingly upbeat rhythm really is used very effectively, and I can't help but sing along. The rest of the song doesn't actually develop to anything else, in fact it becomes quite repetitive, but I didn't really expect it to from a more pop orientated song. It is certainly a lot better than most of the other crap that indie rock spews out, and it certainly feels quite original. I have to admit I do quite like this song, it's well paced and easily accessible and doesn't try to become anything it isn't, it knows it isn't the greatest song of all time and so it just sticks to the basics, and it does this very well. However now I have come to the point where I had my original doubts, and these were the lyrics, I just hope they're not pointless:

I was left to my own devices
Many days fell away with nothing to show
And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Great clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above

I think this begins by describing the normality of the lives for the citizens of Pompeii, or any city for that matter, there is certainly Pompeii references scattered throughout this verse and it ends with a physical description, and admiration of the giant ash cloud that will inevitably destroy the city. The song is definitely sticking to the theme so far, however I still haven't discovered the premise of the song, I don't want it to literally be about Pompeii.

 But if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
You've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?  

The chorus deals with denial, I think it's here we finally understand the subject of the song. The character is in a huge predicament, on the scale of Pompeii, he is living in denial and watching as his life crumbles around him, just like the city of Pompeii. That is a very good metaphor.

We were caught up and lost in all of our vices
In your pose as the dust settles around us

(Repeat Chorus)

This section implies that even after the dust has settled the problems still continue, which is slightly ironic as when the dust settles it usually means that is the end of the situation, not in this case, like a Pompeii scale tragedy.

Oh where do we begin?
The rubble or our sins?
Oh where do we begin?
The rubble or our sins?

(Repeat Chorus)

This song is definitely repetitive. I also think the situation has been blown out of proportion, I don't think his issues are anywhere near as bad as they were for the people of Pompeii, I would ask them but that might be quite difficult. This section is slightly optimistic, for the first time he has become aware of the situation and is now thinking of ways to rectify it, a nice positive end, contrary to what the video would have you believe.

I will admit I do also like the lyrics, I do think it's a bit overly dramatic for such a small issue but the use of metaphor is very good which is a pleasant surprise, especially from what is in essence a pop song. Now let's see what the users of the internet thought about this:

Sam Mummery said on Amazon:

"The Title says it all, amazing song by an amazing, is and will be Bastilles best ever song and one of the best songs of the last 10 years".

I think this song might be a bit overrated, especially in the opinion of this person who is not only a massive idiot, but a psychic as well. It isn't one of the best songs of the last 10 years, not even close but it is certainly one of the better ones.

Digital Spy said:

"But if you close your eyes/ Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?" singer Dan Smith asks his beau over bounding beats and a sing-along chant loftier than his perfectly-styled quiff. It may have been two years in the making, but this is the sound of a band ready for a breakthrough".
Again I don't think the song is that good but I really do hope this is a breakthrough single, I certainly don't mind Bastille and I really do think they have good potential, they really are unique in what is now a very under-performing market.

Overall I can say I do like this song, it is definitely a catchy and well made number. Unlike the usual commercial crap we get today this actually feels well thought through. I can see why people love this, but it certainly isn't the best song in the world and I'm still very confused by the music video, but overall thumbs up from me, rare I can say that about today's music.

Overall Score: 7/10  ***1/2