Bastille – All this “Bad Blood”: Digi pack analysis

In terms of Character the all this bad blood

album features 14 male hooded figures in the

distance on the back cover. They are all seen

walking away from the camera towards the

lighter part of the image. This adds to the

mystery and gives the album a dark feel and

perhaps suggests they are seeking some sort of

forgiveness by walking towards the lighter part

of the image. Despite this the image still has a

strong use of low key lighting. The characters are

stood in very masculine stances and look

stereotypically tough. Their proximity from each

other also suggests they are like an army as they

all seem to be in a formation. They also look as if

they are looking down suggesting shame.

The all this bad blood CD by bastille features two

disks; disk 1 – Bad Blood and Disk 2 – part 1: All

this bad blood and part 2: other peoples

heartache. Disk 1 is matte black with a hard to

see patent looking text saying Bastille “Bad

blood”. The darkness suggests mystery and pain

which complements the CD cover. Disk 2 is white

and red representing the blood on the snow

shown on the cover. Separating the two colours

is transparent line that looks like a rip down the

middle which also gives connotations of pain.

This also complements the name of the CD being

“Part II: other peoples heart ache” suggesting

the separation between the red and white could

represent the separation between your

heartache and another’s.

The cover features a car that is damaged with a

bent American license plate. The car is parked

on a snowy cliff with mountains visible in the

background. There are the cars skid marks

visible in the snow and a door is left open

suggesting someone may have fled the vehicle.

Despite the car being parked in the snow it is

not the stereotypical white that would be

expected, suggesting that it’s not pure; maybe

due to whatever events took place before the

car was abandoned. This is use of a narrative

enigma as it is limiting the audience’s knowledge

as to what has happened and leaving the story

open for interpretation.

Both the front cover image and the back cover

image of the album are long shots. They have

used low key lighting and look as if they have a

vintage effect on them. This complements the

vintage car on the cover.

Within the iconography of the album Digi pack the cover features an old American car (Buick Riviera ’71) and has an

American licence plate despite the band being British. This gives an idea of both sides of the American lifestyle; the first

being the image related consumerism of owning the vintage car for style and the other being Americas openness to

violence. The use of an old car, the darkness and use of a soft lens is iconic of the vintage style.

The cover and two CD’s from the “Bastille - all this bad blood album”

album uses Lacey’s entire repertoire of elements to convey a feel of

pain and mystery. This is also apparent in the text used on the album

cover and CD. The font is quite sharp and serious and the “A” is

substituted for a triangle. This is iconic of the band and has

significant meaning such as Male (being an all-male band) and

mountain (as on the cover) . The term “all this” on the cover looks as

if it has been scratched on the floor once again suggesting danger.

The front cover is set on a snowy mountain cliff

and the back on a long road compact with snow.

A selection of the inside pages

By Georgia

McLaughlin

The inner pages of the CD Digi pack continue to show Lacey’s repertoire of elements being;

Characters, Narrative, Setting, Iconography and technical and audio codes. It also complements

the front and back cover by continuing the themes they present. The inner pages use the same

font as the cover and list the song lyrics and who wrote, produced and edited them ETC…

The first image shows lead singer (Dan Smith) singing to the audience with the rest of band and

audience in shot with various images (such as the Triangle logo overlaying it). The second image

continues the pain and mystery theme by showing a dead body floating in the pool and finally

the third image is an illustration that looks like an old 1920’s style sci -fi poster continuing the

vintage feel.

The inside of the CD shows the same car as the cover but this time there is blood by the open

door. This once again suggests pain and makes the snow appear less pure. The image on the right

of this shows a wolf on the top of the car. A wolf is symbolic of intelligence, threat and freedom.

In conclusion I have found that the Basti lle album has a strong use of Lacey’s repertoire of

elements as it uses all five top present its themes and challenge the audience with a narrative

enigma.