1. 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.
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 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.
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.

2. A selection of the inside pages
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 Bastille 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.
By Georgia
McLaughlin