Bastille's Dan Smith Tells Stories With New Album Ampersand
(Republic) Bastille's Dan Smith has released his new album, "&" (Ampersand). The beautiful new project is a collection of story songs that explores the worlds of fascinating figures from history, mythology, and pop culture, fed by new collaborations with friends and family, dazzling arrangements, and an infectious spirit of musical freedom.
Over recent weeks, fans have been captivated by the warmth and intimacy of the songs released from "&" (Ampersand). It's a record Dan first began writing in 2020, feeling the pull to do something gentler and where the writing process took him back to a time before Bastille's 2013 debut Bad Blood, which he solely wrote all the songs for. On "&" (Ampersand), Dan almost completely gives himself up to the stories of others as the record's opener, "Intros & Narrators" outlines, these are stories from Smith's perspective. We meet fascinating individuals neglected by mainstream history and whose stories are often not given enough time and space to breathe and sing. There's also a touching song inspired by Dan's family entitled "Telegraph Road 1977 & 2024" that connects him with his father's poetry, his mother's singing, and the idea of how music is shared and passed on.
The new single "Drawbridge & The Baroness" offers a particular highlight on the album with its sonic textures and an awe inspiring vocal from Smith. It follows the recent two track release of "&" (Ampersand), Part Two, featuring the soaring single, "Blue Sky & The Painter," inspired by the Norwegian expressionist painter, Edvard Munch. "Leonard & Marianne" is inspired by the complex relationship between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen, a mesmerizing love song.
A deeper dive into the characters stories from the album are explored on the critically acclaimed podcast, "MUSES: An Ampersand Podcast"-a new podcast blending music, history, and storytelling hosted by Smith and academic/podcaster Emma Nagouse (BBC Radio 4's "You're Dead to Me" and BBC Sounds' "Homeschool History"). The Guardian called the podcast "fascinating," as the two collaborate to uncover the lives of the poets, artists, anthropologists, and trailblazers featured on the record and break down Dan's journey of transforming their lives into songs for "&" (Ampersand).
To celebrate the album's release, the "&" Live Tour will take place in November with eight special one-off shows across seven global cities, including Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Los Angeles, New York, and London, with all shows selling out instantly and a second night being add in Los Angeles on November 22nd-full dates below.
A channel for storytelling, performed in natural ways with friends, collaborators, and even family, full of warmth and the energy of connection, is what "&" (Ampersand) is all about. It's a collection of songs about looking out at the world, disappearing into other lives rather than into ourselves, and about the humanity that can crackle and shimmer as a consequence.
"&" LIVE TOUR DATES:
November 10th La Cigale Paris, France
November 11th Cirque Royal Brussels, Belgium
November 13th Royal Theatre Carré Amsterdam, Netherlands
November 14th Theatre Des Westens Berlin, Germany
November 17th O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire London, UK
November 22nd The United Theater on Broadway Los Angeles, CA
November 23rd The United Theater on Broadway Los Angeles, CA
November 25th The Town Hall New York, NY
[an error occurred while processing this directive]