Other People's Heartache is a cover EP, self-released by the band Bastille in February 2012. Dan Smith described the concept behind the release as being to "create a fictional film score or film soundtrack using cover versions of songs". It was released online, available free. Smith stated that the group were contacted and asked to take down the tracks. The tracks "Of the Night" and "What Would You Do?" were later released on the compilation albumAll This Bad Blood, with the former also released as a single.
Track listing
The EP was composed of mashups of cover versions and samples of other artists' music, film quotes, and the band's own songs.
Critical response
PopMatters gave the EP 8/10, hailing it for "demonstrating the power of a good cover".
Part two
Other People's Heartache, Pt. 2 is a cover EP self-released by Bastille in December 2012.
Track listing
Like the previous installment, Other People's Heartache, Pt. 2 largely comprises mashups of samples, cover songs, film quotes and the band's own music.
Critical reception
Cherwell gave the EP 4/5, commending its having built upon Part One, saying "Dan Smith getting even more ingenious with his connections between film and music and adventurous with his production". It praised the humour of the sampling: "'Sweet Pompeii', mostly a soulful cover of Calvin Harris' 'Sweet Nothing', almost seems like a practical joke on the listener as we go from the verse to a clip of Bernie Sanders talking about the economy to a hilariously unexpected sample of the exact beat break from Harris’ version."
Part three
VS. is an EP by Bastille, released in December 2014. Unlike the previous two EPs it does not feature covers, but instead a number of collaborations with other musical artists on original tracks, and was the first to be released commercially. The track "The Driver" was released as a part of a re-scored version of Drive.
Track listing
Critical reception
The Guardian gave the EP 3/5 remarking that "most of the eight mashups and collaborations here feel fresh, even urgent". Digital Spy also awarded it 3/5, calling it a "mixed bag of a mixtape", drawing attention to "Fall Into Your Arms" and "Bite Down" as "highpoints". PopMatters gave it 7/10, calling "another fine outing for this impressive group, one that proves, much like its predecessors, that Bastille does its cleverest work when it goes off-album."
