Basement

I Wish I Could Stay Here

Written by: PP on 26/07/2011 02:58:33

Of the many bands raising their profile across the UK at the moment, Basement from Suffolk are among the ones with most attention paid to them thanks to their recent signing with Run For Cover Records, an esteemed emotional punk/hardcore label overseas. They play a blend of melodic hardcore, emotional hardcore and pop punk, drenched in passion and layered melody not too far-fetched from the likes of Living With Lions, Polar Bear Club, and Title Fight.

In effect, their sound on their debut album "I Wish I Could Stay Here" can best be described as a meeting point between all those bands: a mid tempo, emotionally charged hardcore type of music that spills over into furious breakneck speed melodic hardcore in the vein of the first Title Fight record, as well as into the epic nostalgia-driven ballads of Polar Bear Club and Living With Lions when necessary.

That's the general musical idea that's in play here, but there are two clear driving forces on the album: the guitar melodies and the vocals. Lets take the former first. Many of the riffs are angular in nature, borrowing just enough from the slower Polar Bear Club tracks to create a sense of intellect, a sense of slowly building groove that's perfect for the many climaxing explosions of sound that take place in perfect timing. Although the high-speed guitar assaults on the melodic hardcore tracks are gritty and distortion-driven, it's the slightly contemplative mood and subtle melody of the slower sections that brings the best out of Basement. They wouldn't be as effective, however, without the second force, namely the strained vocals, which add the necessary roughness to paint that passionate and edgy picture of the band. They help create those soaring melodies that refuse to leave your mind, but won't accept your invitation to enter before they've grown on you a little, before you've become friends with them, if you like. There's lots of texture - inspired from early Hot Water Music records I'm sure - in the execution, which in turn creates character and gives, in my opinion, vocalists like this one a huge edge over cleaner vocalists, as you can taste the passion and emotion that goes into them each and every line.

But where the recent Living With Lions record did the same thing as Basement, I feel like it did its job a lot better in many ways. It was more convincing and somehow more immediate and urgent, though those aren't qualities lacking on the Basement effort either. It's a very similar sounding record, and outlines the band as one to watch in the near future.

Download: Plan To Be Surprised, Yoke, Crickets Throw Their Voice
For the fans of: Living With Lions, Daytrader, Title Fight
Listen: Myspace

Release date 05.07.2011
Run For Cover Records

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