Basement - I Wish I Could Stay Here

8/10

Basement are a band that i have followed for quite some time now. I saw them live just as their Songs About The Weather EP was put out and it was the most inspired i have felt in a long time. They are so sincere in every aspect of their music and performance that it is hard to resist this bands charm. I have spoke to the band a few times most recently on their tour supporting Title Fight when they played Manchester and they are all very nice people who seem very dedicated to what they do.

So I Wish I Could Stay Here is coming at a time where there are a fair few bands playing a mixture of old school emo and pop punk and the competition is fierce. Bands like Title Fight, Such Gold, Transit, Man Overboard, The Wonder Years etc are all enjoying a fair amount of exposure at the minute and their popularity seems to have doubled over the last year or so. This means that to stand out from this crowd of great bands requires genuine tallent and putting all the heart and soul that the band shown on the EP into album form.

The album starts with the high energy “Fading” which shows everything that the band do well, with a chorus that has that live shout along appeal and some strong guitar work to carry it, this proves to be an instant highlight. The second track “Plan To Be Surprised” carrys on in the same way, feeling slightly more melodic hardcore influenced in places, slowing down only to build up for a great ending. Things continue with “Canada Square” sounding some where between Title Fights “Crescent Shaped Depression” and the slower Polar Bear Club Material. While losing momentum slightly, it still remains enjoyable with some of the best lyrics from the album.

The album wastes no time getting back to speed with “Crickets Throw Their Voices”. This is definately a favorite of the album and has a huge chorus that is impossible to ignore. Its a great example of this type of music done perfectly and the lyrics again are excellent. “Earl Grey” starts slow, showing the clear emo influence, similar to the likes of Texas is the Reason, but nicely building up momentum into another strong song. Unfortunately the instrumental “Ellipses” brings the mood down just as the album seems to get going again, although the song itself being one of the more impressive displays of guitar work. My only criticism of the album as a body of work is that not all people will enjoy the fast/slow dynamic going on here, especially if you are looking for something strictly either “pop punk” or “emo” and if you are looking for something that is consistantly fast then the slower parts may prove to be a bit off putting.

Intensity is regained quickly with the next few songs, being some of the most upbeat on the album, leading up to what can only be described as a fantastic end to a great record. The last two songs are two of the most enjoyable and if anything i would recomentd them to anyone wanting to give the band a listen, as they show all of the best qualities that make this band great. “Grayscale” is the song that sounds like it is best enjoyed live in a basement somewhere in England, with a huddle of misfit adolescents shouting so loud that you feel sorry for anyone who isnt there to share this experience with you because thats how good it actually is. Closing track “March” takes you to a polar opposite in the way that it sounds like it should soundtrack late nights at home after a day of dragging yourself through work or college. It has a very Jawbreaker/Jets To Brazil vibe to it, which for any self respecting music fan should tick all the boxes for you.

Basement have definately proved that they are ahead of the game making a record that is mature well beyond there years while still retaining all of the imperfections that make music like this so appealing. For anyone who follows this type of music, its a record that could easily be the soundtrack to your life and its easy to identify with every track on this album because of this. So if you haven’t already, open up and let Basement in. They could just be your new favorite band.

For fans of: Title Fight, Small Brown Bike, Transit, Hot Water Music, Texas Is The Reason, Lifetime, Touche Amore, Polar Bear Club.