ATP! Album Review: Basement - Colourmeinkindness

England is a place that appears to enjoy its dreary image, with the stereotype of grey attitudes and greyer skies usually accurately describing the mood most comfortable for the majority of its inhabitants. It is an attitude inevitable to a country which manages to rain all the times it shouldn’t, as well as when it should. It is exactly the place from which you would expect to find one of its most exciting current acts, a band that has enjoyed success across the Atlantic as well as on home soil, decide to call it a day almost immediately after releasing their most accomplished record to date.

Basement, then, are the musical embodiment of the country that birthed them, and “Colourmeinkindness” is to be their swansong. Resuming where last year’s debut “I Wish I Could Stay Here” left off, the record owes as much to mid-90’s emo and grunge acts such as Nirvana as it does to modern day punk. This impressive dynamism is evidenced across the opening three tracks; the introspective, dream-like ‘Covet’ sandwiched between driven opener ‘Whole’ and the powerful ‘Spoiled’. Vocalist Andrew Fisher’s cries of “Lie to me, make me see” give way to the admission “I don’t wanna be with you/with you”, demonstrating his remarkable control in switching between barked and more ethereal, drawn-out deliveries.

‘Pine’ is perhaps the poppiest song on the album, the more upbeat melodies offset by the continued self-reflection in Fisher’s lyrics; “I’m a liar, I’m a fake/open up your trust/let me throw your heart away”. The level of honesty on display is at times remarkable as Fisher bares his soul for all to see, resonance provided sonically with the accompanying cleanness of the guitar, lead melodies shimmering away to add to the air of disclosure offered by the lyrics.

'Breathe' is the first track on the record to really display the steps that Basement have taken in the year since their last record. Encompassing their varied styles into one song, the band impressively demonstrate that they are now as apt at the more drawn-out style reminiscent of their influences as they are the pop-punk of their contemporaries. Their mastery of this is perhaps best shown on the closing pairing of ‘Comfort’ and ‘Wish’. The former is short, sweet, and beautiful, giving way to the crashing drums and distortion of the latter, building to a formidable crescendo on which to end the album.

Almost every note of “Colourmeinkindness” impresses. Basement have created a record that knows both when to swing its punches and when to offer a shoulder to cry on, equal parts brute force and beauty. Heavy, grunge-inspired riffs segue into considered, contemplative guitar lines which complement the confessional nature of Fisher’s lyrics perfectly. If this is indeed to be Basement’s last recorded output, they can be safe in the knowledge that they have left nothing from the canvas. The colour of kindness may be grey, but it is that special British grey, and Basement are resplendent in it.

5/5

James Tremain

"Colourmeinkindness" will be released on October 23rd via Run For Cover Records.