Melodic hardcore punk band Basement has released some of their best music in their new album Beside Myself. The music on this album sounded amazing because of the overall upbeat attitude of the group and how they compose their sound. Additionally, the band has altered their sound ever so slightly reflect a more pop-punk vibe without losing the staple of what makes them great.
Basement was formed in 2009 in England and consists of members James Fisher (drums), Andrew Fisher (vocals), Alex Henery (guitar/backing vocals), Ronan Crix (guitar) and Duncan Stewart (bass). Beside Myself is the fifth studio album of the band and followed the musical path of their previous album Promise Everything. They released their first album I Wish I Could Stay Here in 2011 and afterwards they took a hiatus due to "personal commitments". They broke their hiatus and came back in 2012 with their hit album Colourmeinkindness. In my opinion, Colourmeinkindness finally placed the band on the listening radar and fans were eager to hear what the band would release afterwards. Four years later the group released their third album Promise Everything, which satisfied their fans cravings but still left them hungry for more. Two years after the release of Promise Everything, the band had released their fourth album Beside Myself which is some of their best work to date.
I thoroughly enjoyed each track on this album, and I looked forward to hearing the energy from each preceding song. I also felt like the tracks were placed in a great order because each one brought something new to the table. Beside Myself starts with the sanguine track "Disconnect" which introduced the listener to how positive the album would be. The next song "Be Here Now" was one of the best songs on the album with the catchy chorus "I lost myself in the moment, why can't I just be here now?" The corresponding music video of this song also added to the its appeal to audiences and was a great choice to promote the album. This song was very well structured and had an easy flowing rhythmic pattern.
Moving forward the songs "Nothing Left", "Ultraviolet", "Keepsake" and "Changing Lanes" all bring diverse sounds to the album, while still maintaining the listener's interest. "Changing Lanes" was one of the slower, and more vulnerable feeling tracks on this album. Although the song was short at being about a minute and a half long, the lyrics "As metal finds its way, into a final resting place, I struggle to find the right words to say. And as we're changing lanes at an alarming rate, I close my eyes and drive as I pray." Can be interpreted to mean that a couple in a relationship had contrasting ideas or feelings, which felt like "changing lanes at an alarming rate". The end of this song led perfectly into my favorite track on the album "Stigmata".
The opening to "Stigmata" is slow and soft, with the band immediately coming in at full blast and volume. This song sounded very emo and grunge-esc due to Fisher's excellent vocal performance, which also sounded similar to that of the band Superheaven. By the end of this track, I couldn't stop humming the chorus "It feels like we're falling in the dark."
The following songs "New Coast", "Just a Life", "Slip Away", and "Reason For Breathing" all maintained great composure and grabbed the listeners attention. "Slip Away" sounded like something Good Charlotte would have created during their Self Titled early era, while "Just a Life" sounded like something from the perspective of an underdog who questions his place in the world.
The album closes with the slow song "Right Here" which is also one of the longest tracks on the album. I feel that this song ties this album perfectly together and tucks it into bed. Basement reused similar emotions conveyed in "Changing Lanes" during this song, but added detail to the story. Lyrics in the song speak about the unknowingness life has, but how the right person can be the perfect constant in their life, "It's only as controlling as we are afraid, I will be right here."
Beside Myself was an excellent album from Basement and I was overjoyed to hear each track on this album. I felt that the band constructed this album perfectly from the track list, to the production, to even the obscure album artwork. If you weren't a Basement fan before, you will be after you listen to this album. Beside Myself received a 9.5 out of 10 and I highly recommend buying this album on vinyl.
