It’s a rare thing when a band’s name sums them up perfectly. In
\nthe case of Mishawaka, Indiana’s The Basics, it’s damn near
\nperfect. The trio of Doug Cowen, Ben Hajaj, and Charley Neises
\nplays unadulterated, uncomplicated pop-rock, hearkening back to
\nartists like Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Tom Petty and the
\nHeartbreakers, or The Smithereens. Basics indeed.<\/p>\n
The difficulty with this is that so few bands who play this
\nstyle do it well; it’s really hard to rise above the morass of
\nthree-chord mediocrity. The Basics, on the other hand, do an
\nexcellent job of being more than three chords and a cloud of dust;
\ntheir style may be basic, but don’t sell their skill short. On
\ntheir first CD,
\nBitter\/Sweet<\/i>, The Basics are already showing a studied
\neffortlessness that a lot of bands take years to reach, or never
\nreach at all.<\/p>\n
\nBitter\/Sweet<\/i> is, to steal a phrase, only rock and roll, but
\nI like it. The musicianship of the three members is competent
\nwithout being unbalanced; they trade time in the musical forefront,
\nblending perfectly to form an almost flawless wall of sound. While
\nI hate falling back on comparisons, the Smithereens example is
\nappropriate; certain parts of
\nBitter\/Sweet<\/i>, especially “In A Crowded Room” and “What If
\nAnd What Is,” remind me of the first time I heard “Behind The Wall
\nOf Sleep.” These guys make plain ol’ rock and roll sound polished
\nand smooth without sacrificing the essential simplicity of the
\nsongs.<\/p>\n
Other exceptional tracks include the driving, powerful “Does The
\nBottle Burn?”; the acoustic-laced “So Lame” with its hints of the
\nTroggs and the Who; the driving tom-tom and distorted background
\nvocals on “Every Day Rain”; and the cheery roots swing of “Little
\nFool.” My favorite track, however, has to be the haunting “City Of
\nThe Dead\/Long Way To Hell,” which takes every “Last Kiss”
\nclich\u00e9 in rock history and actually makes them scary. Tres
\ncool.<\/p>\n
The Basics have recently signed with a major label, and I think
\nthey’ve got a great future ahead of them.
\nBitter\/Sweet<\/i> is one of the most solid debut albums I’ve ever
\nseen, and these Hoosiers are worth watching — and purchasing for
\nyourself.<\/p>\n