Album Review: Promise Everything by Basement

Ipswich band Basement release their third album Promise Everything on 29^th January via Run For Cover Records. After going on hiatus in 2013 following their seminal second album Colourmeinkindness the band grew in stature while being inactive and while last year’s Further Sky EP marked their return it also showed progression in  a shift in sound from grunge to a more melodic and refined sound.

Promise Everything is more immediate than the preceding EP, it takes the aggression of the pre-hiatus Basement and tempers it with more melody. The ideal sound has been found and we’ll make no bones about it…. this is might just be the greatest thing you’ve ever heard.

It’s still obviously a Basement record, they haven’t changed that much – on first listen it feels like you’re welcoming home an old friend, by the second listen the awkwardness is gone and familiarity and ease is back. Essentially it’s a better version of Basement, one that’s grown and developed.  Promise Everything is perfectly formed and executed with aplomb. It feels familiar while sounding fresh and invigorating.

If you’re in anyway familiar with Basement, you’ll know their one of those bands that are American in everything but nationality.  There are numerous instances on Promise Everything when you could be forgiven for a comparison with Bush. There’s a hint of Gavin Rossdale in the vocal to the formidable ‘Submission’. At other junctions you’ll think of Jimmy Eat World, Silverchair, Ash, Soundgarden and hints of contemporaries Title Fight. It’s a blend that gets better with every listen and hammers home the feeling that Promise Everything won’t be bettered in 2016.

The fact that all 10 tracks are of the highest standard makes singling out tracks extremely difficult. ‘Aquasun’ could be considered the ideal starting point due its big infectious hook and instant mass appeal. Alternatively ‘Oversized’ tones things down and shows a massive vocal performance that is packed with emotion or the raucous and wild ‘For You The Moon’ that makes you want through caution to wind and go crazy. Your best bet, however, would be to listen to the album as whole and let it flow from the sumptuous ‘Brothers Keeper’ through to the serine closer ‘Halo’.

The blend of grunge and melody is what really pushes Basement as the UKs finest export. ‘Hanging Around’ could easily be considered one of the best rock songs by a British band in the last five years; it packs a punch yet is easy on the ear, however it blends perfectly with the rest of the album with every other track equalling it in substance and quality.

Promise Everything has something for everyone; it can be interpreted different ways and act as the record that everyone ever wished for.  You could tell that this was going to be special even from the spine tingling intro to ‘Aquasun’. As an album it flows wonderfully becoming one of the most life affirming and commanding collection of songs committed to record. Be prepared to have this on repeat, this is a game changer.
AD Rating: 9.75/10