ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 206 HEAVEN'S BASEMENT - FILTHY EMPIRE (2013)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Heaven's Basement

Genre: Rock

Country Of Origin: Britain

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: No

Album: Filthy Empire

Producer: John Feldman

Singles: Fire, Fire/Nothing Left To Lose

RJ's Top 5 Tunes: 1. Jump Back...2. I Am Electric...3. Executioner's Day...4. The Price We Pay...5. Heart Breaking Son Of A Bitch

Disclaimer:  All "facts" still come from wikipedia.com unless otherwise noted (no matter what Jon's attitude toward it is).

This week's Album Of The Week is from a new band named Heaven's Basement.  It's a new "find" for me, spurred by my attendance at their show opening for The Pretty Reckless last week.  It's a new album, but a little over a year old, so I decided to feature them here instead of New Music Corner.  

Warning: Explicit lyrics, use ear phones...

I just love this album.  It's one of those that when I listened the first time, I did not want it to end.  That doesn't happen to often.  The band members are Aaron Buchanan (vocals), Sid Glover (guitar, backing vocals), Rob Ellershaw (bass) and Chris Rivers (drums).  It's not like the vocals are perfect.  Sometimes Buchanan's voice strains when trying to hit some of those high notes, but it works well for me.  There is such an urgency to his voice.  And as a side note, I thought his live performance was terrific.  The guitar leads, while sometimes short, are always hot.  He does get some extended soloing time in the closing track, which shows his ability quite well.  And the rhythm section is top notch.  Finally, I think the songwriting is really good for such a young band.

I really wish I would have found this last year, because it would have easily made my top 3 albums from that year.  At approximately twelve dollars, it's a real steal if you ask me.

1. Welcome Home

2. Fire, Fire

3. Nothing Left To Lose

4. Lights Out In London

5. I Am Electric

6. The Long Goodbye

7. Heart Breaking Son Of A Bitch

8. Be Somebody

9. Can't Let Go

10. The Price We Pay

11. Jump Back

12. Executioner's Day

 

[Jon]

I went into this with an open mind, all the hype. And then.....

I must be missing something here. The vocalist isn't really that good, the lyrics seems to be aimed at kids (and I'm not a "lyric guy"), the rest of the band isn't anything special especially the geetar™, song #7 is a horrible song, song #8 is your obligatory teen-angst ballad, every band looks the same on the Red Bull Records website, oh-a-whoa-wo in a teenage "raise your fists in the air and sing-along song", a "raise your lighter/cellphone in the air" song with really weak vocals, now I'm TRYING to like track #11 but for some reason I keep thinking of a skateboard park but at least there was some slide geetar™, "jump back WRAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH", that's mainly what I heard and now thankfully it's the last song which seems to have potential but they'll ruin it somehow...........I'm waiting for it........hey, it didn't happen, decent song.

1/12 standout songs. That's not good. This album is not good. You know when you eat something bad you have the opportunity to vomit that stuff out of your system? I wish I could make my ears vomit.

[Scott]

Here again you and Jon got some sort of collusion going on... He posts some band named SOB and this one has the same reference in the form of a song titled "blah blah blah SOB" ... 

That aside...

This is musically good, not great, but good.  Nothing earth shattering going on though I do like some of the bass work probably better than the rest of the bands work as the riffs aren't new or different, and Jons got it right about the vocals..  eh...  Fire Fire is easily the best tune here.

I don't care for use of language that's seems forced or overused.  I tend to think that makes the bands songwriting sound desperate.  This is a nogo for me...

[Gordon Williams]

Just now checking this out at the end of Friday afternoon, after a long week at work. But, first track was decent, then the second track started, and I'm digging it, man! Killer main riff on this second song. I'll have to check out the rest later, but I'll definitely be back for more. Hopefully, there's more stuff like track 2.

Question for Jon: How many killer lyrics have you ever wrote?

Question for Scott: How many killer riffs have you ever wrote?

BUH-WAH-HA-HA-HA...

RJHog, don't let the "Nega-tiers" sway your taste in music!

[Scott]

73

[Jon]

17,463

[RJhog (Admin)]

Jon copies all of his lyrics from allmusic.com.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Scott copies all his riffs from wikipedia.com.

[Scott]

.org ...  but lets not get technical...

[Jon]

Yeah*

*Yep, that's a lyric I wrote**

**That's another one***

***And another****

****Still another

[Gordon Williams]

After listening all the way through, I like this, but not quite enough to buy it. I do agree with Scott that "Fire, Fire" is easily the best track. Vocals are good, not great. Guitar is pretty good. Production pretty good.

So, if I were to stumble across this at a good price, I'd buy it. But it's not good enough to make me want to add it to the "must get" list. Still, an enjoyable listen, and I'm glad to have heard it.