Autumn is analogous to a vulnerable period when our lives can no longer be veiled by moments of youth. Basement has approached this stage in their musical career prematurely, having only released one EP and one studio LP prior to colourmeinkindness.
Basement’s sound has mellowed over the past year or so. Their departure from their pop-punk roots is evident throughout the album while elements of ‘90s emo and alternative rock have sonically seeped into the band’s resonance.
However, to some extent, they have retained the callowness present on I Wish I Could Stay Here. They have refined their sound and removed any existing impurities. The end result is an album elegantly produced, and constructed with cohesion, confidence and finesse.
The first song, “Whole,” projects us into a cataclysm of crude guitars, stalwart wails and the blasts of cannon-like drumming nervously pushing the album forward without restraint. Veteran Basement fans are familiar with being falsely led to believe the tracks to come will follow suit.
“Whole” dramatically plummets into “Covet,” the album’s first single. Without the ease of a transition, “Covet” introduces a juxtaposed crooning with a restraint reminiscent of Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate and guitar melodies overtly paying homage to The Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?”
Basement’s roller coaster of noise continues with another track that shreds with unwavering fortitude. “Spoiled,” a grievance of love and passion taken for granted, has the tone of rampant and hysterical disappointment prompted by self-loathing. Chugging guitars with a prodigious air of Audioslave’s Out of Exile compose the body of “Spoiled” and forcibly crescendo into a chorus that represents this tone of repugnance.
In the bloody aftermath of “Spoiled,” Basement veers us toward “Pine.” This track will arguably become a fan favorite with its bittersweet guitar tones, animated drumming and vocals registering a Dookie-era Billie Joe. The next track, “Apple,” is reminiscent of Balance and Composure with its emotive static accompanied by an urgent, yet controlled, tempo.
The album’s interlude, “Breathe,” shows the first signs of its slow and steady resolution. Clocking in at 5:21, “Breathe” takes us through a dense fog of ambient strumming and the grave, thunderous reverberation of cymbals. A profound and tired anthem is littered throughout the ballad. “If I close my eyes long enough, will I die?” The song’s sheer vehemence is burdensome with its unassuming, resolute power.
After “Breathe” is “Control,” which is appropriately named, as the admirably continuous drum beat carries the distorted melodies. “Black” grasps the preceding track by the wrist and violently tugs as the album’s heavier timbre tells us it hasn’t given up just yet.
After the ferocity of “Black,” a lone, melancholy guitar leads us into “Comfort.” One can empathize with the apparent sense of honesty in the tone of his bending tremolo. “The picture frame has seen far better days,” the singer confesses. “Comfort” acts as an abbreviated break before the ultimate conclusion of colourmeinkindness.
The 10th and final track, “Wish,” epitomizes the perfect closer, making other bands only wish they could tie a ribbon on an album with such poise and confidence. The song’s bridge builds into a rush of vicious drum fills and untamed guitar riffs. The bass drum pounds incessantly, tremendous clamor sends chills down our spines and before the listener can even register it, the song has come to a colossal end.
Over the summer, Basement announced a hiatus and with this album, the autumn of their musical career has arrived. The band is essentially composed of a group of boys. We must assume they are embarking on a variety of opportunities granted to them as they enter the “real world,” but their disbanding is a somber occurrence.
Colourmeinkindness represents the futility of immortality and the inevitability of an end to all good things, but also the recurring nature of life itself. Basement has left behind a legacy so deep-seated that it will only carry them further. Look around you — autumn is about, but springtime will come forth again.