Basics, The - With This Ship (Single)

When I saw The Basics some months ago, I was struck immediately by both how good a live act they were and how derivative their sound was. It was like they'd dumped equal parts Kinks, Beatles and Zombies in a blender, hit 'Wendy's Thickshake' mode and served ice cold.

Just Hold On was an excellent song, but it was one excellent song amidst many forgettable ones. Their fans were more likely interested in their live performances or the debatable attractiveness of their drummer rather than the quality of their first album.

And then the news that the band was breaking up filtered through the Melbourne music scene. Did anyone actually care? The fans that still remained had grown tired of their schtick and Little Red had sapped their reservoir of new converts. The Basics seemed set to fade into oblivion.

And then...

With This Ship is released and instantly finds radio airplay. It slots into Triple J's rotation like a moisturised hand into a lubricated glove. Its style and sound is new and different - a departure from their earlier material. It sounds like the current version of Kings Of Leon with a few of the trademark Basics harmonies layered on top. Okay, trademark Beatles harmonies. But still.

Is it possible for a band who has found very little success to be labelled as sell-outs? Or have they just reinvented themselves? Maybe they just decided a new musical outlook was what was required to reinvigorate the band and its members. Either way, With This Ship is a very good song. The B-Side is Trouble In His Head, a brooding little number.

Interesting times are likely ahead for The Basics. This song may be the herald.

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