Amidst a surge in the Irish music scene, Basht. prove they are deserving of their spot in the limelight with their debut album Poor Advice.
We had the pleasure of watching vocalist Jack Leavey and guitarist Lughaidh Armstrong Mayock from Irish alt-rock band Basht. take to the stage at Assai Records in Glasgow last week to perform an acoustic version of their debut album, Poor Advice. They performed the record in whole and even treated the crowd to a few oldies. Afterwards, we had the chance to speak to bassist Louis Christle and drummer Ryan McClelland about the album and their experience on the road again.
Released on October 9th through LAB Records, the album is built around questioning authority, challenging institutional powers and the religious histories in Ireland. The ten tracks effortlessly blend together to form a compelling story which draws on aspects of the band’s personal experiences of their upbringing in different parts of Ireland.
RM: “We just sort of thought about that idea of being given poor advice. Advice that we’ve been given down throughout the years, and as we were writing a few different tracks for the album we sort of noticed that common thread kept coming up again and again.”
The opener, Dive, sets the tone by immediately thrusting an uneasy feeling upon the listener through Leavey’s soft vocals against a plucked guitar, quickly exploding into louder guitar rhythms.
My personal favourite on the record is Terror TV. It follows a more traditional punk formula and is noticeably more upbeat than its accompanying tracks. That said, it is far from light when you actually listen to the lyrics. Terror TV represents the feelings of helplessness and guilt that we all feel when watching the atrocities happening across the world on our screen.
RM: “Terror TV had been floating around for quite a while but the arrangement kept changing. Jack had the lyrics done but sometimes it was trying to get the music to fit the lyrics or vice versa.”
Superchurch is a stand out on the album, however. On top of echoey drums and soft acoustics, Leavey’s chilling vocals tell a story relating to the protagonists’ relationship with the Irish Catholic Church. The lyrics “That’s why I’m leaving this church…face my God like a man.” excellently encapsulate the message behind this song. It is a beautiful, yet chilling, track with emotion woven into every component.
The title track, Poor Advice, closes the album beautifully. The track perfectly ties together the ideas explored – it is “all encompassing”, as Louis said to us. Interestingly, it leaves the listener with a small glimmer of hope in such dark times through the lyrics: “In the darkest hour there’s a flicker of light… I know it’s not yet blinding but it’ll get us through the night.” These lyrics serve as an inspiring ending to a rather melancholic album, proving that there is always a reason to keep fighting for change.
The reception to the album has been nothing short of fantastic. Reaching number one on the Irish Independent Chart and number three on the UK equivalent, listeners have been thoroughly enjoying this era of Basht. For the band, it has been a wild experience.
LC: “I always think the drummer of Westside Cowboy put this a very good way. He said that when they released their first album it was almost like it ended for them, like that chapter was finished because it was out in the world, but it’s actually just starting again because everyone is hearing it. It’s been great just having, especially the non-single album tracks, out in the world. Just having them out in the world has been very fun.”
Making a change from their usual scene, the band are currently touring record stores across the UK and Ireland. After the performance, fans have the opportunity to meet the band and get their copy of the record signed.
RM: “We’re really enjoying [the shows]. I think the main thing is getting to chat to the fans afterwards. On the bigger headline ones you don’t always get that opportunity. It’s just been a nice wholesome experience.”
Their sold-out headline tour kicks off shortly after in Nottingham on October 20th, coming to Glasgow on the 28th at the Art School – though this is not the first time some songs have been played to a crowd. The album was written over several months whilst the band was on the road, proving to be beneficial.
LC: “It was such a privilege to be able to write something and be in the room for a while and then take it to a show then see how people reacted to it, what works and so.”
RM: “I think we’re a band that really prioritises live and we just love the atmosphere, so it was a big thing for us to be able to write stuff and immediately see how it feels live.”
Their passion for playing live is evident from the moment they step out on stage, making every performance magical. You really don’t want to miss them next time they visit.
Album Artwork from Polocho.
