IFee-Fi-Fo-Fi-Fum! Like a hammer crashing into your cranium, Old Basford crash into your eardrums. These first random words smash into your brain like a car crashing into a brick wall, its destructive and can't be stopped and the image is from then on, firmly implanted in your brain for the rest of the day.
After this powerful and heavy start to first track Cruel Love with its chanting vocals and guitars that crashes with more satisfaction then an expensive, fragile porcelain pot falling off a 2000 foot building. Old Basfords sound switches into a funk and fun rock jive with influences such as Led Zeppelin and Presidents of the USA noted. The vocals are high and squeaky but catchy and remind me of early Chili Peppers. With nice slightly grungy guitars and funky drum and bass section this is foot tapping stuff but don't be fooled into thinking Old Basford are a RHCP cover band, they have a much harder edge and really use their retro influence and their dynamics to a high standard. With clatter booming in your face, powerful vocals and ear shattering guitar and drums that interchange with the soft and slick funk sounds with ease. Cruel Love is a funky, powerful, catchy and fun start to this offering and really makes you stand up and take notice of Old Basford.
Track 2 (All I Want), starts a lot softer with a suave, driving guitar riff that pushes the music along nicely and at a good tempo, with the sweet sounding vocals humming over the top. It is catchy again, and shows some sweet guitar skills in the song. After this gentle start it slowly builds up to a frenzied guitar solo with some funky drumming and bass lines. Like a rabbit in a glass cage, All I Want, doesnt last too long but causes a nice mess thats fun to watch and listen to, before it explodes into life at the end.
Final song: Right Now, also starts with a funky little guitar riff before kicking in with the drums and a really cool slapping and sliding bass riff. The vocals break through the crunching music with its soft, screaming funk and it really does sound a lot like the Chili Peppers, but I liked the way the vocals mixed in this tune between the high shriek and a soft growl. It also used some great dynamics picking up at just the right places and after lulling you in to a smooth sense of safety, these random pick ups, show their heavier side too. Once again this is a really tight song and Old Basford sound very professional in this mix. Making your feet want to move like a Cheetah with a fire cracker up its arse, Old Basford have more funk than a pair of pink 70's platform with gold laces. Its sexy in a weird way, you gotta respect it!
Old Basford are certainly great musicians and this sort of music is very easy to listen to and would make most people shake there behind like a baby shaking a rattle. Also I haven't heard many bands play this sort of music especially on the local scene, with such catchy and infectious songs. The only problem I have with Old Basford's sound is that I think they need another twist, because The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are kings of this sort of rock-funk, and Im sure most people would see Old Basford as being a bit too similar. Having said that, Old Basford are very good at this style of music too and it does (especially on Cruel Love) show a darker and heavier side that I think draws them away from that comparison. If Old Basford can explore there heavy and dark side a bit more and maybe also use the excellent vocal talent (like they do in track 3) more often, swapping around the growls and the shrieks, they could really have a new sound for the funk rock business.
Writen By Gaz
