★★★½
Long before Gotye watercoloured his nipples for the ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ video, he was known as Wally De Backer, drummer for folk-rock outfit The Basics. Having shelved the pseudonym, at least temporarily, De Backer has returned to the three-piece for their fourth studio album.
The title comes from Joe Hockey’s 2014 budget speech and the politics don’t end there. On ‘Whatever Happened To The Working Class?’, singer Kris Schroeder exclaims, “We got politicians sitting on their arse / Whittling away at the few rights that we’ve got left,” pulling no punches as he bashes big business and bemoans the absence of everyday heroes. Punk protest ‘Time Poor’ takes jabs at soundbite-spouting ministers before screaming: “What about basic human fucking rights?!”
It’s not all parliamentarian pummelling – there are some truly tender moments and even African rhythms on ‘Tunomba Saidia’ (while Gotye was off attracting awards and platinum discs like a human electromagnet, Schroeder was doing charity work in Kenya). De Backer takes the mic on the album’s most joyous tracks – the ’60s-influenced ‘Roundabout’ and ‘Good Times, Sunshine’ – his vocal style a welcome contrast.
From political protest to sunshine pop, The Basics are angry with those at the top but not too moody to party with the rest of us.
The Age Of Entitlement by The Basics is released through The Three Basics.
