The Basement Recordings – A Review by tomtshane
It’s been a bit since I posted anything on the site, I’ve been fortunate enough to be enjoying lots of live shows but I’m back and back with my review on The Basement Recordings. I can’t even tell you all how excited I was when Alexz released this news on past work being released “Properly” and in the way that great music deserves to be shown and heard by the world. I know by all your tweets how you were all so very excited by the news as well, I read lots of your tweets since the album dropped and you all are great supporters in this journey with Alexz and I know she is happy to have great fans like you all. Now for my review I hope you enjoy it 🙂
(Track 1) That Girl
This song is so amazing in many ways but once I heard this version it’s become my faveourite version of the track, It’s stripped down, raw but still amped with a rock edge, with Alexz’s younger voice we all seem to time travel back to the beginning of Alexz career and then flash forward to the present and see how much she has grown as an artist and musician. That Girl is a beautiful track that every iPod should be equipped with!
(Track 2) Skin
We all remember this song and the scene on Instant Star when Alex is on that stool singing Skin, In the episode it’s very dark and an emotional song to be sung as we watch her sing in pain, in real life it’s just as dark and real, Ive had this version of it on repeat, and singing every word as the beautiful melody carrys you through it’s waves of emotions and feelings that you can feel and hear in this track. I’m so thankful Alexz shared this with us 🙂
(Track 3) Chicago
Okay honestly what do I need to say! Chicago is one of my personal favorites! I remember being at the Drake gig and people in the crowd asking for Chicago so I know I’m not alone when I say this song is one of Alexz’s best lyrically brilliant written songs ever. I love strolling down the street listening to this song and looking around at the people and things around me taking in every moment of life, the message I take from this jam is not to take things in life to seriously and to enjoying life’s wonders. My view might not be what others will get from the song, but the beauty of this song is that everyone will get a difrrent message from this song and that’s what I think Alexz intended for this track off The Basement Recordings.
(Track 4) Running With The Devil
Indie at it’s best, This is why I compare Alexz Johnson to other female indie artists like Hannah Georgas, Fiest, Emily Haines and not just cause they are all Canadian’s! but because of their song writing skills, vocals and how they connect to their music, you can hear that from Alexz in Running With The Devil, This version is lovely, I really love the piano’s sound in it. Must check it out!
(Track 5) Taker
The intro to Taker is fantastic! I first was introduced to Taker on Voodoo and loved the sound and the intruments within the track, now we get to experience the beginning of it all with Alexz. The lyrics “She says forgive me I didn’t mean to full of every burden and she’s full of every lie” stands out to me and even more so in this version. The strings are goregous in this, Alexz did not put salt in my eyes or a wound in my soul with Taker.
(Track 6) Swallowed
Okay this is my all time favorite tune from The Basement Recordings! I only beg that Alexz will sing this live one day, I get this song and it’s lyrics, the way it’s sung it’s almost as if Alexz is crying or weeping in the song. I believe the song has an encouraging message of not to be overwhelmed or consumed by something, and to always be yourself and do the things in life you wanna do or see. This is yet another well written jam and sung in such a heavenly tone of voice. Great job Alexz and ofcourse Brendan for producing amazing masterpieces.
(Track 7) Saving The Train
“I’ve been down to the river to pray” opens the song and the instruments slowly kick in to an very upbeat anthem like song. This track I was lucky enough as I know other fans who attended the Drake show got this song as a treat on her set list. We loved every moment of It! The sound of the track is so retro sounding, I feel as I need to stand up and start doing the twist! The vintage sound and feel to the song is incredible, also let’s not forget the vocals and how stunning her vocals are.
(Track 8 ) Lost And Found
Where do I start, this song is so great. The drums in the song are awesome! I love the drums so much, they deliver a fun rythem to the song, just picture being at the beach in a drum circle and Alexz singing as the sunsets, This track takes me away to Jamica! Repeat, repeat, repeated! You have to listen to it if you have not heard it yet!
(Track 9) The Affair (Mr. Jones)
This is straight out of a 50’s mystery detective movie! Love it! The retro vibe of Alexz is fully exposed within this song, the version were all familiar with is Mr Jones off Voodoo. Personally this alternative verison is the one I like more, this just sounds so vintage and mysterious. I love both versions tho!
(Track 10) Easy Ain’t Sleazy
Now this is a great jam, indie and folky at the same time. The lyrics are funny, the word sleazy always makes me laugh but it’s even better hearing Alexz singing sleazy. If your looking for a laid back playful song then this is what is needed to be played! The sound of this song is almost made to sound like your right there with Alexz singing and jamming along to the rythem. Great track and such an fun song to listen to, never gets old!
(Track 11) Spin
Whistling is a must for this song, We all love music we can sing along to but now we have a song we can whistle along to! Its amazing this track is all about vocals and how it’s the main instrument is simply incredible. There is not enough of this kind of music in the world today, so were all so lucky to have an artist who pulls us back to a time when people didn’t sound like over produced robots. This song is a big statement, I am me this is me and I will only do me. Beautiful work is all that is needed to say about this track.
(Track 12) I Just Wanted Your Love
Flashback hello Instant Star! Do you remember this one? I sure so do and I always thought this was an amazing rock anthem track that was featured on Instant Star when Alexz was Jude. I actually have heard this performed live when she performed at the Live Green Festival, I went nuts when she played it! I grew up to Instant Star so to have finally heard a Instant Star track played live I was blown away! Now we have this version of it’s process before making it onto the hit TV show. Raw upbeat and all around amazing song, so happy to have gotten to hear the pre Instant Star version.
(Track 13) L.A Made Me
March 9th, 2010 Voodoo is released with track 4 being L.A Made Me, us getting to hear the complete version and the version Alexz intended for us to hear, now over a year later The Basement Recordings is released and now we get to enjoy the verison we’ve never heard before. In this one you can hear Alexz’s voice and how it’s developed and grown stronger. As Alex says L.A made her, but she made this incredible piece of art.
(Track 14) Weight
This has got to be one of the most talked about songs from the fans least from what I’ve seen or been tweeted about, so with that said Weight is released in all it’s glory and might, what a powerful moving song yet again from Alexz. It’s melody is a ballad with surprising vocal performance that will leave you with goosebumps and the hairs on your arm standing, Alexz really tests her self with this track vocally and reaches for a place in her voice I haven’t heard her do yet! I bow down for this song to you Alexz! Just fantabulous!
(Track 15) Running Back
The way the album is lined up and if you listen to the album from track 1 to track 15 you’ll understand why this is the finale song, it completes the album and makes it the cherry on top of that sundae! Let this song keep you running back for more, I know it keeps me coming back. This song is the bonus track on The Basement Recording and a bonus it sure is! The vocals on this track are insanely amazing! A very well produced track from Alexz and Brendan.
Finale thoughts
This album from top to bottom has left me speechless, I can’t begin to say how much respect I have for Alexz and Brendan Johnson for releasing this incredible personal work to us, I know that it was shown to the world in a very wrong way and disrespectful way towards the songs so to have this masterpiece added to the Alexz Johnson discography collection in the way it deserves to be treated means the world to us all and I’m sure as well to Alexz herself. Thank you Alexz for sharing your work with us, your true fans will always support you in any way possible through the highs and lows!
xo tomtshane
Thank you all for checking out my review, I hope you enjoyed it! Catch me on twitter @tomtshane and tell me what you thought.
Thanks all! 🙂
