Basht - ‘Gone Girl’ Review + Q&A: Nothing short of spectacular
Channeling the energy of Nirvana, Fontaines DC, and Arctic Monkeys, Gone Girl is nothing short of spectacular. 2024 is set to be a massive year for Basht, with an imminent EP release.
★★★★★★★★★☆
Credit: Basht 📸
Gone Girl was released on the 23rd of February, and is the lead single from Basht’s hotly anticipated debut EP, ‘Dirty White Lies’. Teaming up with Thom Lewis (Sam Fender), the band crafted the project over less than a week in Newcastle, last Summer.
If you got there early on Wunderhorse’s tour or came to Sebright Arms in January, you may have heard Gone Girl (and others) being road-tested. You’ll also know that this Dublin five-piece is fearless, with tunes that can quickly translate to a live setting.
The band is made up of Jack Leavey (vocals), Sam Duffy (lead guitar), Rossa Healy (rhythm guitar), Louis Christie (bass), and Luke O’Neill (drums). Each has a distinctive music taste, all feeding into creating a progressive alt-rock sound.
Gone Girl has been described as the ‘arrow-head of the EP’, and indicates the direction Basht is heading stylistically.
The track portrays a moment in many young adult relationships, as a couple (growing up in a small town) arrives at a crossroads. One wants to leave. Basht then paints a vivid picture of the fallout that arises afterward. In this narrative, both partners realise that life is complicated, and perhaps love isn’t what they thought.
‘Too high to grow up, too young to settle down’, Jack yearns, through heart-wrenching uncertainty, confusion, and at times, anger. There’s not a moment to waste, with an unrelenting and frantic pace from start to finish, indicative of the swirling emotions both protagonists are comprehending as pain unfolds.
This is a put-your-foot-down tune, metaphorically and physically. While we don’t condone speeding down a Country road blasting this tune (obviously), this is how it makes you feel. The protagonist doing just that. Driving as quickly as they can.
Channeling the energy of Nirvana, Fontaines DC, and Arctic Monkeys, Gone Girl is nothing short of spectacular - immediately drawing you into the world being created. When you’re reminded this is from a debut EP, the sound, lyrics, and narrative become even more impressive. Nothing seems out of place. It’s a tune that just makes sense, as you listen again and again.
There’s a thrill when listening to Basht, and this is no different. We know it’s a head-thrashing rock n’ roll banger, but pay attention to the words. That’s what sets this band apart. Jack’s vocals and lyrical genius reign supreme, and the entire band takes it to new heights. Those long hours in the studio have worked wonders, and the trajectory the band finds themselves on won’t be stopping anytime soon.
Gone Girl, without question, cements Basht as one of the most exhilarating new bands to emerge in recent times. 2024 is set to follow, a year that’ll change their lives forever.
In support of ‘Dirty White Lies’, Basht has announced a headline tour, bouncing between Dublin, Manchester, London, Glasgow, and Leeds. You don’t want to miss it, get your tickets here.
:: Bonus Q&A ::
Describe ‘Gone Girl’ in three words:
Energetic, intense, and passionate.
What is the narrative behind the track, and what does it mean to you?
It tells the story of two (kinda) young people who grow up in a small town or a small city. One of them wants to leave, and the other wants to stay and it’s (kinda) like the fallout that comes with that…when someone does decide to leave. And even when they do come back, it’s not the same as it once was, you know? I think people grow up at different rates and different paces, and, yeah it’s a reflection of those early stages of young adulthood and discovering what works for you.
Does this track follow where we left off on ‘Never Love’, or is this a completely new direction?
It’s a completely new direction. It’s kind of more intense. It’s faster, it’s livelier and more energetic. I think the themes of love and storytelling are still present, but musically it’s another step beyond Never Love naturally, as we wrote Never Love two years ago.
In relation to the EP as a whole, how indicative is ‘Gone Girl’ to where you’re heading stylistically?
I think Gone Girl has all the elements of the EP in terms of guitar tones and direction. But, it’s definitely the arrowhead of the EP - whereas we’ve got bigger and bulkier songs like Wild Horses and This Isn’t About You coming out. There’s more meat on the bone there. Naturally, with an EP, it’s a collection of work, and not everything is going to be the same. We wanted to capture the range of our music and it’s an insight into (hopefully) where our music is going.
Where did this tune derive from? Has it been lingering for a while?
The tune’s been in the pipeline for ages, we recorded this last Summer in between the two Wunderhorse tours we did in Newcastle with Thom Lewis, a brilliant platinum producer who did all of the Sam Fender stuff. So, that was an experience in itself. It took on a life of its own in the studio, it was one of those things where we had a rough idea of where we wanted it to go but definitely, when we sat down and started recording it, it developed into what it is. And it was great to have Thom’s input, a producer with his expertise added to the quality.
Now, it’s your turn. Give it a spin, and tell us what you think on Insta or X.
Rating: 9/10
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