Tag: Jim Basnight

Jim Basnight exclusive debut with The Moberlys, Rockinghams and more

powerpopaholic

Jim Basnight and The Moberlys

Jim Basnight

Jim Basnight “Jokers, Idols and Misfits”

Jim Basnight has been a rock and roll survivor, from his days with The Moberlys in the ’80s, to The Rockinghams in the ’90s to today. Power Popaholic is proud to debut his new full-length LP Jokers, Idols, and Misfits with our digital distribution on Bandcamp.

Jim has gathered together a series of covers over the course of his musical career that mean something to him personally. Some will be familiar (The Who’s “I Can See For Miles”) but many are not. Obscurities like The Cowboys, Mike Czekaj, and The Sonics are alongside the well-known rockers here. The Kinks “This Is Where I Belong” opens a sprawling 21 track journey into rock, pop, and punk. The performances are top-notch, as “Rock and Roll Cowboy” showcases the energy of The Rockinghams, while the excellent covers of Marc Bolan’s “Laser Love,” The Sonics “Cinderella” and “New Guitar In Town” demonstrate just how freaking tight The Moberlys were.

Basnight also arranges the music to best effect with his vocal style, like on The Turtles “You Showed Me” with an emphasis on its percussion and horns. The bluesy approach on “Princess In Rags” with strings and trumpets shows Jim’s range and flexibility. This is one album that defies predictability, and for every familiar tune, you get something you’ve likely never heard before. I have to admit my bias here, but overall this is a terrific mix of songs with something for everyone. CD version is expected in a month or so. Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp

Jim Basnight and Trip Wire

powerpopaholic
Jim Basnight

Jim Basnight “Not Changing”

Veteran musician Jim Basnight made waves in with The Moberlys early in his career and he continues to put out great material to this day. Not Changing is his first new album in seven years and it offers listeners a variety of moods and memories. The album starts with the easy-going “Code to Live By,” a testament to his longevity with a terrific solo guitar break. The title track is a wistful look back on his career, confident that he’s made the right choices as he states “with this guitar, you can dig for gold, but can you dig a soul from a grave?” He returns to the theme of death with the somber “Suicide Evening,” and “Kurt Cobain.”

While there are several quieter tracks, Jim shines when he reaches into that classic blues-rocker style similar to The Rolling Stones on “Big Bang” and “Best Lover In The World.” The rollicking “Making Love for a Living” is a catchy tune sure to get you moving and “Never Get Lost” is another power pop gem. More highlights include “Second Street,” “You Never Cease To Amaze Me” and the radio-friendly finale “Living The Way I Want.” This is a celebration of a man comfortable doing what he loves. So, why change such a good thing? Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp | Amazon

Trip Wire

Trip Wire “Once & Always”

San Francisco stalwarts Trip Wire continue to rock on their fourth LP with Marty Schneider, Bill Hunt, Stu Shader, and Jeff Shelton (The Well Wishers).  The gruff “Had Enough” evokes Bob Mould, and Shelton shines here as the vocalist on “Down” with lots of great energy. “Light Of The Moon” has some interesting composition and sounds like a cross between Lou Reed and REM. The subtle “Golden Gloves” with its strings and the seamless follow-up “Clear,” showcases a simple acoustic melody that builds into a majestic solo jam. It almost sounds like a completely different band. 

But the album is far from over, as they get back on to power pop with “Bottle Rocket.” After this, we get the folk-like jangling pop of “Act Fast” and country twang of “Carolina.”  The band seems most comfortable with roots-inflected rock, and while the other genres aren’t bad, they don’t stick in your head for long. Overall a refreshingly honest rock ‘n’ roll album that deserves to be heard.

Big Stir Records