Rockfreaks.net

The Baketones

Unite

Written by: PP on 22/08/2011 00:16:17

Halifax, Canada based The Baketones roll down the street sounding like a bloody circus gone mentally unstable and with a newfound love for fuzzy garage rock on debut album "Unite". The sheer amount of old school organs and chaotic rock'n'roll energy makes me want to dub the band as 'saloon rock', and they belong to that same distinct group of bands that sounds like everyone is currently engaged in a fight while rolling down the staircase at the saloon. Sort of like Foxy Shazam on their debut album, except with organs in place of the pianos. It's always tough to describe on paper precisely how bands like them sound because the soundscapes are often so vivid that one has to wonder if toning down their instincts of kicking maximum ass while having fun wouldn't benefit the overall expression on some level.

Whatever the case, The Baketones songs are played with a flurry of energy and with an unashamedly extroverted attitude that draws its influence from bands like The Hives, The Kinks, The Vines, and even Jet in places. We're neck-deep in the garage rock genre, but at the same time the whole mix sounds like 70s rock thanks to the heavy use of distorted vocals and an overload of circus-like organ sounds, so perhaps the best description would be to call it 70s rock with a modern garage rock flavor or something. Whichever you choose, it's difficult not to take notice when their sixteen roughly two and a half-minute pieces of extravagant rock'n'roll crash and burn by the listener. Notice, however, might be just the only thing you'll do, because the songs are over faster than they start, and often go nowhere further than just the saloon/circus/organs/energy/chaos/distortion cocktail, which can be entertaining for some, but begins too soon sound, if not outright pointless, then at least a little samey and unsurprising halfway through the record.

One of the main problems is that even though The Baketones know how to rock'n'roll, step on the pedals and swirl through effect-laden solos, the songwriting isn't at a level which would make them a contender against such heavyweights as The Hives or The Kinks. It's important to note at the same time that "Unite" isn't bad per se, it just fails to have a few really strong cuts that'd win the listener over and interest him in returning back to the wonderfully distorted and raw garage rock songs. An okay effort, but more development is needed before The Baketones will begin drawing crowds.

Download: I'm A Caveman, I Don't Love You, California I'm On My Way
For the fans of: The Hives, The Kinks, The Vines, Jet, Foxy Shazam without pianos
Listen: Soundcloud

Release date 31.08.2011
Baketones Music

Unite by The Baketones