Basketball Shorts - Hot And Ready LP - Clear w/ Blue Vinyl

Fleeting Youth (2016)

This record is a perplexing one to write about.  On the surface it's a fast, fun and catchy record, so my natural inclination is to like it.  But when I really sit and listen to it, as opposed to just having it play in the background, there are things that I don't like that really start to stand out.

To start, these guys really sound like The Marked Men.  I mean they REALLY sound like The Marked Men.  Considering that I bought this album based on the fact that they were compared to The Marked Men, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to be annoyed that I think they sound too much like The Marked Men, but it's a bit excessive over the course of this album.  A few of the songs have a little bit of a Mean Jeans lean to them, but as a whole these guys really deliver the sound comparison that's been advertised.

The other thing that doesn't work for me is the lyrics.  I'm not really a big lyrics guy.  I usually only notice them when they are either really great or really bad.  I'm not sure if Basketball Shorts qualify as being really bad, but they're silly enough that I take notice, and not really in a good way.  Whether it's ""With knife in hand, I'll make you understand" or "When you don't scream out my name, it's such a shame" or the entire songs written about Home Alone or Lt. Dan from Forrest Gump, it's all just a bit much for me at times.

But again, I'm torn because there are some genuine toe tappers on this LP.  Even while writing this review, I had the album playing in the background and when I'm not over examining it, I catch myself nodding along to the big hooks and crunchy guitars.  Maybe this is one of those records that will grow on my the more I play it.  Maybe I'll end up being extra annoyed after a while.  I't hard to tell right now, but I can say that I this record is absolutely worth giving a play on Bandcamp. Maybe you won't mind the few things on the record that are bugging me.

Basketball Shorts - Hot And Ready:

https://fleetingyouthrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hot-and-ready