Basement WIRED
Basement's WIRED marks a confident return, a record that channels post-hardcore heat into sharper alternative rock immediacy while reclaiming the band's emotional core. Critics agree the album balances raw anger and melancholy with melodic hooks, and that moments of reinvention - from the propulsive opener pair to the
Pick Up The Pieces is the standout because of its relentless hooks, dynamic drums and singalong choruses.
The title track “WIRED” is the album's emotional centerpiece, with a haunting, scathing chorus that defines its intent.
Best for listeners looking for creativity reclaiming and dynamic contrasts, starting with WIRED and Pick Up The Pieces.
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Full consensus notes
Basement's WIRED marks a confident return, a record that channels post-hardcore heat into sharper alternative rock immediacy while reclaiming the band's emotional core. Critics agree the album balances raw anger and melancholy with melodic hooks, and that moments of reinvention - from the propulsive opener pair to the reflective closer - make WIRED a compelling follow-up after the hiatus.
Across five professional reviews the critical consensus lands at 82.6/100, with reviewers consistently citing standout tracks as proof of the record's ambitions. The title track “WIRED”, plus the sprinting “Time Waster” and the taut “Broken By Design”, emerge as repeated highlights, while “Pick Up The Pieces” and “Head Alight” earn praise for hook-driven momentum. Critics note producer John Congleton's role in opening space for experimentation: guitars alternate between fuzzed fury and sunlit melody, and Andrew Fisher's more exposed lyrics lend vulnerability to songs like “Broken By Design” and “The Way I Feel”.
While reviewers overwhelmingly welcome the band's evolution from dense post-hardcore into a clearer alternative rock mode, some emphasize restraint over grand gestures, calling the record measured rather than revolutionary. That nuance frames the consensus: WIRED is both a reclaimed creative statement and a disciplined step forward. For readers wondering if WIRED is worth listening to, the score across professional reviews and the repeated praise for tracks such as “WIRED” and “Time Waster” suggest it's a standout chapter in Basement's catalog and a must-hear for long-time fans and newcomers alike.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
WIRED
3 mentions
"Opening track Time Waster swings out of the gates into title track WIRED, with a quintessential BASEMENT flourish of soaring, punchy choruses"— Distored Sound Magazine
Pick Up The Pieces
2 mentions
"Fast, punchy and incredibly hooky, the track is a uniquely infectious burst of high energy on the album."— Distored Sound Magazine
Time Waster
3 mentions
"on opener ‘Time Waster’ and ‘Deadweight’ where these features are taken and ramped up"— Still Listening Magazine
Opening track Time Waster swings out of the gates into title track WIRED, with a quintessential BASEMENT flourish of soaring, punchy choruses
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Time Waster
WIRED
Deadweight
Broken By Design
Pick Up The Pieces
Embrace
Sever
The Way I Feel
Satisfy
Head Alight
Longshot
Summer's End
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
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Critic's Take
Basement return with WIRED, an album that feels like a reset and a reclaiming of creativity, and the best songs prove that point. The title pair “Time Waster” into “WIRED” shows the band swinging out of the gates with soaring, punchy choruses, while “Pick Up The Pieces” is a standout - fast, hooky and insanely propulsive. Alex Henery and Ronan Crix's guitar lines on “Deadweight” and “Satisfy” underline why these are among the best tracks on WIRED, balancing fuzz and sun-soaked melody. Closing with “Summer's End” gives the album a bright, anthem-ready finish that cements its strengths.
Key Points
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Pick Up The Pieces is the standout because of its relentless hooks, dynamic drums and singalong choruses.
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The album's core strengths are its dynamic contrasts, compelling guitar work, and the blend of melodic hooks with gritty intensity.
Themes
St
Critic's Take
There is a tangible sense of return and reinvention in Basement’s WIRED, where the best songs — notably “WIRED” and “Head Alight” — push the band into sharper, more urgent territory while remaining recognisably them. The reviewer admires how producer John Congleton opened space for experimentation, letting tracks like “Time Waster” and “Deadweight” ramp up classic frenzied guitar energy without over-polishing. At the same time the record's softer, more vulnerable moments such as “Broken By Design” and “The Way I Feel” reveal Andrew Fisher’s more open lyricism, making these among the best songs on WIRED. The closer “Summer’s End” caps the album perfectly, a dreamy summation that shows why the band’s leap after eight years feels worth it.
Key Points
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The title track “WIRED” is the album's standout for its urgency and boundary-pushing energy.
Critic's Take
Basement arrive on WIRED with a bruising, emotionally-driven statement that privileges catharsis and melody in equal measure. The reviewer's tone is urgent and observant, and it elevates the record's best songs - most notably “WIRED” and “Broken By Design” - as exemplars of the album's duality, anger and melancholy. The writing highlights how opener “Time Waster” and single “Head Alight” set the album's momentum and willingness to surprise, while quieter moments like “Embrace” deepen the emotional core. Overall the narrative praises the band for returning unshakeable after hiatus, making WIRED both familiar and newly ambitious.
Key Points
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The title track “WIRED” is the album's emotional centerpiece, with a haunting, scathing chorus that defines its intent.
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The album's core strengths are its balance of raucous urgency and melancholy, and its ability to surprise while remaining true to Basement's sound.
Themes
Th
Critic's Take
The reviewer frames Basement as a band defined by return and reinvention, and on WIRED that sense of promise carries through. The voice is measured and observant, noting how past post-hardcore energy has been folded into a straighter alternative rock approach that gives tracks momentum. For listeners asking about the best songs on WIRED, the review implies the album’s standouts are those that balance that old urgency with newer clarity. The critic’s tone stays grounded, crediting the band for settling into a convincing hybrid sound rather than chasing thrills.
Key Points
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The best moments are where post-hardcore urgency meets cleaner alternative-rock songwriting.
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The album’s core strength is its convincing blend of past promise and a steadier, more direct sound.
Themes
