Better Days, the newest solo offering from Chase Ross of The Basin Brothers, had Ross flexing his well-honed songwriting muscles during its quarantine inception. Written and recorded completely by Ross himself, the album showcases his chops as both a songwriter and performer.
It’s hard to pin this album down. Ross sings with a country twang that’s especially prevalent on earlier tracks. “The Other End Of Being Wrong” sets this precedent right from the outset, with all the crooning pining that’s expected of your typical country song. “Find myself up all night,” Ross sings. “I’m a lonely fool, and you know it’s true.”
At the same time, there’s a hint of that Canadian dad folk-rock energy – of the likes of Great Big Sea and Barenaked Ladies. “Said To Me” has an edgy, erratic beat to it that’s a refreshing change of pace in comparison to the more country-influenced tracks before it. Ross toes the line between a slew of genres, making for fresh listens throughout the album.
Lyrically, Ross keeps his concepts simple but his words meaningful. He has his fair share of love songs, though the romances he sings of are usually not without their drawbacks. Even the more upbeat “Mary-Lou” has Ross apologizing to someone he has to leave behind.
Meanwhile, Ross spends the rest of his time singing about the state of the world around him and his ideals. He struggles with the harsh reality we live in on “World Get So Mean”, singing, “If there was a God who made this land, was it in His sight? Was it in His plan?” It’s definitely the darkest song on the album, but this bleak outlook isn’t one Ross wallows in for too long.
After all, the album is called Better Days for a reason. The album gets its name from the track “Keeping One Eye Out (For Better Days To Come)”, and while it has the makings of a dreary ballad, it props itself up on the silver lining that, despite his heartache, better days will come. This outlook is best summed up in the chorus of “Blackbird, Blackbird”, a line that closes out the song – “I don’t care about the pouring rain, the sun’s gonna come out again.” Though Ross may close out the album mourning the loss of a good thing on “Paradise”, it’s this optimistic mindset that leaves a lasting impression.