The Queers

The Queers: Back to the BasementBack to the Basement (2010)
Asian Man Records

Reviewer Rating: 2.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: Rich27Rich27
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on January 28th 2011I will start this review by clarifying that I am a big fan of the Ramones. They're one of my all-time favourite bands, they were great every time I saw them live and even my four-year-old daughter enjoys rocking out to their music. So, with that background out of the way, let the review commence... .

I will start this review by clarifying that I am a big fan of the Ramones. They're one of my all-time favourite bands, they were great every time I saw them live and even my four-year-old daughter enjoys rocking out to their music. So, with that background out of the way, let the review commence...

The last thing by the Queers that I heard was the Live in West Hollywood album that a friend lent me a year or two ago. It was pretty damn good and showcased the band very well as they performed a blistering set. I've been aware of the band for a long time and have some of their earlier albums within my collection, so I was looking forward to seeing how they sounded these days with their latest release, Back to the Basement.

Opening with the excellent, although slightly incongruous instrumental "Rollerdog", this is swiftly followed by the uptempo and enjoyable title track. At this stage all was going swimmingly, with even the fairly crass "Titfuck" being a decent tune (lyrically awful, though). However, from there on in the album becomes quite patchy with a couple of good songs ("Pull Me Out of It" and a cover of Black Flag's "White Minority") surrounded by some mediocre and plodding-at best-efforts, culminating in a very low-key end to the album.

Personally, I think the reliance on the Ramones as the basis for what Queers produce is overdone. Hell, if I want to hear Ramones-like songs I'll slap on Leave Home or Too Tough to Die, so I'm not really going to get all excited about a band basically attempting to sound like Da Bruddas, especially when they put forward so many sub-standard songs.

There will be many who disagree with me and think this is a good album, and to them I say that this is just my opinion so go ahead and enjoy it, but for me it's a record that has got the sense of being rushed, severely lacking in quality and imagination. There's an average EP amongst these 13 tracks, so I'll probably be whittling the album down accordingly on my MP3 player in the near future.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

anytime (November 27, 2012)

Beg to differ.

Cutter (April 6, 2011)

This website is a joke and this review is a bigger joke. PunkNews talks crap on The Queers while following whatever the latest trend is and labeling it as "Punk". Go listen to some City and Colour and do a good review for some skinny jean band with a sentence for a name.

Rich27 (January 30, 2011)

Hey Phillypunk,

I appreciate your views and as I said in my review, just because I didn't think much of the album doesn't mean you're wrong if you do like it. PERSONALLY, for me it was too Ramones influenced and sounding. I take your point about the numbers of bands who have been influenced by the Ramones and that's understandable but I'd rather see someone take that and put something else in the mix which I didn't think happened here. Don't get me wrong I don't dislike the Queers, but once again, PERSONALLY, this record didn't push many buttons for me and left me feel underwhelmed.

I don't want to be a guy who reviews stuff that I like all the time. Surely that's not the idea behind reviews? It's got to be objective and not just sucking up to a band/label etc?

Anyway, please keeping enjoying The Queers if you like 'em!

swiftjustice (January 29, 2011)

tl;dr

phillypunk (January 29, 2011)

Ok I may know Joe Queer on a personal level and not just a fan,and well I respect anyone who loves music,and well you people as staff know what I mean when it comes to a true love and passion for music,so with that said you get my respect. What I do have to say is that I think The Queers did a good job with this album. It always seems when you have a band who has been around for so many years, you always get put down if you don't fancy or come close to that album of what may be something a fan loved from that album or albums years and years ago. Joe Queer(Joe King) owned and had a real studio built,and in that time you think he made any Queers albums? Yes there was The Manges/Queers split called "Acid Beaters" but besides that, he has produced many albums with his studio and still doing the same without one after it was sold. What did you guys give The Manges album"Bad JUJU" as a review? Joe produced that and without his old studio. But back to the whole Ramones thing.
Ok in the world of Pop-Punk today or even 10-20 years ago, how many pop punk bands have been influenced by The Ramones? If i had to take a guess it be about 90% if not more. I may be hitting 30 years old and grew up on the pop-punk from Lookout records,but at the same time I don't get how this album being said as a Ramones ripoff. Like if anything when it came to The 2 albums we all got from The Riverdales in a year witch got more respect, would be more of a ramones style overall. But I not trying to be a person who going to post and say your wrong, but you also got to see how The Queers add The Ramones style mixed with The surf/punk/garage style also makes them the band they are today, and well I noticed someone spoke about Munki Brain, and well I own a copy of the Munki Brain Demo album, and trust me sure it change your view on that album if you heard and willing to stream it if Joe gives the Ok, I also got a unreleased album of Dangerous Dave doing Queers songs that later where sung by Joe. I guess I may be going on a rant, but sorry this album should have got 4 stars in my eye. Anyway I respect all the staff at punknews.org, even if it comes to the others, i will zip the immaturity and don't play into it all.
Maybe you guys should check out the videos from the current tour and how wimpy has been singing old songs but also the songs from Back to The Basement. Anyway just think about how many pop-punk bands are so ramone styled, when you do maybe the next review on a long term pop-punk band will get more respect. Bu tno love lost, to each there own and as long as you love and respect music, you get my respect regardless what you think. keep doing what you do at punknews.org

kidgotham (January 28, 2011)

Anything I read about this record prior to hearing it was that it was more akin to "Love Songs For The Retarded" and less "Don't Back Down". That does sum it up, but the thing is, it is a shitty version of "LSFTR". I like the new record, but there are a lot of tracks I just skip over.
The great thing about later Queers records is where they would usually put a crappy, generic uptempo'd song about something stupid, they instead would, as victim alluded to, put a great Beach Boy's-esque track instead.
At the end of the day though, I like this record, even thougu it feels like a rehash of something they just can't pull off again.

victim (January 28, 2011)

I back Rich27 on the Ramones observation -- its like Joe Q forgot he has TWO influences instead of one. This was just not that great of an album and neither was Munki Brain (for the same reason, albeit exactly in reverse).

Rich27 (January 28, 2011)

Hey Matt, I was looking for things to say as I couldn't just rip into the album totally. There might be some people out there who don't have the same knowledge of all the bands featured/reviewed etc. Also, The Queers obviously like the Ramones so that's why I mentioned it alot - it's the same as them copying the Ramones sound for all these years. Not really necessary but I laboured the point as they do.

MN_DrNick (January 28, 2011)

What Matt said.

mattramone (January 28, 2011)

Wait, the Queers are influenced by the Ramones? HOLY SHIT, WHAT A GREAT INSIGHT ABSOLUTELY WORTH DEDICATING HALF THE REVIEW TO.

This album rules. I don't love it as much as Munki Brain but "I Wanna Tit Fuck You" is maybe the greatest song ever.