Written by Becca Kathleen Photography by Dean Naylor

One of the biggest upcoming bands from Dublin, Ireland released their debut album ‘Poor Advice’ today. Filled with thrills and exhilaration, the band communicates political and social angst whilst navigating a world of violence, corruption and political injustice. 

You don’t want to miss listening to the quartets album debut.

The band consisting of: Vocalist, Jack Leavey, drummer, Ryan McClelland, Bassist, Louis Christle, and Lead guitarist Lughaidh Armstrong Mayock, aims to blend numerous genres into one piece, mixing riff-driven rock with elements of punk music. Rather than confining to one genre, Basht, are able to do it all and blend their musical influences in an effortlessly beautiful way.

The group have consistently been on the road, most recently for festival season and their Spring headline tour - playing shows around the UK, Ireland and Europe. After the bands headline in Southampton in 2025, Drummer Ryan exclaims:

 “It’s been pretty much full steam ahead since then.”

THE PROCESS

What has arrived today, is Basht’s 10-track debut album ‘Poor Advice’, produced by the iconic Ali Chant who is behind the likes of Yard Act’s releases. The band have had a fast turnaround with this album, having released the album straight after creating it.

“It was a very quick process of writing the songs, recording them and just getting the album finished. There was a genuine excitement of approaching deadlines and just getting to create the songs while we were travelling from gig to gig. We’d write a song, and the next night you’d be playing I in front of people, refining it, testing it”

Ryan McClelland.

“We’d been playing the songs live as soon as we’d written them.”

Lughaidh Armstrong Mayock

THE ALBUM INFLUENCES

‘For songs on the debut album, it was more about certain things that are going on in the world, and what I thought of them.’

The band offers to start a conversation regarding themes of war, religion and relationships. Additionally, the bold, strong-stanced album aims to communicate ‘the delicate human side of growing up in Ireland.’

There was an underlying hope for singer-songwriter Jack for individuals “To hear the music and understand themselves a little better, maybe.’ 

‘The songs might not change the world, but rather allow people to figure out things about themselves.’

TRACK BY TRACK

Dive

The opening track to the album, ‘Dive’, sets the tone for the rest of the release, with atmospheric guitar riffs that grow stronger throughout the song and a voice that builds anticipation. The song builds as it goes on, leaving the listener transfigured into the introspective, unsettling world of the album.

Perfume 

The lead introspective track navigates a deeply personal father-son relationship, and the beginning of the album’s conceptual ark. The tune starts in childhood, with a son reflecting on his parents marriage and leads into the main characters encounters with misleading authority figures in life. The song is another slow build, leading into the organised chaos that is Bashts’ sound, including heavy, grunge-influenced guitar riffs that are raw and distorted. ‘Perfume’ is arranged in a way that showcases each individual element, which just makes you want to listen all over again, experiencing the songs build all over again.

Keira Knightley 

The third song on the album, ‘Keira Knightley’ explores intimate romance as well as relationship desperation. It communicates the exhausting, heartbreaking and sometimes embarrassing lengths one will go to in order to fix a relationship that simply isn’t working. 

The tune takes it title and hook from the movie ‘Love Actually’, twisting the beloved trope into a post-punk narrative illustrating infactuation, jealously and a connection that is breaking. Although, Keira Knightley’s lyricism is truly what makes it relatable to it’s listener. 

‘Am I about to down?

Your expectations never end,

although we could figure this out,

well I called you daily held you tightly…’

Terror TV 

The fast paced post-punk track communicates the modern screen horrors we’re witnessing in society, focusing on the global anxiety within our digital landscape. Leavy wrote the tune feeling exhausted from the information overload of watching continuous world conflict through screens. The tune deals with the idea that modern news cycles make us numb to trauma, unloading chaos with every scroll. If you’re a fan of Basht’s previous sounds, you’ll definitely appreciate ‘Terror TV’. The high energy tune signals its start with a catchy beat and a soft vocal, unloading into pure chaos during the chorus, with invigorating riffs you cannot miss and driven drum arrangements, mirroring the disorder unfolding on social media.

Superchurch 

‘Superchurch’ is one of the most relaxed songs on the new release, referring to walking away from religion as well as the liberation of leaving somewhere you no longer associate with. The stripped back tune leaves room for the listener to reflect on their own experiences, and identify them through song.

 Vermillion Reptillian & Circadia

The tracks ‘Vermillion Reptillian’ & ‘Circadia’ have there very own unique sound, also navigating the idea of religion and suffering. They both communicate the bands angst in a completely different sense, building throughout the riffs.

Moth

There is a certain vulnerability in the song ‘Moth’, different to those of the bands past releases. The melancholic track shifts between moments of explosion and more relaxed moments, testing the emotional boundaries of music as well as navigating attraction and seeking safety and comfort. A theme listeners can resonate deeply with. 

‘ well you came in through the window / attracted to the light / landed on my shoulder / asked to stay the night’

Kids Vs Guns

The final direct statement single  ‘Kids Vs Guns’ makes the most explicit political statement on the album. The song started as a poem written when the band was on tour, a direct any response to the crisis and genocide Palestine is facing. The release focuses on the one-sided conflict where children are left in the firing line. The song takes a reigned back approach until it’s last chorus, which is all that is necessary to communicate its message. 

Poor advice

Lastly, the title track of the album ‘Poor Advice’ uses an acoustic guitar before flowing into the sound we can already identify as Basht. ‘Poor Advice’ tackles themes of substance abuse faced around Ireland, but gives listeners a glimmer of hope throughout with it’s intellectual lyrcism.

‘In the darkest hour

There’s a flicker of light…

It’ll get us through the night’

This release is one of the most highly anticipated of this year and Basht definitely delivered, mixing their post-punk style with stripped back arrangements to emphasise the overall messages of the release. The bands raw lyricism and composure of the album simply make one to repeat.

Personally, this release will be on my radar and my playlist for the foreseeable.

You can catch Basht play tracks of the album live at Glasgow Art School on October 28^th and additionally, stream the album on all music platforms now.