Matt McIntosh The Basement Demos released: 11/21/07 SK1 Media "Singer-songwriter Matt McIntosh, known chiefly for his longtime involvement in punk and hardcore circles, purportedly recorded this batch of songs on the fly, with crude gear, in the cellar of his childhood home just weeks before vacating. And for the most part it shows, as the sound quality of tracks on 'The Basement Demos' can at times be uneven and inconsistent. Luckily for us the songcraft herein is the caliber of that which transcends such technicalities and keeps an artist's name in the mouths of listeners for years. Acoustic guitars, orchestral components, stirring lyricism and edgy arrangements are just a few of the strengths that pepper this homespun release. And although his punk rock chops were always well above par, and at times even inspiring, McIntosh seems to have pedestalled an intriguing new muse in recording under his proper name, whether he meant to or not. 8 out of 10 stars. -Pete Jeffries / Mediaphile User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.