While Baxter and the Basics sounds more like the generic name of a fake movie band and the EP’s cover art elicits expectations of a light/Christian rock sound, The Meantime is a pleasant surprise showcasing a young band that seems to be a bit conflicted about its image.
A cacophonous, almost Manray-esque build up leads into the bitter lethargy of the ’90s-alternative-inspired sound. With Stephen Malkmus in mind, Brian Benzinger’s somewhat monotone vocals dance carefully around the fuzzy outbursts and noodlings of dueling guitars in the dynamically fluid opener “Marble Garden.”
From there, the EP falls prey to a more straightforward sound that sounds sugarcoated standing next to its more complex counterparts. It retains a somewhat vague fishing/nautical theme, but the EP loses a bit of its emotional depth by the time it reaches the closer, “Heaven.”
Stream The Meantime on Bandcamp.
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