New Music: Irish Basement – My Valerian (feat. Furniteur)

I have to admit, I didn’t initially realise My Valerian was a cover version of The Max Levine Ensemble’s punk classic.

Even then, it was only when the chorus kicked in, because Irish Basement take the track and – with the help of Furniteur – give it a post-punk / dark wave-adjacent glow-down.

The bass line is the only thing that marginally survives from the original, tight and menacing, but Mike Toohey replaces the angst of the original take with fire and brimstone, as if taking into account the political changes over the last decade.

Cover versions can be tricky, but Irish Basement respect the original even as they fashion it to their own sound. Fans of both bands will be impressed with what Toohey has achieved here.

“The Max Levine Ensemble have always been one of my favorite DC bands,” says Irish Basement’s Mike Toohey. “Growing up playing punk and ska shows around the area in the 2000s, they consistently stood out as one of the coolest, most genuine bands doing it.”

My Valerian (feat. Furniteur) is streaming on SoundCloud and Spotify. Irish Basement are set to release their Burn This on CD EP soon – head to the band’s Instagram page for news on that and much more.