Steve Baskin & the Fourteens – I Sometimes Think (Better)
Somewhat of a pop singer-songwriter in the tradition of Andrew Gold (“Lonely Boy”), this showcase is primarily mainstream fodder at the onset, with some commercially very strong & viable tunes. The arrangements have endurance. Baskin doesn’t sugarcoat his stuff & he has weight in some tunes (“Trip Begin”) that will remind listeners of the rockier Kenny Loggins (“Somebody Knows” “I’m Alright”).
If Steve Baskin (vocals/acoustic & electric guitars/mandolin) follows that fiery route (keep reading), he could be quite an attraction. After all, the giants like Billy Joel, Elton John & Bruce Springsteen are… aging. 10 songs exude their individuality nicely on I Sometimes Think (Better) – (Drops March 6/Independent/37:07).
Songs like “How I Feel” have an instant commercial intrinsic appeal. It sounds like something you’ve heard before & liked. And still do. The recordings are pristine & produced by Steve with Rich Herring in Georgia studios.
Song #2 has more punch: “Where You Are” is a tightly arranged piece played with vigor. Yes, it has a sweet commercial appeal to it, but that’s how you score a chart hit. The playing is excellent. Steve doesn’t have a particularly distinctive voice (like Billy Joel or Elton John), but he does know what he’s doing. He applies finesse & his skill surfaces even better on the more serious & well-structured “I Don’t Know Nothing (Love Song).” This leaves a lingering flavor in the ear. Nice mandolin & Steve’s finest vocal…so far.
There are some wonderfully blistering guitar leads & swirling piano notes on some tunes. But with each successive song, Steve gets more resurrected. It helps to raise the somewhat no-frills songs to a higher level. Steve isn’t Shane McGowan, John Lennon, or Dylan, but he doesn’t fail. He works harder.
“Better” has muscle both as a composition & with Steve’s determined vocal, even soulful. The arrangement is out of the old English music hall cum Beatle-band Stackridge songbook. It’s typical of their approach (“The Volunteer,” “Happy In the Lord”). However, a slow Beatles classic, “A Hard Day’s Night,” is riding the median. Sung & played well; the song drags. It was never meant to be a cocktail lounge tune.
Steve comes back swinging with a Kenny Loggins-type sparkler, “Lucy.” But…“Bad Idea” & “I Sometimes Think” both sound like Steve Baskin being Steve Baskin & no one else. This is his launching pad. Start with the last two songs. These are reinforcing tunes for R&R. Right here.
Highlights – “How I Feel,” “Where You Are,” “I Don’t Know Nothing (Love Song),” “Trip Begin,” “Better,” “Lucy,” “Bad Idea” & “I Sometimes Think.”
Musicians – Roger Brainard (electric & lead guitars), Mark Van Allen (pedal steel), Mark Sobus (bass), Mary Gill (vocals) & Geoff Gill (drums/percussion).
CD color images courtesy of Kevin Garrett. Live image courtesy of Steve’s website. CD @ Amazon & https://www.stevebaskin.com/ & https://stevebaskin.bandcamp.com/album/i-sometimes-think-better
Song Premiere: https://americanahighways.org/2026/02/03/song-premiere-steve-baskin-and-the-fourteens-i-dont-know-nothing-love-song/