Quasi - The Sword of God
(Touch and Go)
Chances are you have already heard, and formed an opinion about,
Quasi. Good job. Quasi has been getting a lot of hype in recent times
and that is ok by me. After all, Quasi is not a bad band. If you are
like me, though, and like your Rock Crispies with a little more snap and
crackle than pop, then maybe Quasi is not for you. If, however, you are a
sucker for sharp hooks tangled up in a post-punk reclamation of
traditional pop music, then by all means, check this out.
Some of the tracks here are outstanding by anyone's standards. "Fuck
Hollywood," with its languid Lennon-esque piano melodies and earnest,
soaring vocals, is a gem. Likewise, "It's Raining," with its oh so clever
couplets and burlesque rhythms will have even the most jaded listener
crooning along. Also, Quasi kick out some jams on the Superchunk-ish
"Genetic Science" and the Superchunk-playing-Brainiac's-gear-ish "The
Sword of God" (the record's finest track). It must be said that Sam
Coomes (who plays everything but the drums, which are supplied by
Sleater-Kinney's Janet Weiss) gets a ton of mileage out of his keyboards,
which are thick and fuzzy, and more than make up for any lack of regular
rock guitars (on the songs that lack rock guitars). At times he is a
gifted songwriter and a compelling vocalist.
Not all of the tracks fair so well, though. "From a Hole in the
Ground," has the hooks, but lacks the inspiration of some of the other
songs. "Little Lord Fontleroy," lacks even the hooks, not to mention any
momentum. "Goblins and Trolls," despite some promising heaviness in the
opening riffs, lightens up into a really absurd song (using goblins and
trolls metaphorically is far more absurd than using them
literally). These kinds of tracks make the record feel uneven and spotty.
In all honesty, this is how I feel about most bands about whom the
adjective "pop" is thrown about. There are moments of inspiration when
the hooks feel so very good, and then there are others when you feel
jerked around, like a fish on the end of a line. It all comes down to how
much you can take of those barbs.
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