So, their own merits here: Quasi has a creepy bass, but probably not creepy bassist in Joanna Bolme. And I mean that in a good way.  She’s a sedated Flea if you topped him off with just enough crystal meth to make him angry and sedated. The percussion coming from Janet Weiss is livelier than the bass, but still a large, aggressive sound — hard, controlled, energetic, steady.  An unexpectedly springy heavyweight fighter beating the piss out of someone one patient job at a time, and without hunching over like an old man by the third round.  Sam Coomes’ lead guitar riffs string it all together nicely, despite the tweeting high voices running throughout.  Or maybe that’s another good thing.  All three of the band members sing, and all in higher registers.  Not glass-breaking keys, but definitely no growling.  Now that I think about it, that’s a contrast that makes sounds like David Lowry’s Cracker work.  Who doesn’t love “Low?”  So Quasi, while not really inventing anything new in that combo, definitely puts another hashmark in the win column.

If I had to recommend one track, it’d be the one I can’t help but repeat: track eight, “Rockabilly Party.”  It’s simple, it’s almost obvious, but someone not cliché:  “If you stir up the hornets nest, both of us must get stung.”  Not cutting edge writing, but damn if it doesn’t give me some quick chills when I know it’s coming up.  It’s just a fun album.  I mean the final track (if you don’t count the bonus cuts) is 42 seconds of a dog howling.  Perfect.  Howl on.

Verbicide Free Download: Click here to download “Repulsion” by Quasi

Quasi was formed in Portland, Oregon in 1993 by Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss. Their first album was self released in 1995, and they released three albums between 1997 and 1999 on Up Records. They moved to Touch & Go Records in 2001, and released three albums with them; additionally Touch & Go reissued the first album.

The band moved over to the Kill Rock Stars label in 2009. Throughout their history they have also toured and/or recorded either individually or collectively with Sleater-Kinney, Elliott Smith, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Built to Spill, Bright Eyes, Heatmiser, the Go Betweens, Pink Mountain, and many more.

Prior to to Quasi, Coomes was in the San Francisco band Donner Party, and both Coomes and Weiss were in the Portland power trio Motorgoat. Joanna Bolme (Jicks, The Minders, Calamity Jane) joined the band in 2006.

“Repulsion” is the first track to be released from their forthcoming album on Kill Rock Stars, American Gong.

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Repulsion