The new Quasi release comes complete with all the heraldry of Sam Coomes’ classic rock wizardry. Beginning on a lanky, yet brooding note, we are “Intro”-duced to “Fuck Hollywood,” an inspiring and meandering song that trods familiar “Quasi pop” ground, but with a full piano sound that beckons the listener into a fog of bouncing low register tones and sonic phazers on what might be Quasi’s most layered, multi-tracked cut to date.
This is another great Quasi record; Sam’s Rocksichord and Janet’s drums more than fill the space. Even the simplest odes, such as the “It’s Raining” burst with an eagerness and enthusiasm that reach beyond the doldrum Portland complaint.
What is the Quasi sound? It is a jocular and offhanded interpretation of pop reality. On this, what might be their finest record so far, the duo goes further, inserting the occasional psychedelic freakout on some tracks and just plain rocking on others.
This record threatens to grab you by the hips and shake: Dance!
Gavin Adair