Review: Quasi – American Gong
Quasi – American Gong (2010) [Kill Rock Stars] // Grade: B+
What’s always stood out to me about Quasi is their ability to make a whole lot of noise with only two members. Husband and wife duo Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss have been making some of the most consistently good indie rock out there together since 1993, and finally in 2010 with their newest release, American Gong, have expanded their lineup, adding bassist Joanna Bolme.
With a new bassist on tap and a new label to call home (Kill Rock Stars), American Gong takes that logical exploratory step that every band making music as long as Quasi eventually needs. The addition of Bolme’s bass makes American Gong the heaviest of Quasi’s releases to date. But what’s interesting is that Bolme doesn’t just add volume, Coomes and Weiss seem to react almost intrinsically to her addition and their own efforts feel more rhythmic and less chaotic.
Quasi’s two strongest selling points, their fuzziness and their catchiness, aren’t lost with American Gong. “Bye Bye Blackbird” dissolves Coomes’ vocal intro into a massive, speaker-blowing raincloud of fuzz that spans minutes. And the album’s lead track “Repulsion” is an explosive pop-charged standout. “Little White Horse” combines both fronts, alternating between a shouted chorus with frenzied guitar and a slowly meandering mid-section. My only complaint about American Gong is that all the strongest tracks are placed in the album’s first half, creating a latter half that comparatively drags.
Quasi has done well with their first effort at an expanded lineup. Bolme’s addition feels just right and Coomes and Weiss naturally react for an album that takes the best parts of Quasi’s past and amps them up for the future.
