Quasi: Field Studies ---Ink Blot Magazine

Quasi: Field Studies

at a glance...

Hometown: Portland, OR
Formed: 1992

Members:
Sam Coomes -keyboards, guitars, vocals
Janey Weiss -drums, vocals
Elliott Smith -bass
Brent Arnold -cello
Jen Charowhas -violin
Frances Woods -viola

Bands in the family :
Donner Party, Heatmiser, Built To Spill, Sleater-Kinney, Elliott Smith, The Go-Betweens

Notes:
In 1992 the married couple of Coomes and Weiss formed Motorgoat. Along the way they've lost the rest of the band, changed its named, gotten divorced, and Weiss has joined Sleater-Kinney, but they still tour and record as Quasi.

Quasi Photo

Quasi
Field Studies
Up Records, Released 1999

Something big happened between the recording of Featuring "Birds," Quasi's 1998 album, and Field Studies. Sam Coomes' old Heatmiser mate Elliott Smith became an overnight sensation, and Quasi worked as his back-up group on tour. This event affected Quasi in two ways; the road-tested band's never been tighter, and they no doubt wanted to hear anything other than their scrappy live sound when they came off tour and went back into the studio.

The rocksichord-and-drums juggernaut of Quasi in concert makes just one appearance, on the one-chord rave-up "Bon Voyage." Elsewhere they dress up their songs in strings, slide guitars, and layers of keyboards that reveal the combo's long-standing affection for the Beatles. It's a case of a spoonful of sugar helping the bitter medicine to go down; Coomes' morosely witty lyrics about romantic disappointment, day job drudgery, and music business skullduggery would probably be a drag if they were matched by music as sullen as his sentiments. But if you're in the mood for some sweet and sour bummer pop, this gives you plenty of both.

If you like Quasi, check out:
Quasi Featuring "Birds"
Elliott Smith XO
XTC Homespun
The Beach Boys Pet Sounds

-- Bill Meyer

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