It’s a quarter century since I first tripped over Quasi, a formerly husband and wife duo peddling a slightly cartoonish yet strangely alluring Rock-Si-Chord powered indie-pop, the instrument in question producing a phat-as-phuq sound, somewhere in between Wurlitzer, Rhodes and Harpsichord. Their superb break-up track ‘I Never Want to See You Again’ graced many a late 1990s music magazine compilation although I have absolutely no recollection of their support set before Elliott Smith’s unforgettable 1999 Manchester University show which I was supremely fortunate to witness, funny that.
With Quasi’s belting new Sub-Pop powered long-player ‘Breaking the Balls of History’ still fresh in the mind, the chance to catch this wisened duo at Brudenell proved too good to pass up. Heartening to see these guys on the road again after so long, and with a cracking new record to boot, drummer Janet Weiss looking mean moody and magnificent in her too cool for school white framed sunglasses whilst her partner in crime Sam Coomes creates sonic terror on his keyboard, the thing seemingly made of titanium, withstanding all the abuse meted out upon it.
Predictably, all the smooth edges on their record are tonight replaced by a looser, harder live sound yet still as tight as one of Janet’s drum skins, their effortless harmonies as intertwined as ever. Quasi get things underway with new album curtain raiser ‘Long Last Laugh’ the duo then blasting through their setlist openers, predictably dominated by their new record including ‘Nowhereville’ and ‘Back in Your Tree’ whilst barely pausing for breath. A sublime ‘Queen of Ears’ with it’s glorious dreamy middle eight is a particular favourite although ‘I Never Want to See You Again’ proves hard to beat. We even get a fine cover of the Breeders ‘Do You Love Me Now’, the Quasi version cheesy, queasy and breezy in equal measure.
Keep on rockin’ in the free world you two.
Words - Michael Price
Quasi official
Brudenell official