Quasi
Mole City
Kill Rock Stars
Street: 10.01
Quasi = Pavement + Wild Flag + Stephen Malkmus
Rock n’ roll is about excess, not precision or scholastic adherence to tradition or, RockGods forbid, discipline. It does take some kind of discipline, or something, to make music with an ex-spouse, as do Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss of Quasi. Their music is so free-wheeling that they can pull off a song called “Laissez les bon temps rouler” (from 2010’s American Gong). They once put out a record called Hot Shit! Double album Mole City takes their take on indie rock to the next logical step: the apocalyptic party. “See You On Mars” and “Blasted” map out escapist fantasies and even change style, the former from fuzz guitar riff to boogie-woogie piano mid-song, escaping even the conventions of song structure. This all seems like some kind of zen prank of “not-trying,” except they don’t even seem to take it that seriously, and that’s what’s so rock n’ roll about Quasi. (Kilby Court: 11.04) –Stakerized!