The music of Quasi and yours truly go way back and, frankly, it’s absurd that Sam Coomes, the band’s frontman, former Heatmiser member, and Elliott Smith friend/collaborator, hasn’t gotten more love around here. In any event, Corin Tucker’s recent praise for Quasi’s latest LP, American Gong, provided that extra push I needed to declare this record not only one of the best indie rock records of the year so far, but even one of Quasi’s best.
I met Sam Coomes once, and I must say the intensity of this man was wonderfully scary. Still is, in fact, even via videos on the Interwebs. Check out their new Vanessa Renwick-directed video to American Gong’s “Little White Horse” below, as well as “You Fucked Yourself” from their 1998 album (my personal fave) Featuring “Birds,” performed live on A Take Away Show (via Rawkblog) below: