Self-titled

Quonset
Independent

Review by Darren Gawle

Hailing from what appears to be the deepest, darkest reaches of Collingwood (home of the Rubber Room and the legendary Mr. Ho) are the duo of Ed Frey and R.C. Johnston, otherwise known as Quonset. Well, right off the mark they earn extra points for trying to spread the gospel of post-rock in the heart of death metal country, and the recording quality of this effort is remarkable when you consider it was recorded on 4-track. All the right ingredients are here, but unfortunately Quonset doesn't sound like they've been baking quite long enough.

There's a magical quotient in the 'less is more' and 'distortion + echo = sonic power' set of principles that guide most post-rock outfits that's missing here. Whereas Stereolab can repeat the same chord pattern ad infinitum and sound thrilling, and Trans Am can achieve a full sound with just drums and bass, Quonset just end up sounding like two guys playing the same riff over and over and over again. Though "Sand Savage" features some exotic Tunisian sensibilities and "Derelict Plane" revisits the 200-pound bassline from the Jesus & Mary Chain's "Teenage Lust," ultimately you'll have trouble telling most of the tracks apart. Quonset, given time, should be able to nail the vibe they're aiming for, but unfortunately it's not happening here.

Artist Contact Info: 948 Keil St., White Rock, B.C., Canada, V4B 4V7

First published in Drop-D Magazine on April 18, 1998

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