Phantom pop sounds are Quasi's sword

Although probably more famous for their former band associations, Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss have been steadily forging their own musical identity with Quasi. While Weiss has served time with Sleater-Kinney, and Coomes was in Heatmiser with Elliott Smith, the divorced twosome have recorded five albums together since 1996. The Sword of God, the Portland, Ore., duo's latest, continues to build on the band's previous musical themes, with enough new experiments and variations to keep things fresh. \nCoomes and Weiss wear their influences on their sleeves, but manage to weave them together intricately into a unique blend of pop. The album is full of sounds -- a guitar chord here, a synth part there -- that trigger the memory of some long-lost pop gem that you can't quite remember the name of, so that the whole album exudes a warm familiarity. \nQuasi's songs veer between Beatlesque pop ballads, such as "It's Raining" and "The Curse of Having it All" to punk-tinged romps like "Genetic Science" and the title track. \nThe strongest song on The Sword of God is the only one co-written by the twosome, "Seal the Deal." Introing with a two-and-a-half-minute rollicking instrumental, the song slides into a harmony-filled pop gem, showcasing the two main musical themes of the album in one concise, strong package.\nQuasi shows its willingness to play around on the album closer, the instrumental "Rock and Roll Can Never Die." The song features, besides the obligatory drums and guitars, a myriad of sounds including bagpipes, a ping pong game and a calvary charge. \nThe lush synths, up-tempo drumming and fuzz-tinged guitars of Quasi create an upbeat, catchy album full of hooks. While not groundbreaking, The Sword of God serves its ultimate purpose. It's fun and easy to enjoy.