Thinking, Not Sinking
Quicksand
Interiors
Considering the rate at which Walter Schreifels pumps out new albums through his various projects, it sure doesn’t feel like it’s been 22 years since the last Quicksand album. Surviving just five years (1990 to 1995), in which they released two albums for Island, and then folding in 1999 after a frustrating attempt to continue, Quicksand were posthardcore’s great lost hope. But a reunion in 2012 felt like little time had passed. Interiors
significantly builds on the subtle progression that began with 1995’s Manic Compression,
signalling that these musicians have gained confidence and chops. All the musicians here are original members (though it was recorded as a three-piece without guitarist Tom Capone, who has left the band), and as such, the album opens with three songs that sound like vintage Quicksand, with Sergio Vega’s low rumbling bass tones and Schreifels’ chunky, palm-muted chords coalescing as tightly as they once did.
That tension the band had in the ’90s begins to loosen up after that trio of songs, though, and from the first interlude on, a new version of Quicksand emerges, one that seeks to expand the band’s sense of melody, space and texture. A new Quicksand album was never a sure thing, but Interiors can proudly call itself a rightful successor to the post-hardcore classics status of their first two albums. (Epitaph)
Why did it take five years post-reunion to put out a record?
Schreifels: We just didn’t have the scheduling together. You have to really feel that inspiration and give it the time it deserves.
How do you think Interiors fits in with its predecessors?
I think it’s all connected. The second album was a reaction to the first, but then this new one breaks free from both of those. But they’re all inherently connected in the same story. In wanting to make a new record, we could hear gaps in our live set. We could only play songs from Slip and Manic Compression, even though as musicians we had so much more to say in a live set. And so this record in a way is filling in those gaps for us. That is the beauty of it for me. Now we have the freedom to make our sets more interesting by letting it flow and be more dynamic. R& B
Majid Jordan
The Space Between
Canadian R&B duo Majid Jordan return sounding better than ever. The Space Between gives listeners a full range of experiences from the perspective of the OVO artists. The album contains the familiar formula of Jordan Ullman’s well-crafted drums and piano keys that accompany Majid Al Maskati’s smooth voice, but they venture into new sounds, too. On “Not Ashamed,” for example, listeners are greeted by a distorted voice that eventually moves into the shadows as Al Maskati takes over; the punchy drums and controlled distortion contrast well against the singing. Lyrically, there are the typical lovelorn tropes, but Al Maskati also goes deeper than ever here, outlining his personal journey coming from Bahrain to pursue a musical career and detailing a near-breakdown on “Phases.” It would be interesting to see them delve into deeper lyrics and even more creative instrumentals. (OVO Sound, ovosound.com)