Quicksand
Slip
Released: 1993 (original release), Sept. 11, 2012 (vinyl reissue through Shop Radio Cast Vinyl)
Sounds Like: The origins of post-hardcore
Score: 10/10
In the early 90s, the face of hardcore was changing. The youth crew bands of the late 80s had run their course, and as household names like Bold, Gorilla Biscuits, and Youth of Today broke up, the general feeling in the hardcore scene was that of “Where do we go from here?” With that sentiment, the term post-hardcore was born, and if I had to pick one band that embodied this new-found sound, it would be Quicksand.
Now I must say post-hardcore is kind of a misleading term, as the early bands of the genre were still deeply rooted in HC ethics, and Quicksand was actually comprised of ex-members of the aforementioned Bold, Gorilla Biscuits, and Youth of Today (as well as Absolution and Beyond). Revelation Records, a label predominantly known for its roster of classic straight edge bands, released a 4-song Quicksand 7” in 1990 that left many hardcore enthusiasts scratching their heads, especially since most of us were still religiously jamming the more traditional GB and Judge LPs. Not only was Quicksand’s sound out of left field for the time, but the artwork featured on the EP was bizarre and the fourth song was a trippy instrumental with a saxophone titled “Hypno Jam with Dan.” I liked the record OK, but I certainly couldn’t circle pit to it.
Fast forward a bit and it all started to make a little more sense. I was about a year out of high school, and I was back in Boulder City after a failed attempt at moving to Tempe, AZ. At the same time I was beginning to feel a bit stagnant with my daily routine of work, skate, hang out, repeat, and while I loved being with my friends every day, I was also constantly searching for anything fulfilling and new. Some of these difficult feelings also stemmed from an uncertain future and the pains of finally having to “grow up.”
Many of my friends had gone off to college at UNR that following fall after high school, which was a path I wondered if I should be pursuing, and I actually discovered the album Slip during a trip to Reno in April of 1993. Without the power of the internet, and with no real clue about release dates aside from an occasional ad in MRR or Thrasher, my friends and I were often left to stumble across records by surprise. I remembered thinking the Quicksand debut EP was pretty cool, so I figured I would take a chance on the new album when I found it in a small record store up north.
Upon hearing the first song, I immediately knew this was music that was going to deeply affect me. “Fazer” opened up the album with a hard, driving sound that was complimented by Tom Capone’s always great guitar work and Walter’s best vocal performance to this day. I recall Quicksand being compared to a “heavy metal Fugazi” around the time Slip dropped, and to this day I would still agree that’s a fair assessment. This was definitely a more mature and sophisticated version of the hardcore many of us were listening to during our coming of age in the late 80s and early 90s, but it wasn’t like these dudes had gone full on REO Speedwagon or something.
And just when I was about to replay “Fazer,” the second song, “Head To Wall” kicked in.
Have you ever bought a record and the first song is so good that you can’t wait to hear it again, but the second track is even better? “Head To Wall” hit home so hard back then as I struggled with the trials and tribulations of early adulthood, and it continued to be a go-to song for me later in life when I was working sixty hours during the week, going to school at night, and doing volunteer work on the weekends, all the while striving for a goal that always seemed just beyond my reach. I can look back on the lyrics, “Sometime you’ll get to see you where you want to be,” with a whole new level of satisfaction now that I have finally reached that point in my life.
The third track, “Dine Alone,” also struck a particular chord with me. I have always been a person that enjoys spending time alone, and in fact, I start to go a little stir crazy if I don’t get enough time to myself. To this day, I still go on weekly solo missions on my bike or skateboard, which I find completely therapeutic, and I can also find solace in dining out alone, although this song inevitably pops into my head every time I find myself at a restaurant sans company.
Re-recorded versions of “Omission” and “Unfulfilled” from the debut Quicksand EP were included on Slip, as well as seven other awesome and inspiring tracks. This re-issued and re-mastered edition comes in a gatefold cover with added pictures, and there are several versions on tasty colored and 180 gram vinyl. I also really appreciate the new layout of the lyrics, as the original insert presented the lyrics as one big run-on sentence that was virtually impossible to decipher. Like the out-of-print vinyl version from 1993, this re-issue continues to include Quicksand’s take on The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now?” which may be the best cover song of all time.
It should also be quickly noted that Slip was originally released on a major label, which was a big bone of contention in the underground during the early to mid-nineties as bands like Civ, Helmet, Jawbox, Jawbreaker, and Seaweed all tested the waters of corporate America. For me personally, I didn’t really care one way or the other as long as the music was good and the message was still intact. Some of these bands continued to write inspirational music on the majors, while others offered us nothing but disappointment. Quicksand obviously did not fall victim to the trappings of the world outside the underground.
I’m always hesitant to give any album a perfect 10/10, but Slip is about as close as it gets for me.
-Lance Wells
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