Portland, OR-based indie pop duo Quasi teamed singer/guitarist/keyboardist Sam Coomes and drummer Janet Weiss, who not only previously joined forces in the band Motorgoat but also married and divorced. After a 1993 split single with Bugskull, little was heard from Quasi until 1996, when the duo issued the Early Recordings collection. In 1997, Weiss joined Sleater-Kinney for their classic Dig Me Out album, but she also continued collaborating with Coomes, and that same year saw the release of the Quasi album R&B Transmogrification. Its 1998 follow-up, Featuring "Birds," was among the year's most acclaimed independent outings, and in 1999 Quasi resurfaced with Field Studies. By the new millennium, Weiss and Coomes found a new label home with Touch and Go. The Sword of God appeared in 2001, marking Quasi's sharpest material since their inception. Two years later, the band's snide sense of humor was found once more on the political-heavy Hot Shit. In 2006, the band returned to the studio and, with the help of producer Dave Fridmann, released the rollicking When the Going Gets Dark.

--By Jason Ankeny, AllMusic.com

The instrument Coomes plays lead with in most songs is not an organ, nor a harpsichord, but rather a hybrid designed in the mid 1970's. It is, of course analogue, & put through multiple layers of distortion. It's called a roxichord, & is very rare. Coomes bought it in a pawn shop in the mid 90's very cheap, & now it is worth much more, as older analogue synths have become popular. Tradgedy struck on the Featuring 'Birds' tour however, & the roxichord was dead after years of abuse. Coomes no longer plays an authentic roxichord, but rather a synth that synthesizes the roxichord, as well as piano, organ, & a few others you're likely to hear on Field Studies.

During the 2006 shows, Joanna Bolme joined Quasi. The upcoming 2009 album will be the first that she plays bass on. From the Stephen Malkmus site: Born on April Fool's Day. Descendant of Kintpuash. Attended first concert, The Who/Three Dog Night, at 5 years old. Did not speak for two days after Jackson was killed on The White Shadow. First "complicated" bass line ever learned, Strutter, KISS. Lets dog sleep on the bed. Likes avocados, beer and black licorice. Dislikes litterbugs, WAL*#%MART and cars that hog the passing lane. Can dance bulerias but aspires to siguiriyas. Thinks Gregory Peck is the most handsome movie star of all time.