• Artist: Quarkspace
• Rating:
• Style: Space Rock

Review

Quarkspace's eponymous album was released in 1996 on the band's own Eternity's Jest label. This first complete studio effort contains nicely crafted songs and a truckload of good ideas, but also unrealized potential and poor sound quality. These were learning times for the band. Musicianship will be much better later on (lack of tightness becomes obvious on a few tracks) and, overall, Quarkspace is only a pale foreteller of subsequent albums like Live Orion and The Hidden Moon. Yet, compositionally, all the main elements were already in place. This album is song-oriented and contains only two space jams ("Youthful Breeze" and "Teton Range"). From the Beatles ("On a Beach") to Peter Gabriel ("She Has") and a bunch of psychedelic and space rock bands, most of the group's influences are represented. Highlights include the opener "Dancing Swan," the pop songs "I Feel" and "See the City," and "In My Lost Mind," a very nice song written in 5/4 that will reach its full potential on Live Orion. Paul Williams uses a lot of electronic drums and drum programming on this release, and one wonders why. Maybe it was in order to cut back on studio expenses, but the music suffers from it (the rhythm track in "In My Lost Mind" gets pretty sloppy at one point). Quarkspace is an interesting document of the band's early days, but its poor production will discourage newcomers. Start with Live Orion or The Hidden Moon. ~ François Couture, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Dancing Swan		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(8:38)
I Feel		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(4:06)
I See the Water Wash Me Away		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(4:09)
Youthgul Breeze (Space)	...	Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson, Dave Wexler	Quarkspace	(6:46)
See the City		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(5:11)
Stereotypes for Breakfast		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(4:17)
Oklahoma		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(5:09)
She Has		Paul Williams, Richard Fox, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(3:44)
World Through Your Eyes		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(5:12)
Teton Range (Space)	...	Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson, Dave Wexler	Quarkspace	(4:17)
Air		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(4:00)
On a Beach		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(4:46)
Fade to Black		Paul Williams, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(4:28)
In My Lost Mind		Paul Williams, Richard Fox, Darren Gough, Chet Santia, Jay Swanson	Quarkspace	(6:41)

Credits

Paul Williams (Percussion), Paul Williams (Drums), Paul Williams (Keyboards), Quarkspace (Producer), Quarkspace (Main Performer), Quarkspace (Artwork), Richard Fox (Guitar), Kirk Wyckoff (Artwork), Darren Gough (Guitar), Chet Santia (Bass), Chet Santia (Guitar), Chet Santia (Percussion), Chet Santia (Vocals), Jay Swanson (Keyboards), Dave Wexler (Guitar)