Quasar Light - Experience This. 1981 USA-Pennsylvania

Quasar Light were from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, which sits in the southeast part of the state, in and around Amish country. This isolation in the middle of farm country may explain a few things, as these guys were tapped into something that has yet to be followed up with anywhere else.

One of the absolute funniest reviews I've ever read concisely stated the following: WTF is.... this?  That got a belly laugh out of me. How many times have I felt exactly like that? Who knows, but no album I've heard qualifies that expression more than Quasar Light.

WTF is this indeed. I don't even know where to begin. Umm... yea, it's exactly like... OK wait. You can compare them to... No...  but.... yea, that.

The first four songs on the album sound like some kind of alien pop with nimble hard rock guitar picking and disembodied female vocals. There is no mistaking its 1980's heritage here. 'Don't Ever Leave Me' seems to be heading down a somewhat normal path, to the point of discouragement. Starting with 'Secret of  the Stars', Quasar Light begins to go completely off the rails. This sounds like a off-kilter version of this list. Then Side 2 all bets are off. They were in their own world. Not that it's avant noise or anything so overt as that. No, they're still going strong with actual composed songs. But they're strange, twisted, distorted, and downright complex at times. It's progressive rock from the 6th dimension. There is absolutely no reference here. Based on their location, one begins to wonder if they're Amish on a Rumspringa binge. The only reference I could find on this album was a stream of consciousness rant from the Quasar Light founder. Yea, a surprise that. Underground America at its weirdest right here. A must.

Ownership: LP: 1981 Jet Eye Records. Single sleeve

Not reissued as of 11/28/24.

7/20/11 (first listen / review); 11/23/18 (update new entry)