Quayle

Item: Quayle
Author: Dan MacIntosh

(1997)

Reviewed by Dan MacIntosh

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Label Sublime Records7ball #17March/April 1998

alternative rock emo rock

There's probably nothing more universal than a broken heart. One finds the scars of love in every race, creed and color, and in every nation. They're even found among those who call themselves Christians. The band Quayle is made up of four committed Christians: Nick Garrisi handles vocals and guitar, Javier Hernandez takes care of the lead guitar, Kevin Pollard is the drummer, and William (Billy) Coker plays bass. I met with all but Pollard recently at the group's home church in La Habra, Calif., which is in the Northern part of Orange County. The church is a converted grocery store in a strip mall which still has a liquor store sitting between the sanctuary at one end and a Christian coffee shop at the other side. We sat down to talk at the coffee shop. The group's new self-titled album on Sub-Lime is highlighted by the raspy but inviting vocals of Garrisi, and set to the tight and together playing of the band. Produced by the suddenly busy-behind-the-boards Mike Knott, this album finally brings out the energy of this talented band's live sound. Garrisi has had his heart broken a time or two, but he's not really uncomfortable with putting these raw and real feelings into recorded songs. "A lot of times, I want kids to relate," explains Garrisi. "And I know a lot of them have gone through a lot more than I have. I'm not going to beat around the bush and stuff. I just wrote the songs." "Stay Away" is one such song, and its gut level honesty is often hard to listen to, because for those who have had their hearts broken, its truth stings. It captures the point in a relationship where one partner has decided that it's better for the couple to just stay apart. The next song describes the kind of girl who would ask a guy to stay away. Called "Leave Boys," it contains a telling line about a girl who leaves boys and walks on them. This doesn't exactly sound like the chapter on love in 1st Corinthians, does it? It's often hard to know why God puts us in situations where we get our hearts broken. Sometimes, we put ourselves in those situations, and it's only afterwards that we realize we were in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person. "What I learned probably the most was to listen to God's voice when I could hear it completely, but I would just ignore it," Garrisi admits. These struggles give the listener mixed feelings: One feels badly for Garrisi's troubles, but it sure makes for some great rock 'n' roll.