Early '90s Month: PC Quest

PC QUEST
"DIRECTIONS"
(RCA, 1992)


"It Must Be Love"


The first album by teen-pop quartet PC Quest, who hailed from Oklahoma, was quite cheesy even by early '90s pop standards, but it had some cute songs that I still have a soft spot for. Their second and final album, "Directions", was a bit more grown-up and again had a handful of songs that were enjoyable, but this time for less shame-inducing reasons -- even Chad Petree, the cherubic sweetie-pie of the group, being in full-on Axl Rose worship mode can more-or-less be forgiven. More mature love songs ("If Love Is Blind", Almost In Love") and catchy rockers ("(She's Not a) Bad Girl", and my favorite "We Could Be Trouble") abound, although there's the occasional clunker, like the seriously dated-sounding cover of "Cathy's Clown".

Having presented PC Quest before in a less-than-flattering light, this time I thought I'd share with you one of their better songs. I think of PC Quest as a kind of "nexus" in my world of music, since I have them to thank for my love of Graham Colton (in whose band Drew Nichols played guitar on their 2004 album) and Shiny Toy Guns (of which Chad Petree is a founding member). Steve Petree co-wrote some of the songs on STG's debut album, and I've heard that Kim Whipkey is now a wife and mother who still sings in her spare time. Maybe they'd rather forget PC Quest, but I'll always remember them with fondness.

CD of the Week: Graham Colton

GRAHAM COLTON
"HERE RIGHT NOW"
(Universal Republic, 2007)

I first caught wind of The Graham Colton Band back in 2004, when I found out that Drew Nichols, formerly of the early '90s pop group PC Quest, was a member. On the strength of that fact alone (which gives you a clue of how low my resistance to buying CDs has been in the past), I decided to take a chance and buy their major-label debut, "Drive". I ended up enjoying their tuneful, hooky brand of Southern rock more than I expected to -- so much so that I was more than willing to pick up Graham Colton's new solo album when I spotted it on the horizon.

Mr. Colton has gone "solo" only inasmuch as he's dropped "The ... Band" from around his name; he's still backed by a full band, though it's not made up of the same members. He's also adjusted his sound from quasi-country-tinged prairie rock to more mainstream pop-rock. The album is a fine, even mix of ballads and upbeat rockers that just about anyone can enjoy. Lead single "Best Days" (a questionable choice, as it risks confusion with Matt White's album and song of the same name) is a sweeping, anthemic waltz; "Forget About You" is probably the most rocking track on the album, and an early favorite of mine (the lyric "I am useless, young and stupid, for thinking I'll get over you" has a meaning for me that I'll choose not to elaborate on at the moment, thank you); "Take You Back" another heartbreaker of a ballad; "Whatever Breaks My Heart" has a title that makes you expect to hear a ballad, but surprises you by being one of the most energetic and catchy tracks of all; and the steady pulse and dreamy echoing of "Let It Go" make it a perfect closing track.

He certainly didn't need them, but Graham Colton peppered this disc with guest artists: Rooney frontman Robert (Carmine) Schwartzman, power-popster Bleu McAuley, and singer Rachael Yamagata do backing vocal turns (hmmm ... another album featuring Rachael ... maybe that means I should check out her CD?), and Will Owsley plays guitar on one track. The album may not be completely perfect (a few of the lyrics here and there are not all that inventive), but all in all this is an enjoyable CD from a talented artist that I'll be keeping an eye on in the future.

Audio Train Wreck of the Month: Can I Call You My Girl?

"Can I Call You My Girl?"
PC Quest
from the album "PC Quest" (RCA, 1991)

Quick -- What's the sappiest teen-pop love song of all time? If you answered "Please Don't Go Girl" by New Kids On The Block, you're in for a surprise. That one definitely comes close, but I put today's download up against the sickly-sweetest schmaltz anyone has to offer. Seriously ... if you're a diabetic, you may want to make sure you have an emergency insulin injection handy before you try listening to this song.

Sonic saccharine reached critical mass in 1991 with this ditty, from co-ed teen pop group PC Quest, featuring Chad Petree (yes, the same Chad Petree who's now part of the genuinely cool synth-rock band Shiny Toy Guns) on lead vocals. I almost hate to upload this song, 'cause he's probably just now lived down this dubious part of his music career ... but then, how can he feel like he's accomplished something without looking back at the embarrassing stuff he's done in the past? See, I'm helping him feel good about himself. Besides, PC Quest must not have been too traumatic for Chad, 'cause he was willing to go with the same three-guys-and-one-girl configuration when assembling Shiny Toy Guns.

This song's not completely horrible; for one thing, you have to admit that, even back in his early teens, Chad had a great singing voice. And the guitar solo (from Drew Nichols, later of The Graham Colton Band) rocks too, in a semi-lame teen-pop sort of way (probably not his fault ... after all, how hard would the producers let him "shred" it on that kind of record?). The other songs on the album are kind-of cool, if you can overlook the very dated early '90s sound, and the same goes for PC Quest's follow-up album, "Directions".

Hmmm ... all of my Audio Train Wrecks so far have come from the early '90s. It's gotta be a coincidence ... I don't hate early '90s music, 'cause plenty of it was good. I'll see if I can tune my crap-o-meter in to other musical eras ... and I think I may do an "early '90s month" theme for my Songs of the Week soon, just to show you that there really was some good stuff to come out of that time period.