Tag Archives: No Age

Music, News

Lucky Dragons + Needy Visions Opening For No Age

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Interesting bands, for a lack of a better phrase, always seem to open for No Age! First time I saw them electro/psychedelic group High Places and tropical punk band Abe Vigoda opened. The next time I got to see two bands signed to Dean’s PPM: one-man psych-band (at the time…now I believe it is a duo) Soft Circle and New York dark-wave/electro bunch Silk Flowers. Finally, the third time I got to experience fun dance vibes from Lemonade (who coincidentally will be opening for Delorean this Saturday at the Middle East Downstairs) and the now much more appreciated Beets from Jackson Heights! So what about the bands who will be playing tomorrow? 

Lucky Dragons
From: Los Angeles
Music Style: Electronic

Needy Visions
From: Weymouth, Massachusetts
Music Style: Garage/psych rock
Sounds: Awesome!

Entertainment, interviews, Music, No Age

DoS No Age Interview

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Talking about the state of the music “industry” seems to be a go-to topic nowadays. Steve Albini and now No Age.

Choice Quote: Dean: “Sometimes I like the idea of playing a house to 10 people but I like playing big places too, it just depends. I like the contrast and getting the best of both worlds of festivals. Seeing a band in a house environment is just the best experience, and you’re not supposed to see a band in there and we always think about how we can re-create that feeling a bigger level.”

Read: http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4141230

CD Review, Entertainment, Music, No Age

CD Review: Everything In Between [2010]

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Band: No Age
Release: 9/2010
Label: Sub Pop

1. “Life Prowler” – A-
2. “Glitter” – A
3. “Fever Dreaming” – A
4. “Depletion” – A+
5. “Common Heat” – A-
6. “Skinned” – A-
7. “Katerpillar” – B-
8. “Valley Hump Crash” – A
9. “Sorts” – B
10. “Dusted” – B+
11. “Positive Amputation” – B
12. “Shed and Transcend” – A
13. “Chem Trails” – A+

Comments: No Age is back in No Age form. Once again! What that means is the same as it has ever meant for Dean and Randy: 1)  catchy noise-punk and 2) atmospheric experimentalism. The dudes could have definitely abandoned the filler atmosphere stuff like they did, to an extent, on Nouns. The instrumental sample heavy tracks on that album fit well. Not really so much the case here, but that’s fine! “Life Prowler” is a harmony of the sampler, the drum kit, and the guitar. Dean’s drums hammer away…Randy’s guitar enters a short while later. Dean sings. The samples come on. Noise. This is pretty cool introductory fare; a little taste of what the band is all about. It’s not a life changing track or even close to a great one, but it serves its purpose well. “Glitter” is the first song off this album that we all got to listen to. I’ve heard better, but it captures the “sound” so to speak of the band’s 2009 Losing Feeling EP. I really like how it comes together (via noise assault) toward the end. Y’all want punk No Age? Good. “Fever Dreaming” is moshing material a la “Brain Burner.” It shreds so great, though it doesn’t seem to be mixed as soundly as it could be.  “Depletion” is another heavy yet catchy number. “Common Heat” is slower, but still a really good track. The shaker really stands out! “Skinned” changes up so often it’s almost hard to keep up with, but that’s nearly the beauty of it. “Katerpillar” is a decent little sound collage. “Valley Hump Crash” is lyrically cheesy, but the Minutemen-esque guitars compliment the surfer rock sampling very nicely. “Sorts” is really good. “Dusted” is just as good as “Katerpillar.” And “Positive Amputation” is not too positive. “Shed” is at first a mere noise explosion, but it picks up and becomes…so so fun. I love the back-and-forth on the verses of the closer, “Chem Trails.” The firecracker sound effects are cool, as well. I contemplated not counting some of the atmospheric tracks, but in the end I decided that since they are an inevitable part of the album, I must. Had I not included them, this would be amongst my very very favorites. The songs that rock on here…rock hard. So the tell-tale question…is this better than Nouns? Nope! It’s well-rounded effort, but even the best tunes on here are a few light years behind 75% of the Nouns LP.

Grade: A- (90)

Entertainment, Music, News, No Age

No Age Return To Boston!!!

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It’s been a year and a half. It feels longer, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel that long.

At any rate, I haven’t seen No Age since April 2, 2009. That’s far too long. They’ve got a new album coming out September 28. Get at that. Everything In Between is the title.

Most importantly, Dean, Randy, and the other dude are in town on November 16. They’ll be at the Middle East Downstairs, a choice venue. It is my favorite place to see a show after all and has vegan goodies for the dudes. It’s all ages gig, too! It’s a Tuesday night.

Woo!

Entertainment, Music, No Age, Nobunny

Song Reviews: No Age/Nobunny

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Band: No Age
Label: Sub Pop
7″: Glitter

“Glitter” (A/A-) – No Age has always liked themselves some samples and atmosphere. Weirdo Rippers was ripe with what critics have termed “experimental” sounds. Nouns had a fair share of these tunes as well, but was more “punk” oriented, espesically on the album’s very best tunes: “Teen Creeps,” “Eraser,” and “Ripped Knees” just to name a few. 2009’s Losing Feeling was a mix of atmospheric sounds and straight up rock, but pretty much involved a heavy appetite of samples on every song. If “Glitter” is any indication of the direction of Everything in Between, No Age is aiming at a continuance of their Losing Feeling vibe. I don’t think this recording does too much in terms of how great this song could be. The sample in the background can be a little much at some times, but actually I really like how everything comes together on the latter part of the song.

“Inflorescence” – (A) This one is neat. It reminds of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart kind of twee pop plus, of course, an extra sample or two. Good stuff.
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Band: Nobunny
Label: Goner Records
Album: First Blood

“Motorhead With Me” – (A+) – This one’s been kicking around for over a year and will make its LP debut on…this LP! It is chaotic powerpop/punk genius.

“Blow Dumb” – (A+) – What a stellar song this one is, too. Fucking A! It’s got cowbell, a stellar rhythym and high energy written all over it.

Entertainment, Music, News, No Age

No Age To Play NYC Pool Party!

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The Pool Parties held on the Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn are back again this summer! No Age and The Strange Boys are just about the only names that stick out to me. I tried to catch No Age at one of their Williamsburg shows last year except it poured. It poured hard. Figuring it got canceled (which I think it did), we ditched Brooklyn. No Age is set to play on July 25, but August 1 would have been much better, ‘yo. That’s because I might be going on the Black Lips NYC cruise on the 2nd. I would have been in town. There’s a shot the Lips could play that August 1 date. The bands haven’t been announced yet.

Entertainment, Music, No Age

Randy Randall’s Summer Playlist

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Words by No Age’s Randy Randall:

These are songs I like to listen to on weekend mornings. They are good songs to have coffee with and fold yr laundry, or just sit around and watch the trees. We have a couple of weeks to be at home in between working on the record and going out to play shows. This is time that I am psyched on; it is like having a vacation at home. I bought a vacuum cleaner and have just been watching movies at home and making vegan pizzas. These are good songs for mellow times around the house.

Link To Listen: http://www.artistadvocacy.com/special/guest-mixtape/no-age/