Short Takes + Weekend Shows

Last year No Age made quite the impression with their debut Weirdo Rippers, and instead of standing pat for a year or so the band spent the year touring and recording a new album. It's impressive, but it's also important in this day and age where buzz bands disappear faster then Fox sitcoms. Weirdo Rippers may have blown our collective minds with its fast paced, non-stop assault on our ears, but on Nouns the band is adding melody and slowing things down just a bit. There's a little more soul on this record instead of just an unrelenting attack. Don't be fooled the attack is still there, they just learned to put a different touch on top of it to smooth it all out. It's a freakin' awesome record, immediately one of my favorites of the year and something I know I'll be listening to a lot for the rest of 2008!
No Age - "Eraser"
No Age - "Cappo"
No Age - "Ripped Knees"

I will listen to anything Thurston Moore releases. Whether it's an album with Sonic Youth, something off his record label or one of his solo albums, I will be nothing but open ears to Thurston. He's earned it with his decades of brilliant music that have done nothing but melt my brain and take away a solid amount of my hearing. On his "short" follow-up to last year's Trees Outside the Academy, Thurston has returned to the noisy world of feedback he normally tends to roam around in. There are only three songs on this "EP", but it still clocks in at over 50-minutes. That's because there is a 4-minute long song bookended by two songs over 20-minutes long. I won't lie, this is not for everyone and it can be daunting even to the most die hard of fans, but it is definitely worth a number of listens when you are in the mood for something noisy and mildly distressing to the ears.
Thurston Moore - "Lethal"

On Monday Pitchfork granted Cut Copy its Best New Music for their new album In Ghost Colours. Now it's not normally in a bloggers best interest to say they were influenced by a review from Pitchfork, but I had completely neglected the album until I saw the review on Monday. After that I put it on and I proceeded to bob my head through my entire morning commute as their electro pop songs pulsed into my ears. It's good stuff and I'm glad Pitchfork reminded me about the band on Monday. Thanks Pitchfork. [Read their review here]
Cut Copy - "Feel the Love"
Cut Copy - "Time Stands Still"

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Friday April 18th:
The Music Slut presents Alan Astor @ Club 205 [info]
Cloud Cult, Illinois, The Forms @ Bowery Ballroom [tix]
Cloud Cult - "The Will of a Volcano"
Illinois - "Headphones"
The Forms - "Bones"
Telepathe @ Knitting Factory [tix]
Telepathe - "I Can't Stand It"
High Places + Ecstatic Sunshine @ Market Hotel [info]
High Places - "Canary"
Ecstatic Sunshine - "Little Big Dipper"
Exit Clov @ Pete's Candy Store [FREE]
Exit Clov - "Working Class Hero"
Tapes n' Tapes + White Denim @ Irving Plaza [tix]
Tapes n' Tapes - "Headshock"
White Denim - "Mess Your Hair Up"
The Misfits @ Warsaw [tix]
The Misfits - "She"

Saturday April 19th:
Pop Tarts Show @ Galapagos [info]
The Antlers - "Stairs to the Attic"
Fatal Film - "Sick as a Dog"
Mission of Burma @ Solar One [info]
Regina Spektor @ Sound Fix Records [FREE]
Regina Spektor - "Better"
Constantines @ Southpaw [tix]
Constantines - "On to You"
Palomar @ Union Hall [tix]
Palomar - "Bury Me Closer"

Sunday April 20th:
Tokyo Police Club + Smoosh @ Bowery Ballroom [tix]
Tokyo Police Club - "In A Cave"
Smoosh - "Find A Way"
Dark Meat @ Cake Shop [info]
Dark Meat - "Freedom Ritual"