No Age
Nouns
Sub Pop / Tuba!

No Age is a Los Angeles twosome - youngsters Dean Spunt on drums/vocals and guitarist Randy Randall (plus samples, both of them) - splashing out a mixture of noisy pop and experimental rock of the bouncy kind. Formed some 2 1/2 years ago the duo put out a line of singles and EPs last year, before they were signed to Sub Pop. Here's Nouns. Shake hands.

The single choice "Eraser" is über-catchy, and so is many other of the 12-pack included, like "Sleeper Hold", "Teen Creeps" and the Ramones-meets-Wire-ish "Here Should Be My Home", and "Ripped Knees". They sound frisk and fresh and new, but here's also glimpses of "old school" - like the SST bands of the 1980s, some shoegaze pop, Sonic Youth or, even better, St. Johnny. Nevertheless, No Age still is something sounding very 2008, and Nouns could definitely end up as one of the debuts of the year. Yes, no doubt. Minimalism rules. And rolls.

To quote drummer/singer Dean: "Bands should be fun and exciting and they should push all the buttons at the same time. They should make you feel like you are going to explode and make you utterly confused and inspired at the same time." True words, and a fine description of No Age. This is all steam, energy and fun. A refreshing and really cool, cool listen! Enjoy!

Copyright © 2008 Håvard Oppøyen